The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-04-22
DEMOCRATS IN POWER
FORECAST OF WORK OF THE
EXTRA 9EssioN.
Appointment Of Permanent Tariff
Commission 10 All That the
Country May Reasonably Ex-
pect From Present Body.

With the convening Of congress in
extra session the work of the national
legislature Is taken up where 1t was
left OF by the last regular session. al
though there will be no dovetailing
OF the activities of the present session
with those OF its precursor. The
Democrats sway the extra session so
far as the house is concerned. The
insurgents have a grip upon the SEN
ate through the elimination OF a
number of regulars either by adverse
verdicts at the polls or by voluntary
retirement. The divided state Of con-
gress, with a Republican administra-
ton in power, makes a complicated
situation from which It is not easy to
predict the working out Of issues. Yet
some things are clear enough. There
will be aroused much OF envy and
jealousy among the Democrats IN the
house, and the plan proposed to have
the toga of Cannon enwrap four or
flve Democrats of goodly proportions
is freighted with the hazardous ex-
perimentation that usually causes
mantles SO worn to be torn to tatters.
The determination OF policies will
be as difficult with the Democrats as
the bringing Of the party's ADVERSE
ries into agreement. 1t was said long
ago by distinguished Democrat that
the Democratic party possessed the
votes to win elections. but 1t was
handicapped by It's leadership. No one
would make imputations against the
quality OF the present leadership OF
the Democratic party In either house.
but the fact remains that here Is a
congress of Democrats brought to-
gether, representing wide divergences
of views. and representing as well 1r-
reconcilable factional histories. In
such condition are active elements
of confusion. There seems to be.
some saving salt of wisdom among
the Democrats who find themselves
thrust into responsibility through the
calling of the extra session. and this
wisdom has decidedly negative
flavor. There appears to be pre-
vailing judgment that 1t Is better to
do nothing well than do something III.
It may be assumed that the Demo
Gratis, using such judgment as they
may possess. will refrain from perni-
cious activity and chew the cud as
the president gives 1t to them. Thus
they will be as stalled cattle instead
of being, as they have been for SO
long. the lean and hungry kline Of the
wilderness. The scraps Of Democratic
fudge that they would have to subsist
upon during the extra session unless
they supported the presidential poll
cies would leave them pitifully weak
In the contest OF 1912. Hence the
negative policy Of initiating nothing
seems to be fixed upon as the only
sane policy for the Democrats in the
house. To occupy the time during
the long-strung-out debates in the SEN
ate over the reciprocity agreement
the house may enter upon tariff tin
kering, but it has already been pro-
posed not to recapitulate the investf-
cation made a basis for the Payne
Aldrich bill. but simply to secure any
supplementary material that may be
gained. This kind of work will prove
time-killing and In the end innocuous.
So that the president may expect that
the only sensible form of tariff legis-
lation that the Democrats can under
take-the only kind they can afford =
will be turned to the enactment of a
measure providing a permanent tariff
commission