The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-13
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

oJ MI Nun W. DOINNs
Washington. March 13.-[Special. l.
In the midst of the parliamentary con
flicts and the talk Of war 1t is hard to
keep up an interest in politics. How
ever, many remember that there is a
presidential campaign approaching, and
day by day we draw nearer the nation
al conventions. There has been a dis
position to mix the war talk with poll
ties. That cannot be helped.
There have been all sorts of rumors
regarding President Wilson. On one
hand the statement that he would re-
sign on account of his burdens and
would refuse to be a candidate before
the next Democratic convention has
been heard. On the other, that he has
determined to stick on the job and is
bearing his troubles with the greatest
ease has been repeated.
After all the rumors and guesses and
speculatlons it may be set down as one
fixed fact that the president will not
resign and another that he will be the
aANA AAt AACAhihtts
Republicans In the Air.
The Republicans are still I'm the air.
No n is ready to say positively that
this or that man will be nominated
The nearest approach | have heard to
a positive statement came from II OF
the most prominent men In the house,
who Il short time ago was rather vigor
ously opposing Hughes. lie said that
the Republican ticket would be Hughes
and Burton or Burton and Hughes.
Thus with one fell swoop he elm
mated Weeks, Sherman, Cummins.
Borah and half Il dozen other posi-
bllities. And he also eliminated the
colonel, the one great uncertainty.
Gag Rule In the Senate.
Only on a motion to lay on the table,
which is a negative proposition, does
the gag rule work In the senate. This
Is the way ii worked in the senate the
day of the vote upon the amended Gore
resolution. After there had been sey-
eral sharp exchanges and Borah had
referred to Ashurst as the ''agile gen
tleman from Arizona" the roll call
proceeded until Stone attempted to ex-
plain his vote, saying:
eff the original resolution
Il object to any statement" inter
posed Gallinger.
Il am explaining my vote said
Stone.
THE senator has no right to do Ii"
replied Gallinger.
II object" said Borah.
VERY WELL" said Stone. son this
resolution T.
Il ask that the senator announce his
vote" cut In Borah.
We'll" said Stone. trying to be calm,
II am not going
That is all the senator will do
again said Borah.
The senator from Idaho" said Stone
holly, lis not authorized to say what
/ will or what | will not do"
IF the senator from Idaho Is going
to be gagged roared Borah, 1.-THE G n
tire senate will be gagged. If we are
going to be intellectual slaves singiy
we Will be SO I'm a body"
There was something more. but In
the end Stone had to content himself
by voting to table the resolution.
Twenty Cents a Mile.
The same old fight on congressional
mileage was made this year, and the
same old rate of 20 cents a mile re
mains in the bill. The same old
charges of graft, of members voting
to abolish the mileage and going Il
the senate to have 1t retained and al
the other claptrap iubdub that has
been heard for years was repeated, but
the result was just the same.
Through the coloneI's Glasses.
[ Shortly before Colonel Roosevelt sail
ed away for tropical cas- Champ Clark
5 vailed upon him. In the course of the
1 conversation they talked Of Wilson anc
Bryan. At the mention of the latter
T name Champ said rather %viciously:
;, when that fellows name Is men
toned | see red"
"Pink, Mr.. Speaker, pale pink" IL
terposed the colonel softly.
Why the Buffer?
After several weeks debate on thu
water power bill. which every n ad
mits cannot become n law, the question
is asked why It has been kept so Ion;
before the senate. The idea seems Il
be that ii is a buffer, but a buffe
K against what? Perhaps 1t Is bein,
used to exhaust the speaking powers o
senator's. so there will not be so mucl
v said on the military bills.
Recognized, but Not Appreciated.
"Homespun" Rucker OF Missouri dip
ped into a debate IN the house and wa
soon in a controversy with the uni
versal tangler. Jim Mann. Rucke
.c was finally moves to remark:
u II want ii understood that | recog
nize the wondrous, almost phenomena
e services of the gentleman from ILL
nois, but l do not always appreciat'
them"