The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-10-18
Leaders Apprehensive of
Hopeless Split, Whatever
Result of Elections.
TOLOSE WILL MEAN
HOST WILL DESERT
Tariff, Speakership, and House
Rules Pitfalls In Case of Vic
tory at Polls.
By IOHN SNURE.

NEW YORK, Oct 1S.-That the Demo
cratic PARTY is confronted with the
gravest danger Of being irreparably
split up, whichever way the coming
elections go, is the conclusion arrived at
by many thinking politicians who have
been studying the course Of things in
the present campaign.
II is hard to tell which Is likely TO be
more hurtful TO the Democratic party,
failure or success in the elections. What
ever happens, the path ahead Of the
Democrats is far from smooth
Failure in the elections this year. fall
ure 10 carry the House and make sub
stantial gains in other respects, at a
time when there are many symptoms
Of a heavy drift in the Democratic direc-
ton. would utterly discourage many
Democrats One hears much talk that
if the Democrats can't win this year
they never Will win II cannot be doubt
ed this Is the way a good many Demo-
craJs feel about It,
Nor can fl be doubted that If they
find their party cannot WIN TINS year
there viii be heavy deseruons OF Dem
Ccrats. especially Of progressive Demo
Gratis who will either go over TO help the
progressive Republicans or viii help
along a third party movement.
on the other hand, what about Demo-
cratic success il the elections and the
control Of the House by the Democrats?
Dangers Of Success.
1t cannot be denied that great many
Democrats, and among them some Of the
Democratic members Of the House, look
on the prospect Of the Democrats con-
trolling the next House with great ap-
prehension- They fear they will get
into deep water, that they viii be
charged with responsibility for legisla-
ZION which they will not be able 10 get
and thatlwhen the Presidential election
rolls around the voters viii hold the
Democratic party responsible
The two chief rocks ahead OF the
Democrats if they get control Of the
House are the proposed change IN the
rules so as to provide for q committee
or committees and the tariff question.
either one Of these propositions con-
tains the germs Of q lot Of trouble.
Already leading Democrats in the
House. Of radical or progressive tenden-
CIeS. have taken stand for Il commit
tee on committees TO choose the House
committees instead Of allowing the
Speaker 20 have the vast power Of NAM
ing them. They have let IL be known
they win insist on such a committee
and viii make a eight for il. ana have
served notice on Champ Clark to this
effect.
Mr.. Clark and his chief advisers are
against the committee on committees,
and VIII. If they control the House,
make an open fight against such u
change in the rules II need be This
viii probably mean q fight against
Champ Clark for Speaker OF the House
1t is the rvles Of the House that have
largely stirred M the trouble between
regular and progressive Republicans II
the Democrats control tie next House
It will be found, what has been more or
less concealed until now. that there is
as much insurgency among Democrats
as among Republicans.
But there is a larger source Of
trouble for the Democrats looming Up
ahead or them than the committee on
committees. This is the tariff question.
Southerners Lined Up.
1t is known that certain Of the South
ern Democrats are getting ready for a
course Of action Jhat is likely to block
all efforts at tariff legislation bv the
Democratic party in Congress. II is
recalled what grief the efforts Of the
Democrats 10 enact the Wilson law
brought to them. While many Of the
Democrats In House and Senate were
az that time earnestly in favor of re-
Visin@ the tariff DOWN. ard and doing II
radically, the measure was so FAR
shaped I'D by the high tariff Democrats.
like Senator German, that 1t earned the
denunCiaJiOn Of President Cleveland and
the opposition OF free-LTade Democrats
Now, Democrats are as widely apart
on the tariff, in fact more widely, than
insurgent and standpat Republicans. It
y III be difficult for chem to meet on
common ground The wide variance Of
Democratic views was brought out TO
some extent in the Special session of
Congress to revise the tariff. But ii
was to some extent concealed for the