The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-06-05
Mistaken Idea That Tribunal
Is Opposed TO Politics.
WILL NOT AFFECT OPINIONS
Capitals Ideas Are Not Always Correct
and Washington's Impressions Are
Likely to Be Upset When Republican
Convention Gathers In ~Chicaeo-Not
In Touch With Conditions.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

n time It was made TO appear that the
supreme court ms a body was averse to
having one Of its members selected as
a candidate for president of the United
States. Just why such an impression
should have been created Is beyond the
knowledge of those who are on friend
ly terms with members of the court.
So far not a single justice has indi
Gated any opposition to Justice Hughes.
On the contrary, several members of
the court are much pleased to think
that Justice Hughes Is considered and
believe that he viii be u satisfactory
candidate. The justices do not believe
that the opinion of the court will be
dragged into politics" If Justice
Hughes Is the candidate.
skepticaI of Capital Opinion.
There never has been quite so much
unanimity before Il close contest for
the presidency In the matter OF opin-
ion of men who discuss political pros
poets. With few exceptions the pre-
diction is made that Justice Hughes
Will be nominated by the Chicago con
vention. Generally speaking. il is well
to sean Washington opinion closely, for
oftcstimes Ii IL not In touch with the
conditions throughout the country.
Many n time senators, representatives.
newspaper correspondents and other
people who are interested almost who'll
ly In politics go to a convention with
predictions which do not always come
true.
Tribute 10 a Visionary.
Senator Newlanda had made one Of
his many speeches on the same sub
ject about n great scheme of improve
ment of the waterways of the country
SO as to make them equal TO water
ways I'm Europe. Newlands would
spend $G0,oOo.OOO or $%T0.oO0.OoO a
year, construct reservoirs or a great
scale, provide a system of utilizing
every drop of water that falls from the
sky or comes forth I'm springs. Senator
Nardaman paid a tribute to Newlands'
great scheme, but he called him a VI
sionary and said that IL n man had alb
solute power and a hundred years he
might fulfil the dream of the Nevada
senator.
But this did not faze Newlands In
the least A few days later he was adj
~vocating the scheme just as strongly as
before.
Cummins Not Rampant.
Senator Cummins has believed that,
In case the friends Of Roosevelt sue
coed in defeating Hughes for president.
the nomination may go To the Town
candidate. While he was talking some-
thing was said about Roosevelt's de
mand for immense expenditures for
military preparation and Cummins re
marked: II am not II who thinks the
whole energy of the country should be
directed to preparation for war. While
| believe that we should have "A good
navy, a reasonable army, there are a
great many other things which the
country also needs"
The Joke Item"
1t was the same old subject In the
river and harbor bill when Senators
Kenyon, Norris and Sutherland were
having a little fun about the Trinity
river. The same old story about hav-
ing to dig an artesian well to get wa
ter for the river was told, and ii was
Senator Kenyon who said that at the
last election between the vets and
drys the Trinity river was the only
thing that went dry in Texas.
A little later Senator Lane Of Oregon
remarked: This Is the joke item in
the river and harbor bill. 1t sort of
hits the senate ON its funny bone when
IL is mentioned"
And. as a matter of fact, the Trinity
river has been a joke item since Tom
Carter talked a river and harbor bill TO
death as far back as 1901.
Could Have His Way.
THE president of the United States
could have his way If he would say
So" remarked Minority Leader Mann
In discussing the army, saying that a
sufficient army had not been provided
In the bill recently passed. and added,
"He could tell the Democrats in this
house what to do, and they would do
it,"
lie then went on to call attention to
what the president said on his trip
through the country when he was max
ing his great campaign for prepared
ness and asserted that congress was
not living up to the demands which
the president made at that time.
No Open Sessions.
OF course there will continue to be
talk about open sessions OF the senate.
1t has been going on ever since any
body around Washington can remem
Der. | refer to the sessions to consider
nominations and other matters called
executive" But there will be no
open sessions. The senate takes too
much delight In shutting itself up in
secrecy.