The Yale expositor., 1910-04-01
DEMOCRATS SEEM
SURE OF VICTORY
Confident That They Will Be in
Control of Sixty-Second
Congress.
REPUBLICANS SMILE AT CLAIM

stroyed Their Best lssuc-Arizona
and New Mexico Putting For
ward Strong Claims for
Statehood.
Washington. Democrats in the
house of representatives seemingly
have lost none of their confidence that
they are to be in control when the
Sixty-second congress comes together
In December. 1911. The regular Re-
publicans say that the Democrats
committed a tactical bmnder when
they allied themselves with the insur-
gents in the effort to defeat what had
come to be known as Cannonism. The
old-time regulars declare that the
Democrats overreached themselves
because they helped in the effort to
put out OF existence the issue which
the minority party was depending up
on to help to elect its candidate for
the house of representatives at the
next election.
The Democrats retort that they
made no mistake, because they have
shown the country positively that
when they come into power they will
not countenance a rules committee
which will have the power to obstruct
legislation which the country is anx-
ious to have passed The leading
Democrats declare that the evidence
has been so strong of a revolt through
out the country against house pro-
cedure, as it has been the rule recent
ly. that they will gain Just as many
votes by taking the field early against
Cannonism as they would IL they had
put off their opposition until the days
of actual campaigning before the peo-
pie.
Democrats Are Confident.
In the ranks of the Democracy in
the house, however the feeling that
victory is to come next November is
so strong that even now there is dis.
cussion as to what Democrat shall
succeed Mr.. Cannon in the speaker.
ship. Champ Clark is the leader of
the minority, and as a matter of nat
ural course it is to be supposed that
he will be chosen speaker. but never.
| theless, there are other Democrats in
the house who have ambitions, and II
is perfectly true. as some of the party
admit. that there has been some op.
position to Mr.. Clark's methods of pro.
cedure as leader.
Among the Democrats who are
known to have at least latent speaker.
ship ambitions are Ollie M. James OF
Marion. Kentucky, who has been in
the service of the house for seven
years; Swager Shirley of the same
state. whose term of service has been
coincident with that of Mr.. James
Oscar M. Underwood of Birmingham
Alabama. who has been a member OF
congress for Is years, and John Jo
seph Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, New
York who has been a house member
for IL years.
Clark in the Lead.
II seems to be practically assured
however. that II the Democrats dc
succeed in carrying the next house
they will elect Champ Clark of Mis-
souri, as the speaker. Not all the
Democrats are In favor of Mr.. Clark. :
No matter what opposition may be
shown 10 the Missouri members can
didacy In the caucus, the party ma
jority will carry the day and II seems
that almost undoubtedly Mr.. Clark
will be chosen to take the chief seat
In the next congress now occupied
by Mr.. Cannon-provided, of course
that the hopes of the Democracy are
fulfilled and that victory comes tc
them next November. The Democrats
in their high hopes not only are talk
ing about the speakership succession
but actually are looking at the choice
committee places with a view to de
termining what chairmanships are tc
fall to the lot of the men who stood
by Leader Clark through the tumult
and the fighting.
Chance for Personal Bills.
/ With the enlarged rules com
mittee of the house of repre-
sentatives which has just come into
legal being as result of the revolt
of the allied insurgents and Demo
Gratis there may be greater opportu
nifty offered for the passage OF what
are known as personal bills. In the
course of congress there are intro
duced hundreds of measures, in add
ton to pension bills. and of these only
small percentage ever received the
support OF a committee report, lei
alone being given the privilege of &C
tual discussion In the house with q
view to passage.
II has been the complaint in the
past that the men who were in po
sition of power either on the rules
committee or because of close person
al and political affiliations with the
speaker, were the ones who we're able
to secure the uninterrupted passage
OF measures which were of particular
interest to their districts. The non
influential member who had a bill
which his constituents were demand
ing had difficulty at times in securing
the sanction of the house authorities
for its passage The enlarged rules
committee perhaps will be more con
i siderate of the legislative desires o.
the less influential conQressmen