The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-11-17

&sG.aSE 83S y f1e aSSa
Democrats Are Divided.
Face Same Problems That Split Republ-
cans. Controversies Expected Over Com.
mittee Appointments. They Disagree Also
on the Tariff Situation.
| Especial to the Boston TRANSCRIPT
WASHINGTON, November 10. The
Democrats of the Sixty-second Congress
are in for exactly the same kind of row
that has split the Republican party.
Young and old blood will contest for su-
premacy, and it may be that the election
of Champ Clark to the speakership will
be endangered before the controversy is
ended. While an humble floor member
and cooperating with the Republicans
Mr.. Clark was willing enough to vote
for the election of Committee on Com
mittees, but with the power of appoint
ment lodged in his hands he is less anx-
ious. Representatives Henry of Texas,
Sims of Tennessee, Hay of Virginia and
others of the younger element who are
not ranking men on the committees will
work hard for resolution that the COM
mittees be appointed by committee Sc
lected by the House, and they may think
it wise to unite on an opposition candidate
for Speaker to give rallying point for
their programme. Swagar Shirley of
Kentucky would be as likely person as
any to lead the movement.
| If the Democrats split on this propo-
sition they will run grave risk of in
juring themselves with the country and
neglecting the larger principles of legis-
lation for the technique. When the Re-
publican insurgency was at its hottest,
only the radicals seriously supported the
plan to organize the House through a
committee. The power of arbitrary ap-
pointment by the Speaker has its disad-
vantages, but it is one from which there
is no appeal, and it does not delay the
business of the House. The other plan
gives ample opportunity for division, in
that the report Of the committee on COM
mittees must be accepted by the House,
and a committee of fifteen, such as is
proposed, would subject the members to
such a pulling and hauling that the House
might find itself so divided over organi-
cation that little business would be done
for long time.
/ Exactly the same situation is present
ed by the tariff question. The wiser
heads IF the Democracy dread the in
PRODUCTION of tariff bill, for they can
see no way in which Democratic House
can get glory out of it, any more than a
Republican. Besides, the Democracy is
honey-combed with protection Demo-
Gratis and the votes of the tariff session
of 1909 showed that the statesmen of that
stripe preferred holding their seats rather
fln,, IL, i
principles of their party.
President Taft, no doubt, will decide in
his own mind, during his Panama trip,
what course he will pursue with respect
to tariff legislation. Had the House
gone Republican. no doubt the tariff
board would have made no report until
spring and revision would have been
taken up in the winter of 1911 along
carefully chosen and we'll understood
lines. But the administration now feels
the pressure of political necessity to do
something. A report on the pulp and
paper schedule could easily be prepared.
Wooden and woolens have been studied
carefully also and that schedule could be
revised if the matter could be got before
the House.
At present the rules of the House stand
in the way, and it is believed that Speak
err Cannon and his allies, perhaps, assist
ed by the Democrats, would try to pre-
vent action at the short session. The
Republican leaders will feel out the
House on this question and when the
President returns it will be subject of
immediate conference. The President
has been urged insistently by his Cabinet
to secure the passage of all the Admins
tration bills possible In sense the Ad-
ministration has been relieved by the
vote of Tuesday placing responsibility
for legislative action upon the Demo-
cratic party. Nevertheless, the Repub-
icans know that a do-nothing short ses-
sion would place them in a weak position
before the country, and even the stand
patters have political sense enough to see
that the high tariff has been the main
cause Of the troubles which have afflicted
the party. Cabinet opinion strongly sup
ports the contention of the Transcript
correspondent in yesterdays dispatches
that the Democratic landslide, unfortu-
nate as it may have been for the party
as a whole, will have powerful tendency
to strengthen the leadership of President
Taft, particularly in legislative matters.
however, it may be difficult for the Re.
| PAOiASdiio W ASSOOP CAClA ~ CoClSC w I'LL
brilliant legislative achievements in the
brief session from December 5 to March
4. In the opinion of many, it is more
probable that Congress will do as little
as it can, on the theory that it would be
very unfair for the country to put
through measures of large general i'm
portance affecting trusts or corporations
or railways specifically, or conservation
of natural resources. The members OF
Congress will not come here this session
in mood to attend closely to important
business. Many of them have been re-
tired to private life. Their concern will
be to find berth somewhere under the
Government or to make connection ir
private business. Some of his friend.
will advise the President not to subject
himself to the risk of having his recon
mendations go UNDECIDED. They believe
that this will not be good year for the