Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-24
Rcactioparics Have Triurnphed

THE next House OF Representatives is to
be controlled by the Old Guard. It's poll
cles and its programs arc to be fixed by the
element which stands true TO reaction. Stand
patism has won, and there is no moro hope
OF progress on the House side than from
Senate which Penrose and Lodge and Mel
son and Warren will bend to their will But
the Senate long ago was dismissed as hope
less 1t was firmly in the hands of its present
leadership from the day that the Democratic
majority was wiped out, and mono with any
knowledge of the processes whereby that
body organizes itself had any reason TO be-
lievc that it would escape the grip OF the
old warehouses.
This was not true OF the House. In tho
lower body there are scores of young and
aggressive and progressive Republicans They
come straight from wide-awake constituent
cies. They represent a fresh sentiment among
the people. They speak for body of citi-
zenship which believes tho Republican party
can show its fitness to win next year pro-
yided it shows it's fitness to move forward in
the House during the present two-year period.
These men went into the Republican COM
mittee committees with demand that
new type Of leadership be adopted; with
demand that the old forces, which suffered
reputation again and again at the hands OF
the people, stand aside and the present ma
jorty show itself capable OF constructive
work.
This demand has been defeated James r.
Mann, although himself eliminated from
command, has seized the House organization
and will be its czar. With him will stand
Cannon and Fordney and Moore and Il lot
more of the same strine, They arc exactly
the same sort OF leaders that went into the
discard in 1910. They represent the old
order. They speak for interests that havo
mr. ri oh IN riaJ OH ,r,in
OF Congress They mean to draw to their
support the same privilege-seeking forces in
the nation that have always linked their for
tunes with those Of the Old Guard Republi-
canism, and it may be assumed that they
will reward these forces by the same means
as in past decades
The progressive Republicans Of the House
insist that they have not given up their fight
They say that they will appeal from the com
mittee committees to the Republican
caucus itself, but there is little or no hope
that they override the action now taken
The most they can do-and it is doubtful
if they have enough courage to accomplish
It's to form themselves into an independent
body, hold the balance of power in the House
and compel the dominant faction in their
party TO play "A square game with the country
This is not a likely prospect. Most Re-
publcans are regular" There were indc-
pchucnlS or insurgents lew years ago, but
practically every man of them went shame
lessy back into the old party They fol-
lowed Theodore Roosevelt out and they fol-
lowed or preceded him back. Their experj-
ence of the reservation, was not happy 1t
meant defeat for many OF them and sorrow
for all Of them. The chances are therefore,
that the Young Turks among the Repub-
licans Of the new House will take their medi-
cine and become partners-perhap protest
ing partners-to the program which Mr. Mann
and his followers will launch