Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

lngtOn feel Jney are making
progress towards better fortune
in all respects, and concretely
with respect to the congress
sional elections of next year and the
presidential election Of 1882.
For this feeling there is some tangi-
BILE justification. True, the progress Is
more apparent to leaders with their
eyes on events here in Washington
than it would be to one surveying the
scene from what politicians call the
grass roots" throughout the country.
That there is serious cleavage in the
Democratic rank and file in many
States, especially the border South, is
sufficiently proved by recent news from
Virginia.
There, in a State election for gov
ernor uncomplicated with national Of
fees or national issues, q considerable
fraction of the Democrats described as
"anti-Smith" held separate conven-
ton and named ticket which the Re-
publicans Endorsed. That sort of thing
happening in Virginia must be inter-
preted as symptomatic Of conditions in
considerable Democratic area. 1t re-
fleets a fundamental condition which
the Democrats must take into account,
if they fairly appraise their assets and
liabilities.
Party Organization Alert.
But from the point of view of Wash
ington it is a fact that the party or
ganization-that is, the Democratic
functioning condition, alert, energetic
and apparently harmonious-some Of
which, at least, must be taken as a
tribute to the ability and personality
of Chairman John Raskob.
Similarly, the Democrats in the Sem
ate have achieved, in several roll calls,
a solidarity in which they were able
to hold together all but four Of their
Senate membership, which Is 80. BY
coraast with Republican disunity, and
in al respects, this Democratic solidar-
ity in the Senate Is a party achieve
ment. The contrast with the Repub-
lican party in the Senate is vivid. The
Republicans have SIS Senator'S, but on
practically every decisive roll call just
about quarter of the Republicans.
ranging from Is to Is, have departed
to the Democrats. These Republican
insurgents added to the practically
solid body Of Democrats compose what
Senator Tess doubtless would call a
pseudo Democratic" majority in the
Senate.
Senators Follow Borah.
Here again in this Democratic stu
alton also there may be flaw not ap-
parent on the surface. The Senate
Democrats achieved solidarity; they ex-
hibited party discipline; they followed
their leadership-but their leadership
was Borah, an insurgent Republican.
There is a political tradition, almost
an adage, to the effect that no political
party ever gets far through following
the leadership of a rump OF the OPP
posing party. For party to unite with
the rump of the opposition Is orthodox
enough and carries no liabilities, but
the leadership should be provided, the
ideas should come from the principal
payty--in this case from the Demo-
Gratis. The spectacle of the tail swing
ing the dog should be avoided as spec
tacle not appealing to the public. Such.
at least, is the tradition of practical
politics.
Also, the most conspicuous measure
on which the Democrats united them
selves, and in turn united with the In
surgent Republicans, was the debenture
plan, which is contrary to orthodox
Democratic doctrine, and was severely
condemned by some Of the leading
Democratic newspapers and other
spokesman throughout the country.
Build Around Two Issues.
The Democratic leaders say they are
going to build their rejuvenated organi-
cation and their reinspired morale
around two main issues-the tariff and
the power trust'-coupling with the
latter agitation for more drastic en-
forcement of the laws against trusts
and monopolies.
As to the latter, there can be no
doubt that the power trust"-one &C
cepts, for convenience, the Democratic
terminology- potent political
Ill akf
ticianS in the acquaintance of the pres
ent writer, whether Republican or
Democratic, there is no material ex-
ception to assent to the idea that the
questions revolving around power and
public utilities provide material for a
dynamic political issue. The Democrats,
for the moment at least, seem in a po-
Sats5Tl 20 profit by 1t.
One of many States in which this
issue crops out wildly is New York
where the question has been alive for
several years, and has recently come
again to the front through a proposed
merger of the States most important
power corporations. New York has a
Democratic governor, Franklin Roose-
welt, and Gov. Roosevelt, in the talk of
Democrats everywhere, is counted as
one Of the party's three or four most
promising possibilities for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination in 1892.
Gov. Roosevelt, by reason Of his official
position, by reason of his party'S local
New York State policy of opposition to
actions Of the power corporations in
deed. by all reasons, Gov. Roosevelt Is
qualified to be spokesman OF the anti
power issue.
Willing TO Crusade.
Gov. Roosevelts attitude, as reported
by q New York Democratic newspaper
last week, Is one Of willingness to cru
SADIE. He was quoted as saying.
I'VE in New York are showing the
way. In New York at present only the
lives Of the governor and lieutenant
governor stand between the retention
by the people of their property and its
alienation. The public service
corporations have gotten little by little
that which, in the first instance, they
never expected to get. With dozens OF
holding corporations hopelessly mixed
up to Q condition where it is necessary
90 20 through a maze to reach the real
owners, the average man has become
greatly confused. The public will gel
the facts after q while, but it will take
o long time"
It IS true, as Gov Roosevelt says, that
a9sto the details, as to the multitude Of
separate questions involved in what /!
called the power issue, the average
man has become greatly confused" Bu
it is equally true that the average mar
has disturbing neutrality-suspicious. t.
the effect that good many things hav'
been going on which are detrimental t.
the average mans interest, and which
public of1cials and political parties
ought to check. II any one doubts thu
widespread existence Of this mood O
suspicion, this half-formed. truculen
resentment, let him bring up the sub