The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-17
w ouldn't Care Snap Of
FingerAboutAppoint.
ing Power,
NO DOUBT ABOUT
WHERE EiESIANDS
Prospective Speaker of House
Comes Out Flat-Footcd for
Committee OF Committees
and Revision of the
Tariff Schedule by
Schedule.

Washington, b. c.. December l6.--
Representative Champ Clark gave out
statciucnt tonight outlining his
platform as the prospective Speaker Of
1hc Democratic House OF Representa-
dives in the next Congress He pro-
,aIaius himaelf in favor Of the appoint
.nent Of committees OF the House by
4 committee rather than BY the Speak
81, and he states his belief that the
tariff should ne revised schedule by
schedule. rather than In ono single
DILL These two subjects. says Mr..
Clark, are tho ones upon which he has
heen continually Importuned to make
some statement.
THE Democratic members Of the
House sent out {, call to-day for eau
membership of the next House OF Rep
regentetives MIR. Clarks statement is
both an explanation OF the call for
tilat caucus and a declaration Of his
own platform ~ the probable Speaker
OF the House.
The caucus will select a Ways and
Means Committee and a Rules Commit
tce somewhat larger than the present
committee of seven. MIR. Clark believes
one of :he committees should then be
empowered 10 select the other commit
tCtS OI lIit- tiiOuse.
Two Theories of Revision.
There are two theories OF tariff re-
vision, says Mr. Clark in his state
inent, revision by one general bill
and revision by separate bills for
separate schedules. This is matter
not OF principle, but OF method In
diyidually, | prefer the scheme of
separate bills Tor separate schedules,
taking the schedules with the most
obnoXIous features first. perhaps in
certain cases having separate bills for
particular Items"
The statement declares that what
ever method is decided upon, full hear
ing. AS comprehensive as that which
preceded the framing of the Payne
Aldrich law. viii be rad by the new
Ways and Means Committee
The assumption, growing out of ig-
nofauco7 IN certain quarters. says MIR
Clark. that President Taft cT Senator
Cummins or any other Republican has
discovered something ncwfin tariff re-
vision by the separate schedule scheme
is preposterous.'
MI Clark declares that he is heartily
IN favor OF inviting to the caucus all
the Democratic members elect He
goes on TO say that his efforts for the
past two years have been directed
largely to the unitication of the Demo
Gratis in the House, and for that rea-
son the members-elect should be given
every opportunity IL that unification
choice in the naming OF the members
of the committee.
Would Care Snap.
Two questions, Mr.. Clark says, in
terest the country. how the Democrats
will select their committees, and what
the party Will do with the tariff This
last question has been answered, and
proceeding TO the first, the statement
says:
las to the mode of selecting COM
mittees in the event of my own cleo
tion to the speakership, l would not
care the snap of my finger to exercise
the power of appointing them. I have
stated that TO every Democratic mem
Der who cared to inquire my opinion. |
The exercise of that power would un-
doubtedly have certain unpleasant
features"
OF the two plans for the election of |
committees, by the Democratic caucus
or directly by the House itself, Mr.. |
Clark faVors the last named. This is
based on the fact that in the debatable |
States the independent voters appear
to favor it, and the future Speaker of |
the House frankly acknowledges that |
it may be adopted because of the in
huence it would have in returning a |
Democratic President, and Demo
cratic Congress in 1912