Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-31

f"AS - NAAu'ul y nehu, u Is n tine tnlnG
for the party in power that there Is not
a harmonious, wisely led opposition party
At this time" said a republican senator.
quoted by the Boston Transcript corre-
spondent. "lf there was an opposition
party that amounted to anything we re-
publicsns would he greatly concerned about
the state and congressional elections that
are to be held next year. As It is we are
not alarmed. Disorgsnised and leaderless
as 1t is the opposition party cannot hope
to take advantage OF the opportunity that
is before it,"
Reviewing the political situation outlined
in the senator's comment the correspondent
continues:
A a result 81 a lack OF national leader
ship the minority party has come face to
race with a revision OF the tariff without
having a fixed policy to be followed In
dealing with the subject. Under wise lead
ership the party would have marked out
Its path weeks in advance of the appear
ance of the bill prepared by the ways and
means committee. The cold fact is that
most OF the democratic Members Of conse-
quence have been sitting around for weeks
wondering what they would be able TO
get out. OF the republican bill: many Of
~ ~ sAll hidiCuNtTlHk WIFI their
hands behind them. Under the circum-
stances no one was surprised when one
democratic member Of the ways and means
committee voted to report the Payne bill
without a single change. Perhaps the dem
ocratic member was justified in casting his
vote as he did, for his party had nothing
to offer at that time. Displaying the weak
ness it has so frequently displayed in
congress, the minority had waited until
It had learned what the party in power
had TO propose before giving any thought to
what 1t ought to offer the country. In the
estimation OF observers the minority party
mas before 1t an excellent opportunity to
gain favor with the country by opposing
with vlgor the extravagsnces of the federal
government. But, apparently, the party
under its present leadership in congress
Is not planning to take advantage of the
situation. The record OF the recent billion
dollar session does not reveal that the
minority protested against the enormous
appropriations Certainly it did not protest
louder than a whisper. Such criticism as
there was came from the republican sena-
tors of the LaFollette-C nmmins type.
One explanation of the situation Is that
the democrats in public life. having de-
SPARED of their own party ever coming
back to power nationally, are disposed to
hold out their hands for such '1oaves and
fishes as the party in power may hand
out TO them. Take. for example. the recent
fight over the rules Of the house. While
the minority made a great mistake in
fighting over technicalities when 1t might
have taken a stand for a principle, It could
have regained some prestige IL it stood SOL
iOlV together in the pOnfaaf What hrot.u q.
In two? The "loaves and fishes" While
the public probably never will be permitted
to know the details of the deal by which
certain members of the minority stood by
the republican organization, every oh
server knows that there was a political
deal, and that the basis for IL was in part
the tariff bill. Under wise. aggressive lead
ership the minority would not have split.
Privately, democrats who refused to stand
by Leader Clark say they chose the course
they followed because they had no conf
dence in their own party leadership.
The White House ''loaves and fishes are
already attracting the men who pose as
leaders Of the minority party in the leg
~islative body. A few democratic senator's
and representatives refuse to be tempted
by the intimatlon that perhaps 'Tf thew
are good they will be permitted TO control
a few federal appointments: but the crush
OF democratic senator's and representa-
tlVes at the executive offices these fine
mornings indicates that the temptation Is
100 great for many of the men who call
themselves democrats.
The fact is that the democratic party az ,
II Is represented in the congress. is nor
standing for anything today. In some
quarters the hope is expressed that the
debate on the tariff bill may devotion a
leader but men who know the personnel
In senate and house pretty well are not
optimistic on this point. Indeed. II some
man should display qualities of genuine
leadership II is doubtful II he could gather
up a Following of any consequence. Charles
A. Culberson, the minority leader in the
senate. has from time to time displaved
some fine qualities as a leader. but he has
never been able to hold the minority in that
body together on important questions The
democrats OF the senate are almost as in
harmonious as those of the house. and I'M
less all signs fail they will not support any
fixed policy when 1t comes to dealing with
the revision OF the tariff.
unquestionably the situation in congress
rehects the condition of the minority party
throughout the country. Tammany Han
III the ndllOndi leElE- |
iative body. They may be counted on m
look out for Tammany Hall. New Eng
land has a few democratic members OF the
house who know little about the demo.
cratic party Of the nation and care less
about It. They may always be found
standing for what their constituents want
The democratic members from the great
west represent what may be called the
Bryan democracy. They stand together
pretty we'll, but without the cooperation Of
other offshoots from the party cannot sc-
complish a great deal. The southern
democrats dominate. They have long
ceased to regard the national democratic
party as of great consequence. Their first
allegiance is to the party Organization of
the particular district or state from which
they come or recent years the southern
senators and representative have become
more and more disposed to keep on good
terms with the representative OF the
party In power In the nation. One insur-
mountable obstacle TO a united democratic
front on the tariff is the increasing demand
for protection for southern Industries.