Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-02-23
NATIONAL. POL
ITICS BOILING
Republicans Confident and
Democrats DiscOur-
aged and Lacking
in Pep"
BRYAN'S INFLUENCE
The Labor Situation Will
son and the Third
Term.
BRYAN's INFLUENCE
BY I. u. HOMES.

by j /. Il. JONES.
Washington. -. c.. Feb. 20.-The pO-
litical situation surely is interesting
Viewed from the angle of nonpartisal-
ship. the declaration Of Mr.. Hoover that
he will support the party that stands
for the League. of Nations is unique
as coming from Il man supported by the
Curtis publications, the New York
World and other great newspapers. 1t
is doubtful if any other probable candi-
date has refused to identify himself
with any party. Among the senators
there is a perfect avanlanche of candi-
dates for the republican nomination,
and Gen. Wood and a number of COVER
nors Of states have their lightning rods
aloft Among the republicans there APP
pears to be Il cOckSureneSS born appar-
emily of the rOut of the democrats with
reference to the treaty. and the disor-
ganiZation among democratic leaders
as shown in the refusal of the party
caucus of congressman to endorse the
presidents proposal for universal mill
tary training. That the democrats are
somewhat discouraged is evidenced by
the fact that no pep is being put be-
err in the party.
The President and MIR. Bryan.
In Washington the belief does not
down that President Wilson is willing
to run again. In fact his position with
regard to the treaty is taken as an in
dica:io that he believes he can go be-
fore the people next fall and win out
on that issue. But again, there is Mr..
Bryan-long since the boy orator of
the Platte and today the grand old
man of his party. NJ. Bryan tried for
IL long time after leaving the cabinet
10 remain on close terms with the pres
ident, but when the GOODNESS toward
his proposals became notably marked.
he finally turned to his own way. and
gradually he and Mr.. Wilson drifted
apart. No one knows of any 'break"
between the two. Il would be better to
say that the feeling has become one of
There are some democrats who be-
lieve that Mr.. Bryan would like the
nomination for himself, but
most people are inclined to the opin
ion that he is seeking to dominate the
next convention, principally to clinch
the position of the democrats as the
party of prohibition. In doing these
acts Mr.. Bryan may be expected TO fol-
low his past course of selecting his own
candidate for president, just as he did
at the Baltimore convention. The Ne
braskan has the knife in his boot for
the chairman of the democratic nation
al committee and the governor of New
Jersey.
The Boastful Mr.. GOmpers.
The position of organized labor is Il
big factor to be reckoned with in the
coming campaign, and Mr.. Gompers
stands at the head of an executive com
mittee of three to pass upon the quail
fications of eall candidates for Office
from president down to members OF the
legislatures in the states. These three
men claim that they have the authority
of enough union men in the country to
elect or defeat any candidate-and the
and autOcratic Mr.. Gompers
will spend season in "damning and
enemies and friends. He will
attempt to say who is the friend or foe
of the common citizen. Meanwhile
some of the best men in the country are
working on an industrial plan that will
afford courts and tribunals for labor
disputes and proper representation OF
all earners in industry. Mr.. GOmpers
once undertook such a job at the sug-
gestion of the president, but walked
out of the conference of which he was
Il member in huff.
Soft Speech and Big Sticks.
The caption borrowed above is a re-
minder of the ROoseveltian days and is
used TO remind us that it is still adj
visable to speak softly and carry IA
big stick since the insistent demands
of railway operators made on the very
eve of the passing of the legislation ne
ceSsary to the restoring of the railroads
to their owners and the termination OF
the farce of government operation could
have been inspired by no other purpose
than that Of throwing monkey wrench
into the business of the government.
railroad administration should be ,eX-
pected. consistently, TO agree 10 he
mands for wage increases three weeks
before the government should withdraw
from the management of the carriers
cannot be explained upon any other
basis than that the brotherhOods had
taken Il final stand in the hope that
they could bulldOze the administration
and, through their further threat TO
fight the denomination and reelection
Of every. congressman who opposes
them, turn congress into pacl; o. poll
teal towards in the face of the promis-
ed strike.
Soft speech has apparently not at
fected the determination of a few gen
-lemen who make their living as dire
or generals of groups of American
wage earners, and all of whom are af-
Hated in some manner or another with
Mr.. Gompers Washington headquar-
ers: and therefore the sane, unfrigh-
.ened judgment prevailing in congress
IS to apply the big stick to some oil
-lhese autocrats who are constantly
TO destroy all public men
who will not do their bidding.
The Egg of Democracy.
This thing called democracy seems to ;
10 in such demand that the public util- \
ties are asking for ii in the different
throughout the country.
ind since democracy is dispensed large ,
V through the various forms of local.
;tate and federal govern hent, it has