The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-09-28
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, Sept. 2s.-lSpeciall-
There are few Republicans who do not
assert their strong belief that Hughes
is going to be elected. Once In awhile
a man is found who expresses a doubt.
Most of the Democrats one meets are
confident that Wilson will be r~e-elect
ed, but there are Democrats, some of
them In prominent positions. who ex-
press grave doubts about the election
Of the president. Some OF these are
senators and others have "A close con
nection with the campaign.
The Republicans who express any
doubt about Hughes. election base 1t
upon the belief that the people will be
satisfied with the work which has been
accomplished by the Democratic ma
jority In congress and, further, that
Wilson has kept us out OF war and
that the country Is prosperous.
The President Confident.
President Wilson and everybody
close to him are absolutely confident
that he will be reelected. The presi-
dent is very CHEEKY with visitors when
he talks of the outlook. Cabinet ofIi
GERS take the Maine election and show
to a mathematical certainty that VII
son will be reelected. Chairman Me
Cormick assures those of his associates
who may have misgivings that there
is not the least doubt hat from - to
40 per cent OF the P%rogressives will
vote for Wilson and insure his cleo
tion.
With so much confidence there ought
to be a good campaign right up 10 the
last moment.
Rockies Are Pleased.
Quite a number of government EN-
ployees and others living In Washing
ton spent a part Of their spare time
this year al the P%lattsburg camp and
have returned with good accounts of
the training and the manner in which
the camp Is conducted. Each year 1t
grows better, they say, and they be
lleve that 1t will result in not only
training men for service In case of
war. but will END to awaken an inter
est through the east In military mat
tiers.
Naval Rookie Cruise.
I'VE have made a thousand friends
and workers for the navy" remarked
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, "of men
who never before cared anything about
the navy"
He was speaking OF the rookie cruise
of landsmen on the fleet. lie says that
for the most part those who went on
the cruise were very well satisfied, and,
what was more to the point. the OIL
GERS noted that these rockies nearly
all took a great deal of interest in their
work.
Distinct Government Loss.
When a man with a good salary
serves continuously In a political posi-.
ton under both parties at different
times and Is not protected by any civil
service rules 1t means that he Is a
competent and useful official. Such
was James G. Courts, late clerk of the
committee Oh appropriations, who was
forty-one years with the same commit
tee.
Courts not only had knowledge of
finance and the government business,
but he also had much information con
corning all the political intrigues and
big contests In the house from the
stormy times of reconstruction. lie
was there before Joseph G. Cannon
was Uncle Joe and when Jim Blaine
was fighting the Confederate briga-
diers.
At Home In the House.
Billy Mason, who has been nominal
ed congressman at large in Illinois.
will be much more at home in the
house than In the senate. During the
six years he was in the senate he often
shocked the elder statesmen by his
free and easy ways and rather pictur-
esque u%tterances and vocabulary.
1t is nearly thirty years since Billy
Mason made himself known as q o
gressional speaker. In a humorous
vein he was criticising the Democrats.
and turning to the sectional side of the
question, for the civil wal was still a
political issue, he remarked that the
homecoming of the southerners had
not been like that Of the prodigal son
but that the south had come back, put
its feet on the table and said. Pop,
what l want Is veal"
"Off to the Border"
There has been a regiment of troops
near Washington ever since the wal
excitement when the militia was post
ed of to the Mexican border. Every
day the papers announce Ion TO the
border" but the troops do not get
started. This regiment wants to go
1t was recruited for the purpose of go
ing. The men say they enlisted be
cause they wanted the trip and want
ed to see the country. There are thou
sands Of state troops down there whC
would like to get back home and fee
<hat they IRE not doing themselves oil