The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-23
Any Fighting Has Much Effect
on POIitiCa! Conditions.
WAR WITH SPAIN RECALLED
Both Democrats and Republicans Gave
Undivided Support TO Administration
and Criticism of Mckinley Came
After the War Was Overtime
Troops Remain In Mexico important.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, March 23.-tSpecial. -
What II difference IN politics n little
war makes!
In the first place, congress goes solid
ly behind the man in the White House.
That happened In 1898, when the Re
publicans were in power, and happens
again in 1916, when the Democrats
are in power. BY solid votes the pres
ident is granted such supplies and
such military Increases as are neces-
sary to meet an emergency like war
with another country. The same was
almost true two years ago when war
was made against Huerta.
But the Significance of 1t all is that
n war or n warlike move Is OF mate
rial assistance TO the president In n pO-
litical way. There Is not going TO be
much criticism OF a president when he
is conducting a war. The political crit
icism of the Mckinley administration
came after and not during the war
with Spain.
Time an important Element.
1t will make n great deal of differ
ence how long the troops continue in
Mexico. If the expedition IS short lived
there viii not be much political effect,
but If 1t extends over a long period
we may expect to see the prospects
for Democratic victory assume a more
~roseate hue than they have had for
some time past.
While the troops are In Mexico pur-
suing the Mexican bandits the presi-
dent is assured of the hearty support
of the Republicans in his war meas
ures. Minority Leader Mann spoke for
the party I'm the house and Minority
Leader Gallinger for his party in the
senate when they insisted upon a vote
to demonstrate that their party was
solidly with the president in support.
ing his new policy In Mexico.
Viii Use the Privilege.
No senators are more earnest in their
advocacy of cloture than Thomas and
Shafroth OF Colorado, and yet both of
| these senators have determined to use
the power OF unlimited debate to de-
feat the water power bin urged by the
conservationists. And with the sup
port which they will have and the
pressure of other business Ii looks as
IL they might succeed. Sooner or later
nearly every senator who urges cl0ture
finds himself In a position where un-
limited debate ONE i'm handy to Sc
cure him certain concessions or to de-
feat a measure that he opposes.
Tired of Being a Chore Boy.
One evening | met James Hamilton
, Lewis on the street, and he was look
Ing up at law offices, where the lights
) showed a library Of law books.
ID you know what | was just think
ingT' asked the Illinois senator. 1T
just occurred to me that those offices
resemble my own and | thought how
much better off | would DO II | was
, back In them and my own boss instead
OF being here. bossed by everybody In
my state. | nm getting tired of being
a chore boy, of being at h beck and
call of every person who comes from
Illinois and makes demands upon my
time. | do not get time for anything.
| conceived 1t might he a place for
craftsmanship. but the petty demands
of ones constituents preclude the pos
sibility OF doing anything but running
errands."
, The Shively Vacancies.
No senator feels that he Is not COM
petent for a place on any committee
: In the senate. consequently there is
=, quite a demand for the places made va
cant by the death Of Senator Shtve1y.
? Finance and foreign relations are both
l desirable committees. When the Dem
{ ocrats took control of the senate 1t
; was announced that the good places
, would be divided md spread around
among senator's. But the old system
prevailed. The senators who have one
good committee assignment want two.
and so the Shively vacancies will be
/. filled by senators who already have
a position on one or the other OF those
first class committees. And yet a dozen
: or more Democrats have places on
only the minor committees of the SEN
ate.
Sounded Reasonable.
r The house leaders were ~wrangling
over the question OF seven or more
hours debate on the sugar bill. rs
this an effort to speed up legislation"
/. asked Congressman Sims OF Tennessee.
"seven hours to be talked away here
on n few lines of a bill upon which the
house Is nearly unanimousY
And he query sounded reasonable
4 under the circumstances
T Delighted Joe Fordney.
Nothing has SO delighted Joe Ford
: ney Of Michigan quite so much as the
. passage OF the bin restoring the Payne
duty on sugar. Fordney is a protec-
: Zionist at all times and upon every ar
ticle. but more especially Is he q pro-
J t%ectionist for sugar. Michigan is a
t beet sugar state. and Fordney has
; } fought for ii sugar duty ever since he
has been In congress.