Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-19
GUST JAMES AND RA|NEY
HOUSE REGULARS PROBABLY
WILL CONTROL COMMITTEE.
Democrats Will Vote Solidly
Against Substitution of Palmer
and Borland.

IT appears certain. from a poll of the
when the question OF selecting the six
| House members-four republicans and
two democrats-of the Ballinger-Pinchot
Investigating committee comes up in the
House tomorrow the regular organi-
cation will have sufficient votes to dis
| place Representatives James of Kentucky
/ and Rainey of Illinois, who were selected
4 by the democratic caucus of last Satur-
day night to represent the minority in the
/ inquiry.
/ OF course. the democratic strength will
vote as one man against the substitution
/ for MessrS. James and Rainey of Repre-
sentarves Palmer of Pennsylvania and
Borland of Missouri. Just what will hap
pen then has not yet been absolutely de-
termined.
| II the conservatives of the democratic
| representation in the House have their
way, another democratic caucus will be
called 10 authorize, by express direction,
| Messrs. Palmer and Borland to serve on
the committee.
| II is then the plan 70 issue a statement
giving the republican party fits, and
stating. in patriotic way. that while
it is quite apparent that the republican
| party IS unfair and unjust and does not
want a decent investigation of the con-
troversy, yet the democratic party.
al0ns the lire OF public duty, must sub
nit ID the insult. and therefore the caucus
authorizes Messrs Palmer and Borland
to serve.
This IS one plan that has been suggest ed.
On the other hand there are good many
democrats who believe caucus should
be called to forbid Palmer and Borland
and all other democrats except James
and Rainey TO serve on the committee,
and who insist that this action. from a
partisan and political stand point, would
be the best that could be taken
The democratic caucus has made its
selection under the terms of the com
promise suggested by President Taft"
said Representative James today, and
therefore we Will stand pat II the repu4p-
licans take the attitude of censuring these
selections. then the democrats Will let the
people and the country judge as TO the
wisdom and the fairness Of such a course
of action
The democrats were told by the IN
surgenfs that the two minority members
of this important committee which i to
investigate the whole Balliaser- Pinchot
row should be men against whom there
was no objection It was pointed out
!, that Representative Norris had been
| barred from the committee by the reg
ulars and Representative DalzeI of
| Pennsylvania. left on OF II at the sugges-
| ton OF the insurgents, ana the democrats
were further told that IN the minority
| body there were three or four men
against whom kicks would he made If
anything was done u attempt 10 force
| them on the committee. OF course,
! Ralney OF Illinois and James OF ken
tucky. being considered bv tho repub.i-
cans as the narrowcst kind of partisans,
came under this I assli'catton.
Representative Champ Clark of Mis-
| souri,. the minority leader, and Rapre-
| sentative Underwood Of ALABAMA. the
/ democratic whip. showed a cOnciliatory
spirit and said that the Democrats were
| not disposed - go out of their way to
select FOR this particular job the two men
| most obnoxious to the republican party
and to tie President. and that while they
could not enter into a binding agreement
| as 10 the action OF the minority when the
| matter of the selection of this commit
/ tee comes up Thursday. yet they would
d. what they could TO See to it that the
two men selected would be reasonably
| acceptable 10 both the regulars and in
! siirgenfs on tie majority side OF The
| chamber.
| There is all kinds Of difference of opin-
! ion the republican side OF the House
/ as TO Just what should be done Thurs
/ day when this matter comes up. Some
/ Of the regulars say they will oppose IN
/ the caucus tonight and on the noor Of
| the House tomorrow. any attempt to lg-
more the selection nv the democratic eau
| Gus Of last Saturday OF Messrs. James
! and Raincy, and the insurgents are diyid-
| ed. apparently, about half and half. on
/ the same subject.
Tho harmony agreement intended to
| bring the regulars and insurgents of the
republican party in the House together,
which President Taft IS credited with hay
/ ing arranged and put over the plate, is
| rot working any too we'll Some Of the
/ Insurgents say they will not go TO the
/ caucus tonight. Those who will stay
away say they viii do SO because the
| spirit of this Taft harmony agreement
has been outraged a result of this at
tempt 10 interfere with the two demo-
cratic caucus selections. 1t is not believed
however. that tho insurgents who feel
| this way and the regulars whose views
are in harmony along this line will be
able to defeat the program as outlined.