The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-19
|CHAMP CLARK ID
 BE NEXT SPEAKER Letters and Telegrans Say HeIsChOiCe of Democrats MORE VOTES THAN NEEDED If Congress Raises the Ratio of Rep- resentation for the Next Session
 Many states wnl Lose Members
BY wArTERsoN srEALnY

Washington, November 1s.-(special.)- House of Representatives of the Sixty second Congress was settled today.
 Representative Champ Clark of Mis- souri has the written pledges of a ma jority of the democrats who were elected to the House one week ago last Tues day. Telegrams and letters received by him up to and including today indicate that he will have not less than 12s votes in the democratic caucus.
 This would be 10 more than necessary even though the democratic majority in the House should reach 69. As the official majority is expected to be about ss MT. Clark has a still wider margin. The fact is. however, that the Missourian will re- ceive many more than 125 votes in the event that there should be a contest.
 Both Representative Henry of Texas and Representative Hay of Virginia are out of the race and there is the barest of chances that an eastern candidate would announce, many from that sec tion already being pledged to Clark. It Is the general belief In Washington that Mir. Clark will have absolutely ne opposition in the democratic caucus and that he will be named unanimously. MT. Clarks lieutenants in Washington are jubilant tonight over the result of the canvass they have been making. While they have never had any doubt over the result they are nevertheless happy now that the votes are pocketed.
 Apportionment of Congressmen it be determined to allow the present Representatives this winter to increase the basis of representation from the pres eut figure of one member of the House to each 1940Q0 inhabitants several republf- can states will suffer because of thesr failure to increase in population. Should 1t be determined to allaw the present basis to stand, the membership Of the House will be increased by from 60 to 70 additional members, giving democratic states such as Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma increases In their delega- tions. Complete returns have already been issued by the census bureau in II out of the 46 states. These are Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massa- chusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri. Rhode Island and Vermont. If the slight increase of 100000 Is made in the figure of apportionment Alabama would probably get two additional congressman, Florida one, Indiana one, Massachusetts three, while the otHefs IlleHtioueu VIII apoue stand pat
 But if to keep the total member ship of the House down to it's present size it is determined to increase the basis to 220,000 then Iowa, Maine, In diana and Missouri will each lose one member. while Alabama and Massa- chusetts will gain one, the others hold ing their present representation. Fig uring on the basis of returns so far
 t- hot tfrl states will stand together to prevent material losses In seats which would increase the House membership 40 or 50. 7 t4
 The great complaint in the House now is that the membership is too large to conduct or derly business. An increase from 391 to 4s5 will not tend to improve matters.
 Campaign Publicity
 The practical value of the campaign publicity bill. forced opon the repub- lioans by the democrats at the last session of Congress, will soon become apparent as the measure provided that the officers of the two congressional campaign committees should file a statement of the receipts and disburse- ments 80 days after the election.
 The democrats stoutly maintained that the reports should be made before the election. but the republican major ity emasculated the Dill so as to give the contributions after the election.
 Hearings in Birmingham
 The interstate commerce commission today announced the assignment of hearings in Birmingham as follows: November 2s, Alabama Coal Operators association vs. Southern railway; T. H Johnson & Go. vs. Louisville and Nash : vile railway; W. J. Scheuing vs Louis vile and Nashville Franklin, Stiles & Franklin vs. Southern Express com pany. On November 2S a hearing will be hold in Huntsville In the case of W. l. and J. R. Thompson vs. the Louisville and Nashville railway. The cases will be heard by Special Exam ina PoylA.