Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-27
WILSON'S DILEMMA.

Victor Murdoch, one OF the Kansas
representatives in congress, contrl-
butes an article to the Chicago Record
Herald in which he asserts that Gov
ernor Wilson will not progress far be-
fore he discovers that the democratic
factor known as the solid south Is to
have prodigious part in his course.
whether he relishes it or not. Among
other things, Mr.. Murdoch says, Gov
ernor Wilson will find that In the or
ganization OF the house of representa-
tives the south has cut of forty I'M
portant chairmanships, thirty
that the 11S northern democrats In
the house have among them only two
chairmanships of the first order-ap-
preparations which is held by Mr..
Fitzgerald Of New York, and foreign
affairs, held by Mr.. Sulzer OF New
York
Moreover the leader Of the demo
cratic majority in the house, made up
in large part as shown by the southern
congressman, is Oscar w. Underwood,
and Underwood, Mr.. Murdoch points
out, is strong because of his talents.
as we'll as because of the section OF
the south he represents. Moreover, he
f.. q
servative This places Mr.. Wilson IN
the position of going before the
country with the admission that II
elected he will put the construction
and management of his reform legisla-
ton into the hands Of man and a
group of distinctly antagonistic school
Of thought. Otherwise he will come to
an open break with Underwood and
the democratic majority in congress.
Continuing in review OF the situa-
ton, Mr.. Murdoch says:
Underwood Is conservative. He
does not stand for the things Cover
nor Wilson advocates. He has no use
for the initiative and referendum or
for the recall. He does not trouble
about the bosses or brood over the
cruelties of the machine. He holds for
party solidarity and party discipline.
Management In the house by him
rests upon simple, single formula
the demand that every democrat vote
with his party.
For the Alabaman has the courage
of conservatism. He doesn't believe
the United States is a democracy.
He does believe it Is repre-
sentative republic, holding that
the virtues of indirect govern
ment were not the result of accident,
but the product of signal foresight
and prudence In the fathers.
Underwood has the house and an
alliance between him and the demo-
cratic nominee seems inevitable.
Bryan won't like It, but notwithstand-
ing It will put Bryan in the attitude OF
permitting Wilson to maintain rela-
lions for which he punished Champ
Clark. Bryan undoubtedly will have to
stand for it.
Governor Wilson will dread an I'm
derwood alliance in just the degree
that he is progressive, for when he
makes It considerable portion OF his
following will begin to doubt his pro-
fessions. If, however, the democratic
nominee reaches that stage Of candi-
dacy not uncommon In campaigns,
where the aspirant tries to take a
general view Of things, and concludes
on sober third thought that he was
right in the first place in opposing the
referendum and the initiative, Cover
nor Wilson will find several compensa-
lions in an alliance with the Ala
baman. For Underwood, with his easy
leadership, his compelling courage and
ready information, Is a great comfort
to those associated with him.
But a working agreement between
Mr.. Underwood and the governor Of
New Jersey in the event OF the latter's
success at the polls would mean ulti-
mately the surrender of the progress
sive program by Wilson.
It seems to be another case Of the
lady or the tiger, and Mr.. Wilson may
be pardoned If he exhibits some fancy
sidesteps until he has had time to
make up his mind as to which horn of
the dilemma he shall tackle.
Getty boys ought to be allowed to
spend part of their vacation N the
country" says the Omaha Bee. "All
boys need the closer contact with
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