The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-28
-. a Chicaro ns,lv ~.

xU;us 7 Abbott. IN Chicago Daily News.
Is there really pending breakup OF
parties2
That question is more and more en-
,batica1ly forcing itself on the atten-
tion and thought of political observers.
Not Washington alone is involved. but
Asnany of the political centers of the
Iuntry; not the Democratic party alone.
phieh is always breaking UP, but has
ertsted since the first days of the ma
ion. but the Republican party as well.
Inst consider a few recent political
phenomena occurring in widely separated
sections OF the land, but which seem TO
have a certain subtle relation TO each
other.
COnner@-Murphy Fight.
In New York the Democratic party is
split wide open over the issue of grave
importance to the self-respecting Demo-
Gratis Of the State. whether "Fingy''
conners or Charley Murphy shall con-
troll the State committee. Mr.. Corners,
report has it. is the happy possessor of
100000 worth Of telephone stock, for
which he gave nothing but a bland po-
itical smile. Mr.. Murphy. according TO
Corners report. has been doing a
ely business in auotloning of nominal
ms for judgeships in safe Tammany
Etricts. and is now DESTROYS OF ex-
ldlng his profitable business into the
untry districts of the State.
Meanwhile Mayor Gaynor, elected on
Tammany ticket, is dispensing pat
mage TO every one except Tammany
sn, and daily cutting off the heads and,
bat is vastly more important, the sal
les OF Tammany politicians, who have
pted In the plumber of the public purse
thout rendering any public service.
That is the Democratic breakup in one
ate. Do the warning factions In the
rty turn to Gaynor. whose administra-
on thus far has compelled the admira-
on and support OF the papers that
pposed it? Not a bit. They are both
nglIng for William Randolph Hearst
tho declares himself a man of no party
nd has run for Office on every party
icket with the exception OF the Social
SITS and PrOhibitionists, though to the
principles Of the first he gives journalistic
support and TO those OF the second per-
sOnal adherence.
DissenSiOn over GriscOm.
Much of the same dissension has grown
up in the Republican party of the State
lover the reimportation of Lloyd c. Girls
com, New Jersey man when here but
An expatriated American by profession.
to be chairman Of the New York county
committee When I last saw Mr.. Girls
com he was United States Ambassador TO
Rome. Prior to that time he had been
! secretary TO Mr. Bayard, Ambassador TO
London "a Democrat, by the way; secre-
tary TO the legation at C0nstantinople,
envoy extraordinary and minister pleni-
potentiary to Persia, to japan, to Brazil,
and On. what's the use? The son Of
the founder Of the shipping trust OF the
United States he has lived everywhere
IN the world except in New York, and
has now been picked out by President
Taft to play politics against that thor
oughly housekeeping and unterrifed ami
nal, the Tammany tiger. Still, he is
very rich.
In Ohio the Democratic national COM
mitteeman Is denouneing the Democratic
governor and noisily predicting his de-
feat. notwithstanding the generally ad-
mitted fact that Gov. Harmon's re-elec-
ton would make his nomination 10 the
Presidency certain and his election prob
able. But, on the other hand, the Re
publican lieutenant governor Of the
State, speaking of President Tafts selec-
ton of the State chairman and impending
dictation Of the nominee for governor TO
oppose Judson Harmon, is reliably quoted
thus:
Creates Absolute Leader.
This action of President Taft is not
new in principle But we never had the
thing done before more boldly, so openly,
so directly. Here the President picks out
an officer of the government publicly
announces in advance that the State
committee will elect him its chairman,
and thus creates at once an absolute
leader for the party, whom all must ac-
knowledge and obey"
So it goes. In Illinois the actual con-
troller of the so-called Democratic or
ganization, one Roger Sullivan, Demo-
cratic national committeeman. gave,
sold, or otherwise transferred 10 Billy
Lorimer, Republican candidate for United
States Senator. all the Democratic votes
he controlled in the Illinois house of rep
resentatives. That naturally demoralized
the Democratic organization in the State,
and particularly In the city of Chicago
where Mr.. Sullivan has hitherto held
much power. But it will demoraIize and
disintegrate the Republican party equally
when the political payment is exacted for
those machine Democratic votes. I pro-
coed on the theory that the Sullivan-Lori-
mer deal was a matter of barter. and not
a cash transaction.
Again. in Nebraska. There Mr.. Rrvan
who has long been supreme in the party
councils of his State, faces new and un-
expected opposition. II has been his fate
-or his fatuity-to select just at critical
moments some issue which would es-
TRANCE not merely powerful influences.
but old-time friends. This time it ap-
pears to be modified form of prohibition
in the State which has chilled the friend
ship of such tried and lifetime friends as
Mayor Dahlman, of Omaha. and Repre-
sentative Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, Of the
same city And certain indications that
the longtime leader OF the Democratic
party IS likely 10 thrust the prohibition
question into national politics makes
Democrats in Washington despair.
Break More Serious.
So we get to the national situation
There the break in the ranks OF the Re
publican party IS more serious. There Is |
no such organized opposition to Demo-
cratic leadership in either House or SEN
LOAN SOCIETIES.
on DIAMoNDs. WATCHES. JEwELRY, Sc