New-York tribune., 1910-11-25

ranking member of Appropriations and
/ Representative Godfosle leads the list on
/ Claims. and also on Expenditures in the
/ Department Of Justice. He will have 70
relinculsh one of these places, and in
either case the post will go to a Southern
man. thus deprivinS the North of one of
i.s seventeen charmen. Representative
Lindsay. of New York. will lead the Com
mittee on Invalid Pensions. and Represen-
tsJive Goulden. also Tammany man, that
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. To
Representative Sulzer falls the choice be
tween Military Affairs and Patents A
Southern man viii secure the place he re-
linquishes. so that the number of Northern
chairmen is reduced to fifteen. OF the
fifteen chairmen who live north OF Mason
and Dixon's line. seven will go 10 Tam
many il the seniority rule is followed
This leaves eight committees to be headed
by Northern Democrats from the 1e-
mainder Of the country. and there is not
an important assignment in the list
Among them are such as the Disposition
Of Useless Papers. Elections, Enrolled Bills
Expenditures in the State Department,
Labor Mileage Militia and Ventilation and
Acoustics. This situation can hardly he
changed without great protest If the
usual preceden1s are followed. they must
be followed to the letter in order that the
new Speaker may have an opportunity to
point 70 the seniority rule rather than he
forced 20 explain any exceptions he may
make
Geographical Considerations.
II a committee on committees makes the
selections and attempts to Arogate the
seniority rule by placing at the head OF
committees men il believes will prove their
fitness a terrific uproar is certain TO fol-
low. Such a committee would be almost
certain 10 displace Fitzgerald by Represen-
1aJive F3urleson, Of Texas, and start the
Congress with one Of the ablest Democrats
IN the House at odds with the organization
Representative Henry T Rainey. Of Hi
nois. would insist on an important berth
because of his long service, and il his wish
Were Erau6ed some other veteran would
have 10 he displaced Every old member
Of the House would press his claims TO
scch an extent that the committee would
probably throw UP its hands and revert to
tie seniority system in order TO prevent
an utter disruption Of the majority There
is little question that the Northern Demo !
Gratis now in The House viii be supported
in their demands by the new members from
the North. There has been little change in
the Southern representation, and each of
these Representatives Is ready to defend /
his present place and fight with cudsels for /
advancement
A geographical division Of the country IL /
order 10 make the work OF the commit /
tee more easy would probably result in the /
1veT-represented South fighting internally !
for a few places. with the North not so /
and the Middle West and the
Far West securing all the best Of IT What F..
curse viii be taken by the prospective ma /
oriry viii probably not be determined until /
he opening Of Ihe GO Congress, but there /
$ little question that sec1ionalism VIII man
fest itself long before that date and that
he successful candidate for Speaker viii
ie the man Nho can least commit himself
N these important questions.