The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-04-07
DEMOCRATS SEEM
SURE OF VICTORY
Confident That They viii Be in
Control of Sixty-Second
Congress.
REPUBLICANS SMILE AT CLAIM
Declare Opponents by 5Iunder De.
stroyed Their Best Issue-Arizona
and New Mexico Putting For
ward Strong Claims for
Statehood.

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 blunder 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 If 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 1t 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.. Clarks methods of pro
| ceOure as IeaQer.
Among the Democrats who are
known to have at least latent speaker
ship ambitions are Ollie M. James oil
Marion, Kentucky, who has been In
the service of the house for sever
years; Swager Shirley Of the same
state, whose term of service has beer
coincident with that of Mr.. James
Oscar M. Underwood of Birmingham
Alabama, who has been a member o.
congress for Is years, and John 10
seph Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, New
York who has been a house member
for II years.
Clark In the Lead.
1t seems to be practically assured
however, that If the Democrats d.
succeed in carrying the next house
they will elect Champ Clark of Mis-
souri, as the speaker. Not all tn,
Democrats are in favor of Mr.. Clark.
No matter what opposition may b.
shown to the Missouri members can
didacy in the caucus, the party ma
jority will carry the day and it seem
that almost undoubtedly Mr.. Clarl
! will be chosen to take the chief sea
/ in the next congress now occupies
by Mr.. Cannon-provided, of course
that the hopes of the Democracy ar
] fulfilled and that victory comes t
them next November. The Democrat
in their high hopes not only are tall
ing about the speakership succession
but actually are looking at the choic
committee places with a view to de
termining what chairmanships are t
fall to the lot of the men who stoo
by Leader Clark through the tumul
and the fighting.
Chance for Personal Bills.
With the enlarged rules CON
mittee of the house of repre-
sentatives which has just come int
of the allied insurgents and Demo
Gratis there may be greater opportu
nifty offered for the passage of wha
are known as personal bills. In tn
! course of congress there are intro
duced hundreds of measures, in add
tion to pension bills. and of these onl
: a small percentage ever received tn
support of a committee report, lie
; alone being given the privilege of az
{ tual discussion in the house with
view to passage.
. 1t has been the complaint in tn
past that the men who were in pC
sition of power either on the rule
committee or because of close person
} | al and nnlitical affiliations with th