Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-11-16
FACE GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY

il Washington, Nov. 13.-With a major
ity of 152 in the house and % in the
senate, the republican party has re-
turned to power with a solemn sense
of responsibility after 10 years of
democratic control.
The fact that the house majority is
larger than ever given any party in
the history of the country and that the
senate majority is sufficient to make
sure of the passage of all party meas
ures, does not cause citation among the
leaders in either branch of congress
so much as determination to do away
with the evils in administration which
caused the landslide in their favor.
1t is only within the facts to say
that no party ever came to power with
such a serious sense of responsibility
as the republican party at this time.
In interviews with those who are to
WELD that power one is impressed at
once with this feeling that the party
must do great things to make good and
that it will do them The republican
party is the party of constructive eff
fort 1t lost congress in 1910 on the
W iCAuCC lhC SOSA
of living, lost the presidency in 1912 by
split, and in 1916 by promise to
keep us out of war. 1t returns to
take up the burden where it laid it
down, having in the meantime during
the war outvied the democrats in pa
triotic submersion of partisanship. 1t
is united as it has never been.
The democratic party, on the other
hand, is literally shot to pieces. Be-
cause of the nature of the campaign
he waged, Cox is generally discredited,
so far as the national capitol is con-
cerned Beaten worse than Alton B
Parker, in 1904, he cannot hope to
again lead the democratic hosts. Be-
cause the Wilson administration was
so utterly repudiated, it is unlikely
that William G. McAdoo, the presi-
dents son-in-law, can take up its
guidance. Already three times beaten,
William Jennings Bryan would be glad
to take the reins again; but the South
will not again accept him. Governor
Smith, of New York. though he made
a great race in his defeat, is too closely
allied with Tammany to make any
widespread appeal to the country
0ldl mas SOnC QOWn III lnC
general landslide. Claude Kitchin
who will now assume the leadership
in the house, halls from North Caro-
lima, and is out of the running for ma
tional leadership. Senator Oscar I'm
derwood, of Alabama, will for the time
at least come nearer to being the lead
er of his party than any other man be-
cause of his titular leadership of the
democratic majority in the senate; but
he and Bryan are bitter enemies; he is
too far south to be potent, and he does
not appeal to the progressives. Many
see in William r. Hearst an aspirant
for democratic honors again. but his
attitude toward war questions would
probably prevent that.
Furthermore, the democrats are
without any great issue to stand upon
after defeat, such as enthused them
after the defeat of Cleveland in 1888
Both the i'll health and the unpopular
ity of President Wilson would prevent
his return. The league of nations is
dead, buried beyond the slightest
chance of resurrection. Under the re-
publican administration the govern
ment will be conducted for America
contenting itself with fomenting the
most friendly relations will all while
protecting itself from the possible ag-
gressions of any of them in the future
1t will not assume that the millennium
is at hand and hence propose immedi-
ate disarmament. 1t will have the
greatest navy in the world and an
army sufficient for development to
meet any emergency. In this the dem
ocrats can have no issue They will
resume the place formerly held by
them during the Roosevelt admins
tration as a mere party of neaotion.