The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-01-13

Washington, ID. C., Jan. l2.-1he
Washington Times sees in Senator
Owen of Oklahoma, the future mi
nority leader; very possibly the lead
er of prospective democratic ma
iority in the United States senate.
Senator Owens rise in the senate
during the last year has been one nt
the political phenomena of the sea
son. As the only progressive on the
democratic side of the chamber with
qualities of leadership, the impending
struggle with Senator Bailey IOr the
leadership of the democratic parry
seems only a question of time, and
the day seems no distant one at that
Recent utteranCes by Senator
Owen, both in and out Of the senate
chamber, show the Muskogeean to be
anything but a partisan. He has Ia
ken bold stand against any reap
portionment of Oklahoma that will
give the G.. o. =. an unfair represen-
tatiOn in congress. Senator owen
takes the position that the only heal
thy course to follow is to put the
two parties on as close footing as
possible in the new districts shortly
to be created. In no other way, he
says, can the real wishes of the peo-
pie be ascertained at elections,
The Times article. which is from
the pen of Judson c. Welliver, rne
well known magazine writer and pub
licist, is as follows:
Always down under the surface,
the preliminary tests in a great con
test for the leadership of the demo
cratic side of the senate are being
carried on, in series of highly in
teresting maneuyers.
Democratic leadership has had a
curious experience in recent time.
Senator Culberson of Texas, was
leader till ill-health and inability reg
uarly to attend to the arduous duties,
compelled him to retire from the
watch tower. Senator Money of Mis-
sissippi, was selected by the caucus
to succeed him. He is shortly to
retire from the senate,
with the democrats hopeful of a
senate majority soon, what is now
the minority leadership may soon be-
come one of the most powerful posi-
tions in the government. Small won
der if ambitious statesmen look with
q
day welding even a fraction of the
power which Aldrich has held during
the long period of his domination.
Just as new republicans come.
like La Toilette and Cummins, and
have the temerity to aspire to repub-
lican leadership. so there is intima-
tion that some democrats of compar'
atively short service have Ike aspir-
ations on their side. Among these,
Senator owen of Oklahoma, has been
brought into the spotlight by his coup
in introducing a resolution to unseat
Senator Lorimer. This bold bid for ,
a commanding position on an issue |
which now promises to be the most
absorbing before the senate for a
long time has compelled the atten- /.
ton to the possibilities of the Okla /
homan.
For one thing. it is accounted /
that owen has nerve enough and I
brains enough to emancipate himself .
from what may be called the terror |
of the Bailey intellect. Senator Bal |
ley does not require any badge of .
office to be a leader His kINwledge .
of law, his knowledge of tactics, his .
CONS lllullOIdl tl uull lpll' MS lllt llAihNN ]
with legislative methods and his long .
experience, together with his remark /
able powers as orator and advocate. |
have given him a place quite his own.
1T seems to be a source of grim .
satisfaction to Mr. Bailey occasional !
ly to rise in his place, and forgetting
whose lapel bears the insignia of /
leadership. give the senate a demon |
Stration of that leadership which .
by the cities. At McAlester the dis
trict judge went SO far as 10 order .
the release of a prison who was |
held by the city fer violation of the .
prohibitory law and there was bit
ter fight there between the city and .
the diSutct authorities.
The city of Ardmore has contended .
all the time that it had a right 10
punish those who violated the prohi-
bitory law while the attorneys for
the bootleggers have INSISTED that it
did not.
Since the question has gone TO the
highest tribunal the city of ArdmOre
ought 70 be better equipped than for
merly to put the business of selling
whisky out of the town
O-
After three years OF a most viru-
lent fever. Oklahoma, it is believed,
nnpt-ala-aauF -TuTsa ]