Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-06

been doing ever since that fateful day
they deserted their party and lined up
with the machine Republicans of the
house to perpetuate the rule OF Speaker
Cannon and his cohorts. Letters from
home and unfriendly press comment In
their districts accounts, no doubt. for
much of their squirming.
1t is especially amusing to the regu-
lar Democrats to hear the boilers re-
ferred to as Independent democrats, con-
sentative statesmen" and the like. IL
NAV be an evidence of Independence for
a man TO be whipped into line by fear of
the loss of committee assignments, or the
hope of reward in this respect; Ii may
be independence for a man to quit his
party because he expects to control, o.
have a voice in the federal patronage or
his state, but It's a new sort Of inde-
pendence.
The people are beginning to realize what
the Fitzgerald rules really mean, and
the boilers are beginning to realize that
the people realize it. AS a well-known de-
fender Of the boilers has said: The willy
old leaders of the house are now pre-
pairing to fix up a rule to shut of debate
and limit amendments to the tariff bill.
And how would a rule to shut of de-
bate and limit amendments TO the tariff
bill have been possible. except for the
passage of the Fitzgerald rules? Had the
ltwenty-three Iiberty-loving "independ-
ents' stood up, the willy old leaders"
the same being Cannon, Dalzeh ard Co.,
would have been poweriess to bring in
rule to shut off debate. etc. They would
have been shorn of their power and the
control of the house would have abso-
lutely been in the hands Of the Demo-
Gratis for the first time in many years.
WASHINGTON. D. c., April 2.-Repre-
sentative Thomas NJ. Bell, Of the ninth
district, received a letter the other day
from Minority Leader Champ Clark, no.
tifying him that he has been reappointed
Democratic whip of the house of rep
resentatives. The letter was short, but,
as Mr.. Bell says, ii was sweet, not that
there was ever any doubt about his re-
appointment, but because of the language
in which it is couched.
The letter speaks for itself:
Dear Tom-By reason of your fidelity
in discharging the duties OF whip,
hereby reappoint you to that position.
your friend, CHAMP CLARK"
The letter reflects the character of
Clark. He Is concise and direct In all
his statements. He rarely minces words.
He has a way of saying what he means
in very few words.
The party whip has a lot to DO. He
must of necessity be busy body. IL
is his duty to ascertain as nearly as pos
sible the sentiment of the members Of
his party on all pending legislation de-
pending a party action, and to see that
the entire membership of his party IL
present when the vote is taken on the
question.
The People With Smith
DIR. C. W. Arnold, one Of the well
known citizens Of Albany, passed through
Washington the other day en- route to
New York. He stopped off for day,
and was the guest of Representative
Griggs at luncheon at the capitol
DIR. Arnold declared that there was lit
tie doing, politically, in Georgia at this
time. uness the differences between Cow
ernor Smith and the prison commission
regarding the selection of a prison farm
came within the realm Of politics
II know no more of the matter than
have seen in the newspapers" said DR..
Arnold, but I believe the people side
with the governor in the controversy.
They thing he is right"
The Tariff Like Religion
Leaving Mr.. Edwards and his bill ana
returning TO the GREAT tariff debate.
Daily attendance upon the sessions OF
the house has about convinced the wr1-
ter that the tariff question is like re-
liRion No Roadway is ever made by dis
cussing either shouting Methodist
might argue all day with a deep water
Baptist about the doctrines of close COM
munion and immersion and neither would
have been convinced when night fell
It's the same way with the tariff. A
protectionist may speak until he is hoarss
. trying to convince a tariff-for-revenue
Democrat that he is right, but in the
end both will entertain the same view.
And wrought up about it, OF course
they get wrought up about it, They get
hot lose their temper and sometimes
threaten TO fight.