The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-14
DEMOCRATS HAVE
FRESH |NCENll {
They Realize Responsibilities
Placed Upon Them by Their
Victory.
PARTY MEMBERS ACTIVE
They Are United and in Mood
to Show" Country What
They Can Do.
[specla1 TO mac rimes-pispatch. j

lSDeClal TO INC llrneS-DlSDatCn.
Washington, December 13.-Without
boosting" any of the Southern Con-
gressmen, 1t may be said to their
credit that there has been a decided
air of activity since the session open
cd here on December >. Less than two
weeks of the session have gone. yet It
Is evident that before 1t goes out by
limitation OF law on March g. lotl,
there Will be considerably more to the
credit of the Democrats than is usually
the case in short sessions
Heretofore. with some exceptions, 1t
has ben a noticeable fact that many
of the Democrats appeared not, to care
much what happened: they realized
that they We're In the minority and
that work as hard and diligently as
they might there was little to count
in the long run. Now 1T Is different.
With the hosts of the G. o. p. march
ing in the rear. and at that. even
scrambling for what they can get, the
Democrats seem to feel the full ex-
tent of the victory they won at the
polls in November. They are moving
with heads up and chests erect. which
was not formerly the case. They real
ize the magnificent triumph that was
theirs this fall, and, as II determined
to keep UP the fight they are showing
the Republicans what can be done.
Sentiment for Clark.
One thing that has pleased many
Democrats here since the session be-
gan has been the almost unanimity with
which the name of Champ Clark Is
being mentioned for Speaker of the
next House. If there are any delega-
lions Of Democrats who will not sup
port the Missourian enthusiastically
they are saying l'ttle about II; on the
other hand, those which have held their
meetings and 'caucussed" have. with
out exception. pledged themselves 10
support Mr. Clark not nominally, but
with all heart and good will.
Republican papers In some sections
which endeavored to try to make
trouble for Mr.. Clark Immediately af-
ter the election, have almost dropped
the matter. and II there is any real
opposition to the Missouri member be-
ing made Speaker it is very difficult
to find in Washington. As matter
of fact all indications point to the
entry If the Democrats into the House
next December when they will take
control as one of the most harmonious
in the history OF the party. They are
entirely united, and, unless something
unforeseen takes place will remain
united.
on the other hand, what is the situa-
ton among the Republicans? The re-
appointment question is giving them
no end of trouble and is likely TO give
them still more before ii is out of the
way. While it has been stated already
that they would prefer, for certain
Well known reasons, to have this
/ measure passed over for the session
even to do this is no easy matter
I<notty Problem,
Certain Republicans from New York
and Iowa, who want to have this bill
J passed over for the present. so that
their respective Legislatures may swing
back into the Republican column by
the time the question of redstricting
the States reaches them, see the OPP
lportunity afforded for the Democrats
to "gerrymandcr" the States so eff
fectually, IL undertaken now that It
would be better to put the matter off
until the Republicans again get con-
troll in those States.
/ This situation has caused not few
private caucuses to be held here
wherever friendly Republicans meet to
( discuss their future. They know they
have knotty problem TO handle when
I they reach the reapportionment ques-
ton, and they are approaching it with
fear and trembling.
! All things considered, the week and
a half that the short" session has run
has been of a stimulating kind on the
Democratic forces in Congress, and It
will continue tc be more and more so
as the present minority members see
their foes pushed further and further
into the political background
The Democrats know they have the
! whip-hand. after years of waiting
i and whatever may be the real reason
for the recent overturning of the
House, it Is refreshing to see them
in thorough earnest in what they do
determined to keep up the good work