The Washington herald., 1909-03-17
NO PARTY DISCIPLINE
Insurgents Made Mistake of
Trusting Democrats.
TARIFF ISSUE IN RULES FIGHT
Fitzgerald, OF New York, and Rams
dell, of Louisiana, Who BOIted
Champ CIsrk's Leadership, Have
Already Been Rewarded by Speaker
Cannon for Standing by Him.
special to The Washington Herald.

SPECIAL 70 The Washington Herald.
Louisville. XIV. March lG-The follow
ing was received by the Courier-JournaI
from its Washington correspondent. 0. o.
SteaIey:
II Is a waste Of time and energy for
the Courier-JournaI correspondent 70 fret
and fume over the result in the House
yesterday on the contest over the rules
which should govern the Lower House OF
Congress.
Although the minority in the House.
headed by Representative Champ Clark,
has a splendid opportunity To win out.
with the aid Of thirty dissatisfied Re
publicans. srin, our correspondent was
satisfied that the efforts would meet with
the disastrous failure that il did
Il has always been the fate OF the
Democrats IN the House. whether they
were IN the majority or the minority.
and whenever the tariff was at the front
II was so in TIE FOrty-eighth Congress.
when Carlisle was Speaker, and has been
so ever since. There were always suf-
hcient votes 10 be obtained from the
Democrats side 10 defeat genuine reform
in the tariff schedules. Mr.. Randall had
his eoteris Of protectionists in the House
as other Democrats have to-day, but it's
the same old story.
Contest Centered I'm Tariff.
The intelligent reader need not be told
that the contest in the House was sim
ply a tariff issue The Louisiana men
wanted sugar protection and the Florida
men wanted fruit protection. So it went
all along the line. not forgetting that
Fitzgerald, Of New York, had something
up his sleeve that he was deGirous Of
protecting and also all the others who
voted against the Democratic leader OF
the House. Mr.. Champ Clark. as good a
man and as good a Democrat as ever
lived and devoted heart and soul 10 the
principles Of his party and a tariff for
revenue only.
The Speaker to-day rewarded Fitzgerald
By placing him on the rules committee,
and Ransdeu, the sugar plum OF Louis
lana. was put on the Ways and Means
Committee. and the other boilers viii be
well taken care os by your Uncle Joe.
The changes in the rules made yesterday
do not amount % as much as an old Con
federate note They give 90 the minority
absoilteiS nothing, and they give 10 the
Speaker all that he care for and q great
deal more. for they release him OF
vast amount Of trouble in working his
reorganization Of members 10 get action
or their favorite bills. He is still in the
saddle and is Indian enough 20 reward
his friends and punish HIS enemies.
The insurgents who stood up manfuily
FOR the revision OF the rules are 70 be
commenced. but they made a great mis-
take. They should have reflected a mo-
M nj that the Democratic party has no
leadership no organization no discipline.
and cannot deliver the goods. no matter
how profuse are its promises. Il has
been ever thus since 1886 II has in its
ranks. in and out OF Congress. a gang
Of men who purpOsely stay in the party
20 destroy It when the occasion arises.
Pity 'Tis 'Tis True.
This is so wen known here and through
out the country that II is no wonder the
Republicans sweep all Of the states when
the elections occur. No right-thinking
young man cares 10 belong or owe al
legiance 10 party that has no head Or
party fealty Ali this is true. and a pity