Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-08-09
PARTY CHIEFS
ARE PERPLEXED
MINNESOTA HAS AMAZED THEM
BY ELECTION OF MAGNUs
JOHNSON AS SENATOR.
CALLED UNKNOWN QUANTITY
Politicians in Washington Suspect
This Farmer-Lahor Scion Will Not
Always Follow the Lead Of LaFoI-
lette and Brookhart.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK


fest here today is that the political
leaders in Washington, the party men
do not know what to make out of the
recent happenings in what might be
called public electoral manifesto
tions. Minnesota has amazed the poll
ticians. This may be cause Of re
joicing to those of the populace who
are not politicians, but it is no cause
for rejoicing among the politicians OF
either Of the great parties.
Magnus Johnson, who has just been
elected United States senator from
Minnesota on the Farmer-Labor ticket,
will take his seat in the upper house
as soon as congress convenes. He
succeeds a sturdy old Norseman of a
conservative type of mind, but one
who had in him those elements which
make for progression. 1t was said of
Knute Nelson that whenever he en-
barked upon what seemed to be a
radical sea he always took care to
have four or five good conservative
anchors on board which he could cast
to windward if anything should come
in the way Of weather which might
seem to necessitate their use.
Democratic and Republican leaders
in Washington, when asked about
Magnus Johnson, say that he is an
unknown quantity. They do not mean
this entirely, for they think that they
know what Mr.. Johnsons own pro-
cliyities are; but they do mean
that it is hard to tell what he may do
when he gets into the senate and
finds that things may not be what he
in advance presumed that they would
be-
There should be plain speaking in
this matter Mr.. Johnson himself has
intimated that he intends to find out
how Mr.. LaFolIette and Mr.. Brook
hart feel about things before he de-
cideS how he shall feel about things
There are men who know Magnus
Johnson who say that he has not ex-
pressed himself either well or with en-
tire frankness in intimating that he
must look unto others for guidance.
Perhaps frankness is not the word to
use, for probably the newly-elected
senator from Minnesota, as many here
view it, thinks sincerely that he will
go along as Mr.. LaFollette and Mr..
Brookhart go along.
May Assert His Individuality.
What the Republican and Demo
cratic party men mean when they say
that Mr.. johnson is an unknown guam
tity is that they half believe that
when he gets into the senate he, like
other newly-elected ones, will find he
is not in entire agreement with all
the things which those to whom he is
looking for guidance may propose. In
other words, Mr.. johnson may like
all that certain men have done in the
past, but how is he going to tell
whether he will like all that they are
going to do in the future? Party men
here think that the tendency Of new
Neglected ones is to attempt to as
sert their individuality.
There is going to be trouble in con-
gress next winter. That is, there is
going to be trouble If one looks upon
legislative inaction as trouble. 1t is
going to be a difficult thing to secure
the enactment into law of any great
bills next year aside from the supply
measures and some other things
which must be put through whether
or no.
The senate has a nominal Repub-
lican majority, but except in name it
has no Republican majority at all. The
Democrats in the senate are not all
Democrats, as the people look on par
ty matters today There is a group
of Democrats as there is group of
Republicans apart" and the two
groups will join together on many oc-
casions to thwart the will of the Re
publican majority and if possible, of
such majority as the Republicans can
muster by the addition of some Of the
more pronouncedIy conservative Dem
ocratS.
Party Lines Don't Hold.