Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-17
MiSSourian Outlines His Plat
form as Prospective Speaker;
Declares for PiecemeaI Revi-
sion of Tariff.
WOULD INVITE ALL
DEMOCRATS INTO CAUCUS
And This Caucus VIII Select
Ways and Means and Rules,
One of Which Bodies viii Sc
IeCt All Other Committees,

IBy Morning journal Special I.easez Wirel
Washington. Dec. 16.-Representa-
tive Champ Clark issued a state
ment tonight fully outlining his plat
form as the prospective speaker Of
the democratic house of representa-
tives in the next congress. He pro-
claims himself in favor of the ap-
pointment of committees of the house
by committee, rather than by the
speaker: and he states his belief that
the tariff should be revised, schedule
by schedule rather than in one sin
gle bill. Those two subjects, says
Mr.. Clark are the ones upon which
he has been continually importuned
to make some statement,
The democratic members of the
house sent out call today for eau
Gus January 18th, of the democratic
membership of the next house OF
representatives. Mr. Clark's statement
is both an explanation OF the call and
a declaration Of his own platform as
the probable speaker of the house.
The caucus will select ways and
means committee and rules COM
mittee, somewhat larger than the
present committee of seven.
Mr.. Clark believes one of these
committees should then he empow-
cred So select the other cofnnaittees
Of the house.
"There are two theories Of tariff
revision says Mr.. Clark in his state
ment. revision by one general bill,
and revision by separate bills for
separate schedules. This is matter
not Of principle, but of method.
individually l prefer the scheme
of separate bills Tor separate sched-
uIes, taking the schedules with the
most obnoxious features first, per-
haps in certain cases having separate
bills for particular items.
The statement proceeds to say that
whatever method is decided upon,
fun hearing as comprehensive as that
which preceded the framing of the
PAYNE -Aldrich law, will be had by
the new ways and means committee.
THE assumption, growing out OF
ignorance in certain quarters says
Mr. Clark that President TAFT or
Senator Cummins or any other re-
publican has discovered something
new in tariff revision by the sep
arate schedule scheme is preposter-
GUS.
Mr.. Clark declares that he is heart
ily in favor of inviting to the caucus
all the democratic mem bers-elect.
He poss on to say that his efforts
for the last two years have been d.
rected to the unification OF the dem
ocrats in the house and for that rea-
son members elect should be given
every opportunity to express the'r
choice in the naming OF committees.
The questions, Mr.. Clark SAYS, that
interest the country are now tle
democrats will select their conlihlt-
tees and what the party wlll 90 WIN
the tariff. This last question mas
been answered and proceeding TO the
first. he says
AS to the mode of selecting com
mittees i'm the event of my own cleo
ton TO the speakership, | would not
care the snap Of my finger TO eXer
else the power of appointing them. l
have stated that to every democratic
member who cared To inquire my
opinion. The exercise OF that power
would undoubtedly have certain uh-
pleasant features" ,
OF the two plans for the elec'ioa e.t.
of committees by the dehocra.t9
caucus or directly by the house IL
self Mr. clark favors the latter. rms
is based on the fact that in the ue-
batable states. the Independent voters
appear to favor it, and the tuture
sneaker of the house frankly ackhoWl-
edges thas il may be adopted because
of the Influence it would have III re,
turning a democratic president anu
a democratic congress In 1917
The call for the caucus was ciicu
lated at the instance of Charnp olaiN
and of Mr.. Underwood OF Aiaoai'"'
his right arm in congress -.
The idea Is that to taellitate tns tsss
work of the next congress along tariI
lines, the democratic members oil tne
committee should meet early ehous"
20 have their action in shape to AUD.
nit to congress when it conVenes next
December