The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-23
DEMOCRATS ARE
 GETTING ''CHESTY' Anticipate Fun In EIecting the
 Next Speaker CLARK MAY HAVE FIGHT Representative Garner Has Hard Time Explaining That He Is Not "Whip" Gamer of PennsyIvania-Hen-
 ry of Texas Honored.
CLARK MAY HAVE FIGHT
BY RoDERIck CLIFFORD.

 are beginning to feel "chesty." so to speak, over their prospects of electing majority of the members next Novem- Der. Already some of the democrats, when asked their opinion on the speaker ship of the next House, politely asked to be excused, saying they do not care to commit themselves. This is significant, for not many months ago. to be accurate, just before the meeting of the extra ses- sion. there was only one name mentioned for the honor. that was Champ Clark of Missouri, minority leader. The followers of the Missouri statesman-and he has many-when asked to pick the next speaker of the House unhesitatngly say 'Clarl-" If the position were reversed, that is, if the House was democratic and the republicans were expecting to carry the next House, 1t would be almost a certainty that their minority leader would be chosen speaker without a contest. But the democrats love a scrap and if Dame Fortune smiles on them this coming campaign, a lively fight for the speaker ship will be almost sure to result. It is safe to assume that Minority Leader Clark will be in the lead, as was the late Representative Crisp of Georgia who was floor leader in the Fifty-first Congress Minority leader is an influence hard to beat in q speakership contest.
 Not since have been member of the House have been called upon to explain that 1t was the other fellow,' said Representative Garner of Texas to a party of friends today. 'By some un- fortunate circumstance" he continued, "I am made to appear in the public prints as Garner of Pennsylvania and I am afraid l will have trouble in explaining to my folks in Texas that am innocent in the matter. Garner of Pennsylvania Is good republican, and am given the credit of being the democratic whip, B position prize highly. l am not re- publican. but a straight out democrat from tine greatest democratic state in the union. If the report should be cir culated in my district that I am posing as a republican up here it would be my political undoing."
 If I should attempt to correct all the misstatements printed about what the leaders are doing and contemplated doing to the insurgents, would have time for nothing else,' remarked Representative John W. Dwight of New York, republi- can whip of the House today. MT. Dwight is the busiest man on the re- publican side of the House. He has to keep in touch with every member of the majority, and also ascertain, as accurate ly as possible, the plans of the minority. On him the leaders depend for informa- tion concerning the strength of this or that measure, and if the votes will be on hand when needed. He must keep in constant touch with the republicans. so that he can let them know when they are needed, otherwise the majority would be caught mapping.
 It is perhaps needless to say that he has no love for the insurgents. for he has long since lost patience with their tao ties He believes in strict party organ ization, and says that unless the party presents solid front it cannot hope for a renewed lease of power. There is no truth, he says, in the stories that he ''orders" this or that thing done. No or ders are sent out, he says, but those which come from the organization, and if the members refuse to subscribe to
 
 constituents. He added significantly that the insurgents will have lot of explain ing to do when the time arrives for re- nomination
 Among the new members who have forged to the front, as orators during the present session of Congress few have excelled Representatives Martin and Rucker of Colorado and Roland of Mis- Ja on the Porto Rico bill and the tariff and already the democratic congressional committee has received numerous re- quests to have these gentlemen sent into close district to make campaign speeches. The district represented by Martin and Rucker are considered close and 1t is doubtful if they will care to take the chance of helping some other fellow, when by 80 doing the republicans may steal a march on them. They say fhe west will be debatable territory this Tall and that it will be no easy matter for the democrats to hold their own. The hope of the democrats of making large gains in the west, they assert will be due to the split in the republicans over the Presidents interpretation of tbe Roosevelt policies
 Representative Henry of Texas is feel ing very proud n sse days. He has had an honor conferred on him that any member might well be proud of. The 1,,diciary committee of the House, of which he is a member. directed him to report unanimously his joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitu- ton of the United States by changing the date of the inauguration from March 4 to the last Thursday in April. The indi- cations are that it will pass the House at an early day.
 For many years joint resolutions pro- posing amendments to the constitution of the United States have been introduced both in the House and Senate. principally providing for the election of United States senators by direct vote of the peo- ple. but the joint resolution never got out the committee. With the exception of the income tax amendment to the con- stttution, which was passed during the extra session because it was the wish of President Taft. no amendment has been submitted to the people since the days of reconstruction. Letters are pouring in on members and senators urging them to vote for the Henry joint resolution and in face of the known opposition of the Senate to amendments to the const- fulton, 1t is believed that an exception will be made in this case.
 In this connection there is some talk among the members that if the Presi- dents proposed amendments to the in- terstate commerce law to give the gov ornment greater power over the interstate corporation are adopted an effort will be T made to bring about at an early day . constitutionl convention to amend the tirns honored constitution 50 as to bring 1t up to date 50 that 1t will apply to the question never dreamed of by our