Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-29
AT H

AT WASHINGTON
tNVIILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Nv bobbbed up at Washington the
other day with the suggestion that
Senator T. J. Walsh Of Montana
be made the democratic leader OF
the senate in place of Senator I'm.
derwood, who has announced that
he wishes to quit the job. Mr.
Bryan's action in throwing Mr.
Walsh's hat into the ring was en-
tirely unauthorized by the senator
from Montana, we understand, and
gave him no satisfaction. In fact
the newspaper correspondents say
he was somewhat peeved about Mr..
Bryan's free use Of his name as
a candidate without his consent or
knowledge. There are two other
candidates for the place, Senator
Simmons of North Carolina and
Senator Joseph T. Robinson OF
Arkansas. Senatorial support
among the democrats of the senate
is said to be about evenly divided
between the two men, the older
and more conservative members
favoring the North Carolina man
and the younger and more pro-
g~ressive senator's leaning to the
Arkansas man. Senator T. ].
Walsh of Montana stands high in
the estimation of both factions. 1t
is quite possible that under GER
tain circumstances he might be the
logical selection as a compromise,
but it will not help him any to
have Mr.. Bryan thrust him to the
front as the Bryan choice at this
stage Of the game.
Mr.. Bryan's interference at
Washington gives the New York
Herald, now strongly partisan re-
publican, a chance to represent that
a bitter fight for democratic lead
ership Of the senate is in progress.
It says:
1.-THE democratic party will also
be compelled to wrestle with the
radical problems raised by the re
cent elections, which to date have
monopolized the attention OF re-
publican leaders.
Surface indications clearly point
to a bitter struggle for the control
of the party of which Woodrow
Wilson is still the supreme leader.
Mr.. Wilson's views on the radical
phases developed in the politics OF
the country are a matter OF con-
lecture or fractional Interpretation.
There is little question that he will
be listened to with greater respect
than any other member of his
party.
Whether Mr.. Wilson can finally
control the party's decisions and
policies is something else again
At present none of the other leaders
who failed where he succeeded ap.
pears to be strong enough to dis
pute his influence. That the for
mer president will find opposition
in his party to any program he
may frame for its guidance there
a be little reason to doubt. Re
cent influences reveal with unnis-
taxable clearness the tremendous
growth of radical sentiment in the
democratic party.
1.-THE temperance today on the
political stage of William J. Bryan.
thrice defeated democratic nomi-
nee for the presidency, served to
crystalline the trend of democratic
sentiment toward extreme radical.
ism. Whenever Mr.. Bryan comes
up for air there is a fair chance fol-
trouble. His activities at the cap.
itol during the day provoked a pro-
nounced division Of party sentiment
in several notable directions. One
of the effects Of his intrusion or
the congressional field was to IN
ject an unexpected irritant into the
contest for the democratic leader
ship of the senate, which Oscar w
Underwood Of Alabama will sur
render voluntarily at the close Of
the session in March.
"Mr. Underwood made known
his decision to retire several week:
ago. His explanation was that hi
desired to take a rest. Some OF
Senator Underwood's associates
believe a further reason is his ap'
prehension that the democratic
party will be finally dominated by
extreme radical influences, with
which he holds little sympathy.
"His announcement that he
would surrender the senate leader.
ship has provoked a spirited con.