The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-25
FITZGERALD Wins In CAUCUS
NOISE DEMOCRATS CHOOSE
THEIR RIFLES COMMITTEEMEN.


Champ clara. I'ndsrW 0Od and DaNoa the
Other Nlembers- QUESTION 90 TakiRg
Away apeakcr's Power 20 NaSne COns-
mltteea Raised ana LAID an the shelf.
WASHINGTON. March 7a.-At a peaceful
cauaus Of the House Democrats tonight
Representatives Champ Clark Of Missouri.
Underwood Of Alabama. Dixon Of lndi-
ana and Fitzgerald Of New York were
named a. the minority members Of the
nsW Rules COMMITTEES 81 ten agreed upon
a. the climax Of the big row Of last week.
This was the slate informally approved
by the Democrats during the day.
Opponents Of Fitzgerald. Who was
not wanted ON the committee by some
oI the radicals because he came tn the
Anaisi ancs % the Republicans with has
annex to the old rules during tho initial
fight ON this proposition on the first day
Of the special sesaion OI Congress. tried
before the caucus convened To muster
sufficient sfrenRih to heat him. Bat their
cause was hopeless. Minority Leader
clark AMI mosi of the other Democratic
leaders. who think there 10 a chance OF
the House gong Democratic next fall
and who demand harmony even az the
price oT q fighi. wOrked openly for FitE-
gerald. whose election. although he got
Ie-a votes than any u the four. was never
IN doubt.
There we're leo Democrats present AZ
the CAUCUS la order to keep things
running a. smoothly ~ possible u was
aRr"ed. on motion 81 Representative
Rainsy 81 ILLINOIS,. who heretofore has
not pa, forth much effort - harmoniHer'
that there should b@ no nominations. bu'
that each member present should vote
for the four memierS he wanted on the
COMMITTEES. Champ Clark got l2S votes.
Underwood TOE. Dixon ~ and Fitzgerald
~ Next was syden With 90. then
Hammond with ~ and Suller with ..
A score OF NOR. ~ The faithful rec"iNod
complimentary Votes ~ "n- aud Two
each
The ONLY member Who threatened To
make trouble during the evening Was
Thetua Wiliretts Sims " Tandem. Tenn.
AZ aoon a. the caucus Was called tn order
he made a valiant effort to secure imme-
date consideration 10 a resolution IN
str,IctinG the minority menIbers 81 the
Rules Commits. To support any PROPOSE
ton TO take the power Of appointing com
mittee> way from the Speaker and vest
IL in a committee on committees. Here
~ MIR Sims's resolution:
Resolved by the Democratic members
Of the Hou-s of Representatives Of the
SiN'y-nrst Congress In caucus assembled.
This, Ne hereby instruct the Democratic
members Of the Rules Committee selected
nv his caucus 10 support any resolution
or bill seeking 20 take from the Spes krr the
poSer 10 appoint the standing committees
OF the House aud that they use all honorHble
edorts to bring about such q change IA the
rules a. TO have committee on committees
TO IL. elerisd by the Hou-e. whose duty
shan he 20 appoint all standing committees
thereof
Warm arguments in favor Of this
were made by RePrs-enia-
tive Sima. Jones Of virginia. Bartlett
Of Georgia and Rurleson Of Texas. Most
Of the conservative Democrats Saw
in this resolution An attempt In keep
Mr. Fitzgerald 81 the Committee on
Rules He 10 known 20 he against this
committee on committees theory and
some ~ the radicals thought thai N the
minority members could ne instructed
in this manner prior to their selection
Mr. Fitzgerald might become peevish
and announce himself a. not a candidate.
Fau, the attempt II this il what II was.
failed. Representative Rainey of Illinois
made a point Of order that the Sims
resolution was premature. and Repre-
sentative Clayton ~ Alabama, in the
chair. sustained him.
Mr. Sims appealed from this decisiOn.
4.
him aud assured by the Chair that he
would have an opportunity 60 present
the resolution at the proper time he
withdrew the appeal
After the names "a the four members
selected had been announced Mr. Sims
upreared himself To offer his resolution
then and there But Representative
johnson ~ Kentucky was ahead u him
with a motion to adjourn. which was
carried. ~ Co 70. Then the caucus broke
M Mr. Sims and the faithful thirty
eight who wanted 20 stir up some trouble
on the spot LETT the chamber looking a
little Glum.
This hRht haA just begun said Mr.
sims The first ~ ing to-mnrrow ! shall
hegin 20 circulate "A petition for a caucus
o. be called specifically to consider this
question 81 going on record IA favor 70
a committee IA committees. A. only
twenty-five signatures are necessary 10
call "a caucus and a. thirty eight Demo
Gratis voted With me- against adjournment
and in favor 90 considering the question
Immediately I don't think I shall have
any trouble in getting the minority to-
gether again