The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-05
WHAT WILL THE
 DEMOCRATS DO?. Question Is Exciting Inter-
 est at Capital LAFOLLETTE IS QUIET Senator Jeff Davis Says Good Health Is His Only Ailment-Supreme
 Court Has Unique
 Case
By RALPH wHITEsIDE.

Washington, Marcn 4.--(Special. )--For the first time in q great many years the House of Representatives is now demo- cratic and the republican majority in the Senate is so shaky as to be almost worse than no majority at all
 What are tine democrats going to do with the power they have? Will siey at tempt to rip the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill to batters or will they be content to bite pieces cut of it here and there? There are people in Washington who would be perfectly willing to give handsome prizes for a certain and correct answer to these questions.
 One thing seems certain. While thers are wide differences among the demo- crats on the question of the tariff rang ing from the radical free trade ideas of a man like Henry George, Jr, of New York. who would be glad to vote to turn all the customs houses into public halls to the out and out protectionists like some of the Louisiana members the great bulk of the democrats are united in the earnest determination to do things to the Payne -Aldrich measure either in gross or in detail which will make that measure absolutely unrecognizable. And they are determined to waste no time in the doing of it either.
 Ex-speaker Cannon. ox-Fioor Leader Mann and the other exlrulers of the House, who were not buried by the land slide last November, are going to be around while the remodeling is going on, and will make things as pleasant for the new masters of the House as they know how. and be it said they know lots along this line.
 Ex-Speaker Joe" Carnon, at dinner recently said soothingly to young sui fragette:
 !! After all, you know, there is room for both men and women in this world Men have their work to do and women theirs. Tt is the woman's work to provide for the inner man, and it is the mans to pro- vide for the outer woman"
 More or less comment has been made because Senator Lag ollette has been lt- tie heard from in the Senate this session As matter of fact, he has been unus- ually quiet. He has been in his seat most
 
 listened and had nothing to say except 10 answer to his name on roll call. All this has excited wondernent, for |"Fighting Bob'' has never allowed a ses- sion to go past before without hammer ing away at something or some one.
 As a matter of fact. the explanation is simple. Some have said it was because the Wisconsin senator was listening to the buzzlng of the presidential bee. But tI.! l. ..A L.. l. L was cut to pieces, or about as nearly so as a man could be and live, by the sur geons last summer. He is taking his time about recovering and has not fully regained his strength, though he has largely so and is daily improving.
 Good health is my only ailment." said Senator Jeff Davis of Arkansas. ''I work like harvest hand, and I have an appe- tite like a prize fighter. I need plenty of air when I am at work, and that is the reason I am always found in my shirt sleeves when in my office.
 1T have been admonished frequently that I am violating the rules of good so- ciety. Now. I don't give 'cuss' for the rules of good society when they are the rules of fools and contrary to common sense.
 would you get any good work out of draft horse if you kept blanket on him on hot day? Not much, you bet. Well, I'm draft horse; always work in my short sleeves
 'It is incrdedible, without better evil dence than an anonymous letter. that any plot to infest the cotton fields of Georgia with 100000 boil weevils from Texas is, or has been, in contemplation by any per son in Texas said Judge Hamilts Mo Whorter of Athens, Ga, assistant 6 'eral counsel of the Southern Railway and former superior court judge of GeA sil.
 It seems to me ridiculous to entertain for moment any serious belief.that such conspiracy exists, and do not believe the people of Georgia give it any cred- ence.
 "The cotton is not affected by casual imating 2,225, GOO bales year, is as nearly certain quantity as is possible. It va ries little from that figure, becnuse eli matic and soil conditions in the state. un- like those of Texas and Mississippi, are always suited to the raising of cotton
 The cotton Is not affected by casual ties, as it is in Texas and Mississippi, and it is this that makes the crop certain quantity. Some persons in Georgia see in this alarming report a political move to attract the attention of the farmers.
 "Persons who have not visited the south in the last ten years have no con ception of the marvellous growth that that section of our country has made. It is wonderful. If the price of cotton con tinues as high as it has been the cotton farmers of Georgia will become rich.
 "They long since passed the stage where they are In want, and every week are putting money in bank. Land values have increased immensely I know of land in Georgia that 15 years ago could have been bought for $10 an acre that is now held at $100. 4F
 "Farms that sold for $l5 an acre are now worth SITS an acre One of the best ia in the large number of national banks that are being established. There is hardly place of POGO people that hasn't a national bank"
 The supreme court Is about to decide the difference between republicanism and democracy.
 Not between the republican and demo- cratic parties. But it is to sit this spring on the great series of questions involved In the Oregon plan of popular govern fnent and decide whether the Oregon plan is constitutional.
 The Oregon plan IS democratic; It's peo- ple admit 1t; 1t is defended as such. and the question the court will have to de- eide is whether 1t Is also republican. The constitution of the United States guar antees to all the states q republican form, of government. Has the Oregon plan taken that away from them? The Oregon plan is denocratic; its advocates admit |it. Is it also republican? Democracy Is