The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-12-05
very good, the team has just about
broken even on the season.
WASHINGTON 7.
GOSSIP FOR
OUR READERS
Charles Brooks Smith,

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 5.-The
concluding and short" session Of the
sixty-third congress starts on Monday
next at noon. There is lot of gossip
and speculation as TO what 1t will
bring forth in tho way Of legislation
end politics having bearing on the
closh between the old parties in 1916
A very large number Of lame ducks
will limp back here for Mondays con-
gressional beginning. and in the very
nature Of things they belong to the
party in power. They arc sore lot.
and being SO 1t is argued that they are
going to be recalcitrant. That theory
Il, plausible and interesting, but 1t re-
mains to be seen whether any of these
defeated ones are going to carry their
resentment to the floor of either
house aud attem tpto tilt the sword
with the administration. The best
guess, is, generally speaking, that
they will not try any of this on; In
some Individual cases they may. But
the reliable guess is that the large aE-
gregation of cripplcs will die low, grab
what salary is left to them, and beat
il back to the tall grass from which
they sprung-most OF them by reason
of the accident of 1912.
There iB no discounting the fact
that ninety per cent. of these alleged
statesmen who failed to como back.
lay the blame at the doorstep OF Wood
row Wilson. They blame his most
cordially for their hard luck and dire
misfortune. According to them, the
Republican campaign charge that
President Wilson's two years of adj
ADMINISTRATION were full of bulls" is
proven before plea is made to the In
dictment That is what they now say;
ir the last campaign they told diff
ferent story and sang different tune.
II is surprising now with what unanim'
ity tlcy agree on the assertion tnat
the Underwood tariff bill did the bust
ness, and the war tax measure which
was made necessary by the failure of
the tariff law finished the business
for them. 1t is surprising, because
they carefully avoided agreeing to this
truth in their campaign speeches. Now
they are willing to heartily agree with
the proposition even without the ask
ing.
There Is lot of expectation here
that this aggregation of lame ducks
will do much cackling against what
ever program the White House may
have. 1t would be entirely agreeable
to many TO see this prophecy realized.
But tho fact is there must be lead
or, or leaders. to lead and voice this
propaganda Of protest. But there
doesn't seem to be anything of that
kind In sight. Therefore, it is assumed
that the lower house will be as plant
and submissive to executive dictation
as ever. What fun and ginger there
will be in the Forthcoming session an
increased minority led by the superb
"Jim" Mann, and backed up by the
veteran Uncle Joe" will be RESPONSE
Bile for.
The trouble In getting the Demo-
cratic protest, which is so largely felt
by that party, voiced in the coming
session, is this: No Democrat can op-
pose President Wilson without hurt
ing his party, Wilson is the one and
only chance the party has to succeed
ITSELF He can only do it.lf he makes
good" He hasn't yet, in the opinion
OF the country, as the last election
showed. He has but two years in
which to do it. If he fails, as Speaker
Clark said, the nomination will not be
worth the having. If he succeeds he
has fair fighting chance There is
no other Democratic personality that
can reasonably be considered in con-
nection with the presidential nomina-
ton except Wilson, Baltimore plat
form pledging him to the one term
idea Notwithstanding.
Then, it is perfectly sane opinion
that Wilson will continue as the SUI
preme dictator; especially, when the
fact is taken into consideration along
with the arguments in the foregoing,
that he has large amount OF patron
age yet to distribute. Few Presidents
I have shown the ksill in handling pat
Ironage for his own advantage that our
present. one has. He makes every Job
bring home the bacon to the executive
mansion: our own Senator Chiffon
who IS more d 1tghted With being al:
EJoted a clerkship than he would be
we're were No to 10 resp onsible Tor q treat
fpteceSof les slat ion itch would berez