The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-12
WILL PERFECT A
NEW ARRANGEMENT
Democrats in Congress Will
Have Party Whip"
UNDERWOOD Is SELECTED
An Accurate Tab Will be Kept on All
Absent Members So That
Full Vote Can be Had
at Any Time
UNDERWOOD Is SELECTED

republicans possess. AT the last republican
caucus the members of that party elected
Representative Tawney to the post of
party whip He was given supreme con-
trol of the members pairs, and will ar
range them to the best interest of the party.
Members, when leaving, will notify him,
and he will arrange pairs for them. II they
are detained from Washington it will be
Mr. Tawney's place ito pair them with some
absent democrat
In order to meet this more perfect organ
izatfon of the republicans Representative
Richardson has named Representative Os-
car Underwood of the Birmingham district
of Alabama to be the democratic whip.
Owing to the narrow majority which the
republicans have it was found to be neces-
sary for them to keep tab on every vote
they have in the house of representatives.
In case a measure is lost by the non-attend-
ance of several members the party and the
country will know where to place the
blame. lit >is therefore of equal importance
that the democrats keep tab on their votes
and keep the members OF the minority eth
er present accounted for.
| Mr. Underwood has not yet accepted the
| post of honor to which he has been assign
| ed. There is great deal of work connect
| ed with it, and then, too, there is fear that
| the democrats will not be as amenable to
| organization as the republicans.
1.-The democrat is the most independent
animal that roves the EARTH" said Mr.. I'm
derwood this afternoon, land while think
! it was high time for us to begin to fight
| the devil with fire and learn to perfect our
organizations as the republicans do theirs.
| still 1T is going to be hard work. The re-
| pubhcans are trained up to obey implicitly
| the party whip, but democrat does not
| like tab kept on him. 1t is very necessary
| that we keep every vote We have where we
| can lay our hands on 1T, and seeing the ne
| cessity of this am inclined to accept the
assignment of Mr.. Richardson if for moth
| ing else than to submit to party rule at the
| outset"
| believes In Thorough Organization
| Mr. Richardson believes in thorough or
| ganization and If he has his way he will
| have the minority organized as it has never
| been before Being a strict party man, he
| cannot imagine higher duty than obeying
| the party rule as expressed by the majority.
| There is nothing but praise so far for his
leadership. He shows himself adaptable
| and we'll able to handle other men. He is
| being supported by every man who contest
ed the leadership with him and behind him
| he has a united minority
|
1t will be interesting to see how the east
| ern democrats vote on the currency Dill.
| Orders have come from Croker for the New
| Workers to cast their votes against 1t.
| I have seen letter from Croker to one
| of the New York members. In 1T ne SAID:
1.-THE eastern democrat Is as opposed to the
| single gold standard as the southern or
| western democrat. All democrats, from
whatever section they come, or whatever
| may be their views on the money question,
| can unite in voting against the proposed
| measure of the republicans.
He will hold most Of them in line with the
| party. George McCleland will vote straight
out with the party, and so will the other
| city democrats 1t Is now thought. Amos
Cummings is still holding out, but 1t Is be-
| lieved that before the vote is taken he Will
be got into line. William Aston Chandler
ia another unknown quantity. However, he
| 10 a firm believer in party rule and VIII
| doubtless sacrifice his conviction In order
| to vote regularly when the last opportunity
| is afforded him.
As to General Wheeler
Nothing will be done regarding General
| Wheeler until he presents himself before
| congress. Then the fight against him will
| he made all over again. AS long as he IS
| not present and does not ask to exercise
the rights of a member, no notice Will De
| taken of his absence A member or the Ju-
| dietary committee said today that snould
| he return and try ITO take his seat, however,
| objection would at once be made, ana the
| case go to the judiciary committee just as
| At did before He said that the COMMITTEES
| would be unanimous In favor oil declaring
bis seat vacant as there Is no precedent for
| NOT doing so now. Heretofore there was a
technicaMty in his favor-tne fact THAT ne
! had not been in the war during the actual
| session of congress. He entereo the army
| after the congress which mad decSared war
| had adjourned and during the last session
he was tn Washington all the time But
| now he is actually al the front while con-
| gress Is in session.
| 1t is very doubtful III ne wou4a pc seated
| should he return now. The general opinion
| ss however, that ne will not come back I'M
| iii Aeninaldo surrenders or the war comes
| to an end. ,os
From all accounts whlch are leceiveu
| here. ex-Secretary Carlisle is accumulat-
| ing an immense law pra ctice in New YORK
He has had a number of cases oeSore the
| supreme court. He was here last week on
| one of paramount Importance, and mas sew
| eral more on the docket to be heard this
/ north. The last case which he argued
| before the court was one involving the
| constitutionalty of the legacy tax in the
| war revenue bill. Mr.. Carlisle and W. u.
| Curtis represented the Knowlton estate OF
frooklyn The government was repre-
| scented by Solicitor General Richards. Mr..
| Carlisle holds that the general government
cannot tax the privilege OF inheritance BE-
cause such privileges are reserved to the
estate, and to permit such pr!'heBe ~
right to be taxed implies the right on the
part OF the general government to control
| and destroy the operation of constitu-
tional law enacted by the legislature to
carry into executive powers vested In q
state government. 1t Is also contended
tf,at tine legacy tax Ia a direct tax.
Last year over a million and quarter
dollars was collected by the internal rev.
enue bureau from the legacy tax. Many
millions are held up waiting the decision
in the cases now pending.
The commissioner of internal revenue has
instructed collectors not TO push the COL
lections until the constatutonahty of the
tax has been settled. Among those which
are held up Is that on the estate left BY
the late Cornelius vapdertdlt. Tho tai ON
the estate which he left amounts TO $780,
600. Tt has been pointed out that the law
does not apply In the District Of Columbia,
on account OF an overnight Ia drafting the
bill. A.. la. - Nv. -