Evening star., 1921-11-12
Editorial Digest
Democracy's New Chieftain.

Democraoy's New Chieftain.
The recent reorganization Of tho
democratic party is expected to bring
about more effective opposition in Con-
gress and may stir the sluggish wheels
Of tho national legislature into greater
activity in the opinion of editorial
writer's Of both parties. Many inter-
estins conclusions are drawn from the
meeting Of the democratic national COM
mittee in st. Louis. and the election of
Cordell Hull Of Tennessee as chair
man Of the committee.
From the party point Of view the
choice Of Judge Hull for the chairman
ship "augurs q united and militant par
ty." the Raleigh News and Observer
admittedly a compromise, ''the disad-
vantages Of naming any man promi-
nently Identified with either the Cox
wing or the McAdoo wing were OBJ
vious." since ''it is essential that past
differences be forgotten" In relation
to these differences Mr; HUI, III Is pb,1s nea-
delphia Public Ledger independently
puts it, and the compromise, the Nor
folk Virginian-Pilot independent dem
ocraticl thinks. "augurs well for
party harmony"
On the other hand. the Brooklyn
Eagle independent democratic) feels
that an acknowledged compromise Is
unfortunate, even ominous." for FAC
tions based on rival ambitions should
not have the power to force COM
promise on a neutrality at time when
the democratic opposition in Congress-
10 undergoing the test Of adversely and
less" However, the Atlanta Constitu-
tuition (democratic) Is sure that such
action can result only In the strength:
ening Of the party organization and
enable 1t to prepare for the forthcom-
ing campaign with singleness of pur-
ternal jealousies and factionalism."
In any event. the Springfield Re-
publican Independently regards the
"inside politics as "of less impor-
tance than the character Of the man
himself" And from this point Of view
democratic party has needed leader
ship and intelligent direction 1t Is
now" the Memphis News-Scimitar
independently declares. and Judge
Hull in a large measure will supply
the deficiency" while the party will
receive new inspiration from his
digious faith" the Baltimore News
Independently remarks. TO move the
mountain which SO gently but firmly
slid down upon democracy a year
ago." and. according to the Grand
Rapids Herald republican). those
who know Judge Hull testify that
ing" for "he comes to his new re-
sponsibilities with a particularly ten
der and intimate appreciation of what
happened to his party in the late un-
pleasantness," having lost his own
seat in Congress to the first repub-
since the civil war;" Because of that
fact. the Knoxville Journal and Tri-
bune (republican). besides feeling
local pride in Mr.. Hull's selection.
thinks the choice was a wise one"
for the party. since Tennessee showed
such unmistakable republican leaning
In the last election.
The Rocky Mountain News (Denver.
independently. however. considers the
choice Of southerner as head of the
organization "a tactical blunder." be-
cause the party is not in jeopardy in
the south: The battle-ground is in the
north" Nevertheless. the Providence
Tribune independent republican,
takes occasion to warn the republican
party that 1t may be necessary for it
ito be more careful in preparing for
the campaign next year than might
have been the case had the demo-
cratic national committee not made
tlon of a new chairman. Political
parties seldom have as we'll qualified
men at the head OF their national
committees as Judge Hull is"
No one will expect Amazing prod
oh HIT hn
Independently thinks there is "one
thing that may reasonably be within
his powers" That is "to help to
bring the minority in the two houses
of Congress into the position Of
united and effective opposition"
body's feed" says the New York
World (democratic). and certainly
the administration and the country
would both benefit by increased en-
ergy and initiative in the councils Of
the opposition" for. as the Asheville
Times independently sees it. 'as a
ure to the shaping of the policies
that will finally prevail at Washing
tom
The choice of the former Tennessee
representative bears out the theory,
the Manchester Union independent
fort to capture seats in Congress, the
democrats will try to stress the is
sue Of taxation" because his financial
experience in Congress will be re-
garded of value in directing the
campaign" since. as the Winston
Salem IN. c. Journal (democratic)
informs US, "he was the author Of
the income and federal inheritance
tax laws. and other important similar
legislation"
The Newark News (independent)
agrees that things are shaping up"
in way to suggest that tax reform
will be "the major ISSUE" although
1t feels that "the hypocrisy of crying
down the party in control for failing
to cut taxes when the democrats have
done everything they could to retain
them would move the gods on Olym-
pus to roars of laughter"