The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-09-22
Political Gales Grow Fiercer.

Political Gales Grow Fiercer.
One day Kansas goes insurgent, the
next California makes scrap iron out
OF the Southern Pacific political ma
chine, and on the third day comes a
killing frost in Maine. Later events
make it appear that Senator Eugene
Hale did not merely retire. He re-
treated to the cyclone cellar. Those
who said the withdrawals of Aldrich
and Hale We're not in good faith can
no longer make that charge against
the Maine senator. The people of his
state nave given bond that Hale
meant just what he said. Think of
Democratic senator from Maine. Aft
er that the bottom will fall out and
the world will come to an end.
The Maine Republicans managed to
save two congressman from the wreck.
Dut these Two were so nearly blown
away with the rest of the debris that
they will not get over the shock for
years. One Of them is Asher G. Kinds.
who has been the assistant speaker of
the house ever since the days of Tom
Reed. Officially Kinds has been known
as the clerk at the speakers desk.
Onohclally he is the real speaker, so
far as parliamentary law goes. He
has studied all the parliamentary prec-
edents from julius Caesar down and
has written a modest little work of
eight volumes on the subject, which is
a textbook for all the parliamentary
sharps in congress and the various
legislatures.
Last winter when the insurgents
We're talking about leading Uncle Joe
cannon up to the top of the capitol
and pushing him off there was a pro-
posal to take all political power from
the speaker and elect Kinds to the
chair as a nonpartisan. The mere fact
that Kinds was not then a member of
congress did not worry them, although
no one but a member had ever been
elected to the position. There is no
specific requirement in the constitu-
ton that the speaker be a member.
So far as that honorable document is
concerned he may be a constable at
Scroggs Center or a bank clerk at
Podunk
Kinds Takes the Hint.
Precedent is a mighty thing in con-
gress, however, or is at least where it
does not interfere with the interests,
so Asher Kinds concluded he wanted
to be real full fedged member of the
house that he had presided over by
proxy so long. To crafty his ambi-
ton he had to beat Colonel Hale, son
of the Hon. Eugene Hale, for the NOM
nation and then to defeat a Democrat
for the election. The first task he
only accomplished after Colonel Hale
had almost whipped an editor, and the
second he got through by the skin of
his teeth. Evidently Mr.. Kinds has
concluded that it is easier to give the
house parliamentary points than it is
to break into the body itself.
There is no doubt that he would
make a fine speaker, but no sooner
does he get in line for the place than
he is met with the boast Of Champ
Clark and his Missouri mules. The
Hon. Champ might have been willing
enough to help elect nonpartisan
speaker while the Republicans had a
majority, but will he show the same
spirit if the shoe should be on the
other foot? Nay. nay, Asher; you
have another guess coming.
If the next house is Democratic, Mr..
Clark proposes that the big noise shall
be partisan Of the Missouri brand.
The man he has in mind halls from
Pike county, has large, open counte-
nance that reaches nearly to the back
of his head and possesses an ability to
quote Scripture. That last seems to
be a necessary qualification for the
speakership, since Uncle Joe can also
quote Scripture either forward or back
ward.
Asher Kinds is also bald faced man
who has little more hair than Clark