The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-04-21
Casting Aside Ambition.

II.
Casting Aside Ambition.
some friends of the president sa.
tnat II he were looking to the futur,
Win an ambitious eye and were in
chned to consider only the politics O
the case, he either would have taker
an entirely different position on the
question of repeal of the tolls act. O,
he would have suggested it merely as
something to be desired and then
would have left the matter wholly in
the hands of his party in congress. AS
1t was, Mr.. Wilson gave his repeal
suggestion the force of a command
and backed 1t up with the statement
that considerations of honor and lust
Ice made the resembling of the tolls
exemption law necessary.
A good many of the Democrats here
seem to think that both Mr.. Clark
ana Mr.. Underwood, and presumably
other possible candidates for the Dem
ocratfc presidential nomination, have
come to believe on their own account
that Mr.. Wilson is to be out Of it
Now 1t must be taken for granted of
course, that Speaker Clark and Leader
Underwood opposed the president on
the repeal matter because of a sin
cere belief that the tolls exemption
law was constitutional and wise. but
some of the politicians here hold that
Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Underwood have
strengthened themselves by their op-
position with party men in many sec
tons OF the country, and that In a
Iree-for-aH presidential nomination
light they will get more votes because
OF their stand on repeal than they will
lose because of the same thing. In
other words, some Democrats feel that
80 far as notwithstanding strength is
concerned, both Mr.. Clark and MIR.
Underwood have benefited themselves
by their opposition to the presidents
stand on the tolls question.
Bryan Seems Satisfied.
1t has been said before In these dis
patches that Democrats regard the
silence of Mr.. Bryan on the single
term plank as an intimation that he
M. Wilson's attitude and
is satisfied with it. Mr. Bryan was re-
sponsible for the insertion of the
plank in the Democratic platform
The argument here is that il he thought
Mr.. Wilson intended to ignore it and
to run again, Mr.. Bryan would have
something to say on the subject. No
action has been taken in congress look
ing to the securing of the constitution
al amendment necessary to put the
one term plank into effect, and this
also is taken as meaning that Mr.. Bry-
ans friends in congress, who would be
most apt to move in the matter, have
been given to understand that there
need be no hurry about it because the
president probably intends at a later
day to give his Endorsement to an at
tempt to secure such an amendment.
Appointments to office have been
slow under the present administration.
Some of the Democratic senators and
representatives have resented the
failure to give more offices to the
faithful, but some of the fault, if |
fault 1t be, lies with the senators and
representative themselves, many of
whom, coming from the same states
or the same districts, have been un-
able to agree on recommendations
for preferment, and until agree
ment comes Mr. Wilson apparently
does not care to appoint OF course
Mr.. Wilson could go ahead and fill
The offices on his own account, if he
chose to do SO, but the fact that he is
not doing 1t convinces politicians ap-
that the president is not at
LII concerned with the building up Of
IN office leaders organization which /
would be Of service to him in another
nomination campaign II he chose to
3nter it.