The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-12-10

NOItU NATOlIu6 congressman, ~ CHAIR
man OF the Ways and Means committee
Is the leader of the party in Congress
and therefore the man to whom the
President would naturally look to
steer his program past the shoals.
Mr.. Kitchin. 1t is true. explains that
he is conducting his fight % IN IN
divdual. and not as leader OF the
House. and the President, according to
Washington dispatches. accepts this
explanation. But many papers agree
with the New York Evening Sun (Ind.)
in thinking this distinction absurd"
and some of them do not hesitate to
say that If he cannot conscientiously
cooperate with the President on what
Is likely to be the paramount issue
before the next Congress he should
surrender his leadership on the floor
to some one who can. Thus even In
Mr.. kitchin's own state we find this
suggestion advanced by the Charlotte
| Observer (Dcm.). which thinks he
might best preserve his convictions by
sacrificing his ambitions and by the
Fayetteville Observer (Dem.). which
remarks more bluntly that "he might
follow Mr.. Bryan's example and re-
sign." To the New York Commercial
Conn. also, 1t ''scems Inconsistent"
for Mr.. Ktchin ITO attack the defense
plan OF the President and yet hold the
position OF spokesman for him in the
House" Although the Constitu-
ton does not make any provision for
the representation of the Federal Adj
mtnistrAtion In either branch OF Con-
gress, long established custom has
caused the leader OF the Presidents
party in the House SO to be recog-
nieed." A Republican paper, the Phil
adelphia Evening Telegraph. even
warns President Wilson that his COM
placent attitude toward his refractory
House leader may create q suspi-
| cion OF his own sincerity In the pub
TIC mind" The ridiculous" position
In which Mr.. Kitchin's action places
his party is thus pictured by the New
York Times tInd. Dem.):
There must, OF course. be lead
er for the Administration program
. leader to guide the party through
tho campaign for It on the floor. Mr.
Kttchin. tho elected leader. can not
A ~. ma xr{iY No cnt ~n,.oh $500 <hur
. spectator, If he carries out his prom
fse TO act simply as an individual; II
he breaks that promise he win b
4 leader OF the opposition. Therefore
the leader In Me preparedness fight
must be some one else That person
whoever he is. will then stand out in
the public mind as the Democratic
leader; for he will be doing the lead
Ing. he will be the Administration IS
general throughout the first, the long
or and more important part of the
session. The party will have two lead
ers, the nominal and eletced leader
passive OF antagonistic and the draft
| w ACUAOAt tuC CucAScuCy l0AueT, VINO
would in the natural course of events
be the chairman Of one Of the mill
tary committees, but might be some
one else Trying to imagine plight
for the Democratic party on which
1t would be more supremely ridicu-
lous than 1t ever has been even In the
past, could any crafty and Ingenious
mind think up anything that would
surpAss this? For years the Demo
cratic party In Congress and its COM
ic leadership were the standing joke
OF politics.; It redeemed itself at last
with difficulty; but in its widest ab-
surdities, when Its leaders led in one
direction and Its rank and file STAN
peded In another. 1t never reached this
height Literary Digest