Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-11
Sen. Johnson Makes 10
His Bunk with Radicals.
Other n. {. Senators Unlikely
to Take Much Notice Of Him.
Hot Fight Already Opening Up the
Ranks Of Democracy.

Washington. d. c.. April 10 Especial,
The new Democratic senator from
/ Maine has speedily gone over to the
Bryan camp. Hopes that he would
train with men, not disposed to smash
right and left simply because they
happen to have the power to smash
right and left, have gone glimmering
Charlie" Johnson, of Waterville, has
put all doubts on that score at rest by
choosing such radicals as owen and
Gore, the Oklahoma senators, as his
bedfellows.
He could have chosen more reliable
company, had he willed. Many of the
older senators had a kindly feeling for
the new Maine senator and were dis
posed to help him along past the pit
falls that beset a new man, unused to
public life at Washington. They
proffered their good offices in a digni-
fled way and with the generous cour-
tesy which senators know so we'll how
to bestow. The new Maine senator
received their proffers calmly. eX-
pressed thanks for their friendly inter-
est. and when the time came for ac-
ton Joined hands with Owen and
Gore, whom the New England Repub-
licans in Congress regard as little less
than Socialists.
Some of Senator Johnson's pro
gressive" friends are trying to get
him assigned to the finance commit
tee, which handles tariff legislation.
The Southern brethren, however, are
opposed to this quite generally and if
Senator Johnson fails to obtain that
committee place it will be due to
Southern opposition. The Southern
senators want a man of some length
of service and of some legislative ex-
perience at the finance table. The fact
that Senator Johnson voted against
tom" Martin, of Virginia, for minor
ity leader will also make it difficult
for him to get this finance assignment.
All these things are but the begin
ming of the new Democratic Senator 8
troubles. The New England senators
are unlikely to take much interest in
him henceforth He must lie in the
bed he has made for himself. The
Bryanite senators are his chosen COM
panions and he must look to them for
support and cooperation.
Northern Democrats in the Senate
are disposed to flock by themselves
any how. 1t may be going too far to
assert that they are forming a Demo-
cratic faction of their own but it looks
something that way. They prefer the
lead of Bryan, the Peerless One, to
the counsel of Senator Joseph w.
Bailey, of Texas. The recent big fight
in the Senate over the choice of a mi
nority leader indicates as much.
Senator Thomas Martin, of Virginia,
who now becomes the minority leader
was the choice of Senator Bailey and
the Democratic conservatives and not
the first choice Of Bryan. To be sure
some of the progressive" Democrats
in the Senate voted for Senator Mar
tin, because he had served so much
longer than Senator B. F. Shively, of
Indiana, whom the Northern Demo-
Gratis preferred, and. also, because
there was IA feeling that an injustice
would be done Senator Martin if he
We're defeated for the leadership. He
has hard primary fight on his hands
this autumn and it will determine
whether he is to be reelected for an
other six years term
These considerations did not weigh
with the Democratic senators from
Maine, New York, New Jersey. Ohio,
Indiana, Nebraska, Montana. Nevada
and oregon. They resent intimations
that Democratic senators are disposed
on occasion to stand in" with old line
Republicans and propose to strike out
distinctly for themselves. The fight
has been so hot that the scars will not
likely disappear for some time and
the fact remains that the only hard
fought contest of the extra session
thus far has been a Democratic con-
test. Even though the House Demo-
Gratis have kept the lid on their differ
ences that was not possible in the
Senate.
And unless signs fail there will be
more Democratic differences in the
Senate before the session is over The
Southern Democrats, who supported
Tom Martin, have a leaning toward
protected industries. When the vot-
ing in the Senate gets very close this
summer. some OF these Senators will
almost certainly stand with the Reg
ular Republicans against reductions
1t Will then become possible to de.
feat tariff revision by Democratic
votes. In such an event there will be
high old times indeed. And if such a
situation develops, it is not unlikely
that the Democratic party in Congress
will be split wide open.
1t seems as though the Maine Demo.
cratic delegation in the House was
split to pieces already. Representative
Dan McGillicuddy says that Canadian
reciprocity is just the thing. He is
ready to vote for it just as soon as
Chairman Oscar w. Underwood oil
Ways and Means can get the reciproc.
CONTINUED on Page five).