The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-04-28
These Two Men Will Weld In
flu0nce at Conventions.
PARTIES LEADING FIGURES.
Roosevelt Will Be the Man to Dictate
to the Republican Gathering In Chi
cage, and Nebraskan Will Probably
Aid In Shaping the Democratic Plat
form-What They Can Do.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BEGINNING in 1900 the political inter
ests i'm Republican national conyen-
tiOns centered around Theodore Roose-
welt. He was the chief figure in that
convention and Its deliberations. Since
that time he has either becn the dom
mating influence or the most interest
ing personality connected with Repub-
lican national conventions.
William J. Bryan started four years
earlier than Roosevelt. He was the
chief figure I'm the Democratic conven-
ton of 1896 and has beer the most
prominent figure either as n participant
or as a dominating factor In all sub
sequent conventions.
So far as appearances go Roosevelt
will be the nan around whom will flow
the currents of politics during the con
v~ention at Chicago, and If the Demo
cratic convention at st Louis is more
than a ratification meeting Bryan will
be the man who will make 1t so.
What They Can Do.
Mr.. Bryan cannot do much In the
way of upsetting the plans Of Democ-
racy for the nomination of Woodrow
Wilson ON the platform which the pres
ident desires. lie will not be as pow
erful i'm that convention as he was in
the convention that nominated Parker
In 1904.
But as regards R%oosevelt's relations
with the Republicans it Is entirely diff
ferent. If Roosevelt Is nominated by
the Progressives and is o satisfied
with the Republican nomination he can
continue as the head OF a third ticket
and make Ii almost impossible 10 elect
a Republican nominee. While other
men have been going back into the Re
publican party Roosevelt has stood out
AS "A Progressive, and he can continue
to stand out as such unless he Is in
vited back into the Republican party
rs Its nominee. 1t IL evident that
Roosevelt is as much of a factor In the
Republican situation now as Bryan
was In the Democratic situation of
1904.
The Pertinent Question.
Senator Myers of Montana was go
ing along in a talk upon the army bill
and said that IL we increased the
standing army to 10000 men he
thought that congress was doing "a
much rs was necessary.
Can the senator tell us" asked SEN
ator Hughes of New Jersey. how we
could expect To increase our army to
10000 when we cannot now increase
1t up TO the authorized strength?"
Those who are thinking that people
want to fight would probably find that
CONSUMPTION would be one of the first
things that would follow "A declaration
of war against either Mexico or Ger
many. There will be no 100000 men
''springing TO arms for n war at the
present time.
Three Ways Out.
Senator Martin is chairman of the
senate committee on appropriations.
His colleague, Senator Swanson. occu-
pies a part of the several rooms which
are assigned TO that committee. Vir-
ginia being right across the Potomac
from Washington, 1t Is natural hat
these senators have more callers than
any other members of the body. But
they have three ways out This was
discovered recently by a group of sen
ators who stood In the corridor and
saw three doorways opening from the
several rooms occupied by the Virginia
senator's.
How Long Is Five Minutes?
For nearly a whole day the senate
was under the five minute rule. and a
great many senators found out some
thing that they never knew before,
which is the length of five minutes.
None of the senators realized that they
had consumed five minutes when they
were called down by the vice president.
Another thing that was to be observ-
ed was the fact that five minutes In
the senate is much longer than five
minutes in the house. Probably this
was due to the leniency of Vice Presi-
dent Marshall. who did not want to
hold the senators too close to the time
limit.
How viii He Do II?
Congressman James OF the Twelfth
NiSAAitl VI hilAliiSdH ID lhtlS L hlS-
tinguish himself IL he can put over his
proposition. He has introduced a bill
which, he says, Is intended to take the
pork out of any future public building
bills. If he can make that sort of thing
work he ought to become known to
fame before the end of his term.
They Never Can Tell.
During a debate In the house Con
gresham Bennett Of New York was
asked a question which he could not
very well answer. or at least it had
him stumped for n moment. when l
first came to congress-" said Bennett.
by way of explanation, Il remember
that / heard the house discuss for two
days the question whether a brass field
gun was Notifications or not, and /
think they finally determined that a
brass field gun on wheels was q fort"