The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-09
POLITICIANS DOING { MUCH STARRING Republicans Fight Constant ly Among Themselves
 REHASH CONVENTION
Democrats Also Having Some Little Party Difficulties-How Cam paign Methods Have
 Changed
Nv RopEprck CLIFFORD

NaSh1n2tOsl, AuBusl c+--to1C1ietisf iASA v are many things Congress does well. But far and above anything else the great lawmakers of our nation do. Is the pub lie washing of soiled political linen. Even since the conventions at Chicago and Baltimore, there has been such washing as would put the largest laundry in the country to shame.
 Republicans lead. This doesn't imply that democrats are really backward. They have been criticising each other on vari- ous questions of policy But it remains for the g. O. p. to haul forth the Chicago con .vention and make it prance, shivering and scantily clothed, before the pleased eyes of fellow members.
 In spite of the best efforts of diplo- mats and politicians there remains in the republican party bitter feeling over the '1iber' of President Taft or the .'lSnifing of Theodore Roosevelt Ctake your choice) during the Chicago sessions.
 The most recent outbreak occurred when Representatives Mondell told line republican, of Wyoming and Norrls epro- gressive republican, of Nebraska clasned over the question of contested delegates. Mr. Mondel lightly commented on the Roosevelt progressive policy as piracy md asserted all Roosevelt trump con ventions' were riots. He had few un- kind remarks to make concerning men who would "publicly defend such out rageous proceedings as these" by whom he meant Mir. Norris. He pointed out with tears in his eyes, that the trumped up cases in order that they might make a showing during the eariy days of the pre-convention campaign. To all or this MT Norris replied in kind, indicat- ing that that old Tarquinus Superbus In his best days never had thing on the Taft crowd in the matter of naughty oppression.
 The democrats at this moment laughed heartily. They egged their opponents on. And well they might. for the southern contingent on the democratic side has been publicly denouncing the northern aEd western representatives for their ob- stinate refusal to consider the immigra- tion bill. This. has caused the democrats decided need of diversion. Most people know that Governor Woodrow Wilson and some of the democratic immigration experts of the House have expressed widely divergent opinions on the matter of immigration restrictions.
 The most touching part of the whole af- fair is that nobody seems to know just where he stands. Take Mondelrs speech for instance. He had just finished marching up and down the prostrate form of the progressive, or Bull Moose" party and had created feeling of as- surance in the minds of the democrats when, without warning, he bounded into the air and landed plump into the camp of the enemy.
 Speaker Champ Clark" he shouted, twas deliberately robbed of the nomina- tion at Baltimore after he had a clear majority of the delegates. Yet the Mis- tt,1 had n, fa {ss 1-ic crl1 to charge treachery, did not attempt to organize a new party."'
 This caused the democrats who sup ported Champ Clark to shuffle nervously. There wasn't anything they could well reply without taking sides either with Clark or Wilson and that might spoil the appearance of harmony which they at present preserve.
 Old-timers in Congress will tell you sadly that these days are sufficient to try ones very soul They roint out that . only a short time ago the republican party at campaign time spent it's waking hours in hammerng the unterrified de- mocracy, which replied in kind No demo- crat ever thought of getting ID and criti- cising the cowardice of his colleagues in refusing to consider a bill simply be- cause the presidential nominee happened to be a bit weak on the subject. No re- publican congressman believed in throw ing rocks at the head of his erstwhile beloved chief It was a plain. clean cut fight with the enemy in front and every friend joined in the attack.
 Nowadays, the old timers aver. one doesr't dare to reach out and rap a poi- tcal opponent. Just as one has the club decently arranged and is preparing to swat him one of his own party will sneak up behind and spoil everything.
 No wonder then that the od-timers be- wall the fate that prevents them from fighting their enemies because they are so busy fighting their friends
 So long as the washing of soiled polit- ical linen continues there will never be organization least that's what the old-timers in Congress assert. But there Is the compensating faculty that while there may not be organization. there will be whole lot of healthy trlth-t telling which may in the end work toward the betterment of both parties