The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-16
PARTY CAUCUS
 PLANS FIGHT Democrats Hold Their
 Meeting. n MIR. CLARK IS NOMINATED Mir. Underwood Presents the
 Resolutions. Georgia Delegation Oppose Agreement Because It Comprehended Election Of Speaker Cannon-They Are
 Overwhelmingly Beaten.

Washington, March 15.-One hundred and sixty-six Democratic members Of the House of Representatives today bound themselves to support Champ Clark, of Missouri in his fight on the rules of the House.
 This action was taken at the caucus which elected MT. Clark as the Demo- cratic nominee for Speaker.
 Representatives Shepard and Rus sell, of Texas, who were expected In time to vote on the rules in the House, and Representative ~McDermott, of H. linois, whose absence from the caucus. was accounted for, increased the num- Der of Democrats to be present on the floor of the House which required the Republican Insurgents" to whip into line twenty-five members instead Of in order to overcome the Republican majority.
 The resolution adopted by the Dem ocratic caucus was that offered by Rep resentative Underwood, of Alabama, and in effect binds the members of the caucus to support MT. Clark in his ef- forts to procure the adoption of tho plan agreed upon by the Democratic leaders, and the insurgents steering committee.
 Georxfans Rebellious.
 The only opposition to the resolu- ton was that of the five Georgia Rep resentatives who several days ago an nounced their plan to have the caucus agree to a resolution which would not bind the Democrats to support the fn- surgents in their fight on tho rules un- less the latter agreed to vote against MT. Cannon for Speaker; to favor un- limited debate under the five minute rule and to seek a complete revision of the rules of the House.
 This amendment was offered by Rep resentative Edwards. of Georgia, but was overwhelmingly defeated.
 Representative Edwards, Georgia, then endeayored to offer a resolution to bind the members of the caucus to its &C., ton but he was not recognized by the chairman.
 When the caucus met there was f,e indication Of any wide dinerence ol opinion. nor was there any eviosnce ol n holt. The members of the Georgis delegation, who had prepared set oi resolutions proposing to bind the Re publican insurgents to vote against MT Cannon for Speaker. to favor free de- bate and unrestricted amendment to the tariff bill, and to favor the adoption of A new set of rules, offered a resolu- ton proposing that each and every Democratic member of the House pres ent at the caucus should be bound by its action.
 Representative Henry. of Texas pre- sided during the selection of ofncers which resulted. in the reelection oi Representative Clayton of Alabama. a, Chairman. Representative Robinson oi Arkansas, was elected Secretary.
 UnderyoOd'n Resolution.
 Representative Underwood, of Ala bama, was recognized by the Chairman to present his resolution which pledged the members to support the Democratic leader -"tn his efforts to overthrow the present arbitrary rules of the House and to adopt rules that will enable the majority of the Representatives in Congress to legislate.
 ITO accomplish that end we favor tn c enlargement of the number of members on the Rules Committee to fifteen to be elected by the members of the House and we favor 8 thorough and complete revision of the rules of the House."
 The resolution also declared that i've denounce the present rules of the House of Representatives as a machine intended to thwart and destroy the rep resentative character of the House and to enable the Speaker of the House to absolutely control legislation. regard less of the will of the majority"
 Represertat.veC Champ Clark. of Ms souri, was chosen as Democratic can didats for Speaker on nomination of Representative Lloyd, of Missouri.
 Representatives Bartlett of Georgia Dixon of Indiana, Rucker of Colorado and Wilson of Pennsylvania. seconded MT Clark's nomination. each making short speech.
 The committee which brought MT. Clark into the caucus after he had been selected a candidate for Speak er consisted of Representatives Kitchen of North Carolina, Bartlett of Georgia and Lloyd. of Missouri.
 Mir. Clark Speaks.
 MT. Clark addressed the caucus as follows:
 MT. Chairman and Fellow Democrats
 Last December the Democratic caucus elected me minority leader by unanimous vote. A moment ago you nominated @ for Speak = CT. For these fattering evidences of your confidence and esteem, I am deep ly grateful.
 Tn the last days of the Sixtieth Con- gress, we won some notable victories victories when we remem- Der that there was a Republican major ity of ffty-seven in that House.
 We achieved those triumphs by standing together and fighting togeth- er. We can in the present Congress win more victories. more easily beoouse there is now a majority of only forty seven against us.
 "We must stick together in order to do our duty. The country expects us to stick together in order to do our duty. The country expects us to stick together and fight together
 we must remember that to very Iareoa extent we have in our keeDin 6 the immediate future of the Democratic party. Recent events have demonstrat- ed that the Republicans are disorgan txed disgruntled and at logger heads Let us close up our ron nks. present a solid front and demonstrate to the world that we are worthy or the high vocation wherein we are called. '
 The only roll call taken showed l62 present out of I'll Dem ocratic members of the House, three or four belated members entering the caucus after roll call.
 There were Ave absentees, as fol lows: Shepard of Texas. Clark of Flor ida GoldsogeI of New York, LeSare of south Carolina. McDermott of Illinois Of these Representative Shepard and Goldtogel were expected to attend the organization of the House.
 MT. Underwood's resolution was op- posed by Representative Livingston o1 Georgia, and several other membSrA
 Champ Clark of Missouri addressed the caucus tn support of the reSofu-