The Washington times., 1915-02-19
DEMOCRATS WORRIED
BY PARTY D|SCORD
Sacrifice Of important Measures
Presaged BY Differences
Among Leaders.
Continued from First PaeeD

Continued from First Paee.)
are concerned to push 1t. The UNDER
standing among Democrats is that. al
though their platform declares for It.
the leaders have decided that It will be
good politics to let It quietly die.
In the matter of the conservation
measures. there Is still more obvious
dicision of opinion inside the Adminis-
is for the Adamson bill, which. as it
passed the House is very favorably re-
garded by the friends OF conservation
and Of development Of water powers
rs introduced. 1t was bad piece Of
legislation: but the House took It in
hand. after 1t got on the floor. and
amended 1t generously until 1t came to
pc regarded as about the best thing
mat could be secured. 1t went to the
senate. where the committee tore 1t to
pieces and substituted the Shields bill.
The Shields bill has the backing Of Sec
retary of War Carlson. and in the face
OF these conflicts inside the Adminis-
tratfon 1t Is going to die with the ses-
sion.
Campaign Influence.
And that ineans." declared a Senator
today who has been anxious for these
conservation measures to pass. mot
only that there will be no legislation
this session. but that in all probability
there Will be none during this Adminis-
tration. There Is no sign Of agreement
being reached shat will put the whole
Administration power back OF an effort
to pass 1t. The long session beginning
the fact that the national campaign
Will be lust ahead. and that makes IL
only less difficult than at a short ses-
sion to get business done"
tration mark also the Philippine bill for
the graveyard 1t has passed the House,
out there Is no real unity of feeling
about 1t. an dto bring it forward would
only only serve to make more apparent the
1act that there Is strong Democratic
opposition within the Democrati cparty
to measure that, like the ship bill.
mas. nss been made a special pet Of the
white House. Democrats are becoming
worried about the tendency to push
measures that seem to accentuate their
dInerences. and that d onot make a
popular appeal; Neither the ship bill
nor the Philippines measure has raised
ua,ny up any real national support. while the
oposition has been SO strong that both
seem destined for the discard.
Republican Charges.
Some concern is fel thy Democratic
managers over the sacrifice Of child la
Dor and convict labor measures, which,
1t Is believed, would be popular in their
appeal. But they have had little pres
sure behind them; the Administration
mas g; been TOGO busy forcin gthe ship and
fhilipptnes measures. Now 1t sees fall
ure with the things 1t has tried to force.
and the death. from inanition, Of the
popular measures that have not been
Today's feeling in legislative quarters
Is that the appropriation measures can
DC forced to passage and the absolutely
necessary business got out of the way
sion will be needed But there is no
little feeling among men who take the
merely political view, that the Ad-
ninistration would have done we'll to
INSIST INSIST on an extra session, now under
stood to be abandoned unless trouble
with appropriations shall make 1t nee
essary. Indeed. Republicans are charg-
ing that there would have been an
extra ext session but for the fact that the
ability to do any better with legis1a-
ton than they have done in the short
session. An extra session for the mere
purpose OF whettins realization Of the
party divisions would not have been
worth while.
Rural Credit and Ship Bill.
So far as the shipping bill is con-
ccrned, it is not yet dead; but it is
gasping for breath and going fast 1t
mas 10 come back from conference on
February u. There Is little chance
that the appropriation measures win be
out of the way by that time. Instead,
when the ship bill gets gcfore the SEN
ate, its confederation will make fill
buster easy II the opposition chooses
to resume one. Appropriation confer
ences will be constantly reporting. and
conference reports are privileged.
The tilibusters will thus get constant
relief and opportunity to kill time on
extrancous things. and the chance of
the ship bill will be poor. indeed. It is
looked upon today as just as good as
hopeless.
At Its beginning. the short session was
announced with assurances that It was
going to see a big program Of legisla-
tion forced to passage. 1t will ad-
1ourn without succeeding in this am
pitious purpose. and with rural credit
le glslation untouched
The Republicans are getting ready to
iislst that rural credits be taken up.
as one of the great measures for the
betterment OF business conditions at a
time when betterment is sadly needed.
Just why tn Admin!st ration should have
discouraged this subject is a matter of
some Wonderment and much difference
OF opinion. At any rate, there Is q
pretty general feeling that the policy
has been u mistake.