New-York tribune., 1911-01-16
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
Probably Will Choose Ways and
Means Committee Thursday.
IMMEDIATE TARIFF ACTION
Champ Clarks Election as
Speaker of the House a
Foregone Conclusion.

Washington. Jan. lj.-Dem ocratic mem
hers Of the House OF Representatives are
busily engaged in preparations for the
party caucus. which Is 20 be held next
Thursday night and which all Democratic
Rcprcsentatives-elcct are expected to al
tend. The actual effect OF the caucus is
intended TO commit the Democratic major
itv Of the next House 70 an organization TO
be perfected next winter.
II is expected that committee on ways
and means. the body which frames the
tariff laws in their initial stages. viii he
chosen; the method Of designating tho per
zonncl Of standing committees will be de-
termined and selection will be made for
Sneaker Of tho House. The selection cf
Champ Clark. Of Missouri. the present mi
nority leader. for tine Spcskership appar-
emily is forcgone conclusion, as more
than majority OF the Democrats Of the
poxt House already have pledged them
selves 10 his election.
Nearly all OF the Democratic leaders
favor the selection now of the membership
of the WAYS and Means Committee. in or
dor that there shall he no delay in begin
ming work on the tariff revision programme
majority Of the committee intends TO begin
work AZ once. although the Republican mi
noritv of the committee probably viii not
be chosen until the new House is organ
ized. next winter This delay will not he
handicap TO the Democrats. however, az
they intend to follow the custom OF eXclud-
ing the minority from the committee dur
ing the framing of bill, just as The Re
publicans. when they were the majority.
excluded the Democrats until their bill was
ready TO report.
Democratic Slate.
Tho slate which seems TO find favor with
most Of the Democratic leaders gives the
cfsirma n ship Of the Ways and Means Com
n,lrtee 10 Underwood OF Alabama, AMI dis
noses Of the remaining places as follows
Peters, Of Massa achusetts Harrison of New
york; Palmer, Of Pennsylvania Dixon. OF
Indiana James, of Kentucky; Hammond.
cf Minnesota Hughes, of New Jersey :
Shackleford. Of Missouri Randell Of Texas :;
Rrantlev, Of Georgia Kitchin. of North
Carolina: Hall. Of Tennessee. and Rainey,
Of Illinois. The selections, aside from rea-
SONS OF fitness. have been made along geo
grs phical lines
The method Of selecting committees is
not expected 10 be disposed Of without q
contest although tie declaration is freely
r,adc by many leaders that two-thTds OF
The Democrats OF the next House favor the
selection by caucus Of committee on COM
r,ittecs." Fitzgerald. of New York, the
ranking member of the Committee on APP
preparations. who was appointed by Speak
-. cannon to his present place on the Com
mittee on Rules. after breaking with his
ovr party. probably will introduce reso-
luton providing for the continuation OF the
present method Of having committees ap-
rointed by the Speaker.
II NAV be that the members OF the House
y m come back from the harmony confer
ance IN Baltimore. which is 10 be held on
Tuesday. in such a complacent mood that a
Aeht over the appointment of committees
cav be avoided. although few are sanguine
Of such a result.