The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-07
MAKE CALAMITY CRY
ISSUE Of CAMPAIGN.
Clayton, Close Friend Of
Bryan, Sounds Keynote
iii Speech in House.
Timea-Dispatch Bureau,
Muusey Building.

s5 1t looks like the Democrats will or.
calamity 10 very great extent In thu
coming campaign. 1t was the burder
OF u considerable portion Of the speecl
L Trade In the House to-day by Represen.
3sStative Clayton. OF Alabama n member
q OF the Democratic National Committee
and one OF the closest friends MIR
Bryan has in Congress The applause
which the speech received from the
rev Democratic members on the floo,
ut the time indicated that the line
{ pursued was popular.
Mr.. CLAYTON read from newspapers
many extracts showing the thousands
OF idle workinEnen, who have become
months. as the result of what he desig.
mated several times as ''tlle Republican
panic"
One Of these clippings stated that
there were in Chicago alone $4,000
unemployed workingnlen, for whom
free lodgings and soup-houses were
\ being provided. "Soup-house Demo-
Gratis" was u phrase often used by the
Republicans in 1896, alluding to the
hard times which came during the sec
ond Cleveland administration, when
free soup was provided idle laborers
IN many cities. The applause with
which Mr.. Clayton's speech was. re-
caivsd by Democrats to-day Indicated
. campaign expression which will be
heard with great frequency next fall.
Oppose 'sCaIamitr.''
Several Democrats of Influence have
told The Times.ptspatch correspondent
that q so-called calamity campaign
would not be effective. certainly not,
Z ~
practicable substitutes FOR the things
Republican which are being criticized.
There have not been many pieces of
proposed legislation submitted by Den,-
ocrats this session which have received
united support of that side OF the
House. The Democrats Of neither the
House nor the Senate have agreed on a
currency bill. Conferences of leading
members of the House minority are
Icing held daily with view to agree
ing upon currency bill The bill is
rot yet drafted
The lack of cohesion and unitedness
OF purpose on the part OF the minority,
especially in the House Is most appa-
rent. Bryan and antiBryan, Williams
and anti-Williams. are apparent on
every hand. The fist-fght between Mr..
Williams and Mr. De Almond was only
what may be termed q frank express
sion of the differences with which
every Democratic member Is familiar.
and which are known OF all Observers
about the Capitol. The Democrats are
much divided on the last message the
President sent to Congress.
The majority approve it. many dis
approve, and do not hesitate to say so.
Some Democrats, like Bourke Cochran,
for instance. exhaust the vocabulary
Of the eulogist in praise of the Presi-
Gent for the position he took. Others,
like General Sherwood, of Ohio; like
len Johnson OF Kentucky who made
II speech in the House to-day, accuse
the President OF duplicity and insin-
rerity. and hand him some "hot ones.
presidential campaign were at its
height.
Must Get Together.
Everything demonstrates that the
Democrats must get together--not in /,
rlinch, la Williams and De Armonl-
but that there must be some agreement
under which their course must be rsgu-
lated, and contradictions and contro-
versies In public be avoided. The
party is probably nearer this than it
was when Congress acknowledgements
certainly than last session: but there
il ylil have to be still further surrender
order to make II n formidable antaeon-
list. This voices the sentiment Of every
sincere and thoughtful Democrat with
Nfhom ! have talked in a month.
Congressional Chair .usl.ip.
The situation rith reference to the
1 Democratic congressional chaii-nanahip
SIS rather involved to-day but is rapid
1y clearing Up. This morning the man
ayers for Representative Lloyd printed
"A story pnrportins to show seventeen
votes on the first ballot, out of a
total Of thlrty-$cYen. and names were
mentioned. The reat Of the strength
was divided about equally between
II Representative Bowers, Flood ana
Ryan. The chief thing about the list
was that 1t waa not borne out by the
facts The writer had three members
pf the House who arc Committed to
Representative Flood, and three mem
bars of the Senate who promised
Senator Martin to support Mr.. Ficod
rs being for Mr.. Lloyd,
Another member OF The committee
who Is for Flood was listed as being
tor Ryan.
When the members in question were
approached to-day they expressed dis
pleasure in being put in the attitude
i OF supporting Lloyd. when it was not
I. fhslr intention TO 90 so. one or lhem
said that it was sheer nonsense 10
talk about his being for LloYd,
that he had never for moment
thought of supporting him. Another
said that he did not SEQ what right
candidate had 10 mention his name
AZ supporter when. as y matter OF
fact, he was a hearty supporter If
another candidate, The comments oe
the misplaced six range from that IN
down TO mere, yet no less emphatic,
denial OF the correctness of the poll.
Flood on First Ballot.
An Overwhelming majority of the
committee is ant-Lloyd, There will
be several conferences between now
and Monday, and II Will probably be
decided TO concentrate the anti-Lloyd
sentiment on one candidate, Repre-
sentative Flood has agreed. If II can
he found that Representative Ryan can
Il win. 10 withdraw In his favor. but The
4 Ryan people have about figured out
4 that Flood can come nearer uniting he
a Acted TIE rpYD