, 1921-05-21
DO WE GAIN OR LOSE?

The peonle of Wyoming should weigh very careful
" and view in all of its aspects the proposal oil ASK
inc Frank Mondel to become n candidate for the
United States senatorship. Those journals most ous-
lily engaged in advocating such a step, call 1t advance
ment Is it Advancement, either for Mr.. Mondeh or
for the people Of Wyoming!
The Tribune has no information from Mr.. Mondell
that he will become a candidate and cannot conceive
that he would consider such a move either from a
public or a private point of view. For more than
twenty years the people of Wyoming have been re
turning Mr.. Monden to the house. By his long, and
at the same time valuable, services, he has gained
great prestige. He has earned advancement from
minor committee chairmanships to the chairmanships
of the most powerful committees in the house to
minority leader in a Democratic congress to Repub-
Gcan floor leader in a Republican congress. His next
step is the speakership, the most exalted and desirable
position in the lower branch and coveted by every one
Of the four hundred and t~hirty-five members. The
speakership is just within Mr.. Mondells grasp, GER
tain and sure; and with his acknowledged ability,
eminent fitness, rank and priority gained by long serv-
ice, the high honor is certain to come to him.
Wyoming and Frank MonGel have played fair with
each other for long years. Each owes to the other o
great deal. It has seemed a wise and desirable ar
rangement that he be returned at each successive
election as Wyoming's representative. As proof OF
what runs in the minds of Wyoming people he has
been reelected his own successor with steadily in
creasing majorities Uptil at the recent election he
gained the distinction Of securing the highest vote
ever given to any candidate for office in the state
In the years there has grown up an understanding be-
tween the people of the state and Frank Mondell that
he would continue to represent them in the house un-
cessive steps all of the honors and emoluments that
branch of congress offered.
1t is uncomfortable to those who take a pride in
Frank Mondell that from any point of view he should
be willing at his time of life to cast aside his pres.
emit certain prospects for a senate membership where
he would at best be at the foot OF the ladder and
compelled to make the slow toilsome ascent al. over,
and under the seniority rule life remaining would not
be long enough to reach that position in the senate
which he occupies in the house. Wyoming would be
the loser. Mr.. Mondell would be the loser and the
old pleasant and close relationship would be gone for
ever.
In a strong administration such as Warren Hard
ing's is and will continue to be, there are three pow
erful and a1-important positions. The strongest in
American pohtics-the presidency, the speakership
and the house leadership Of the Republican majority.
Appropriations and most of the consequential legis.
lation originate in the house and it is by far the
most influential part of congress of which to be n
member if one is speaker or majority leader. The
Harding administration will continue and Mr.. Mon
deps place and part in it seems to be plainly pointed
out.
Since there has never been any indication Of self.
lshness upon the part Of the people of Wyoming OF
Mr.. MondeI, would it now be a matter of selfishness
or a matter of wisdom to ask Wyoming to yield his
great strength with Mr.. Mondell as speaker or Re.
publican leader in the house to go to the senate there
to occupy a more or less ordinary position.
The point is what do the people of Wyoming and
Mr.. Mondell gain and what do they both lose by the
proposed change from the house to the senate.