The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-15
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
TALK OF TROUBLE
Gulf Between the Clark and
the Underwood Factions
Recognized.
EFFECT PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Candidates, Platform and the
Election Result Depend Partly
on Present Fight.
EFFECT PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Washington. August 14-Presiden-
tial politics are being played in the
House of Representatives, these days
tack of Leader Underwood on Bryan
and the attack of Leader Underwood
on Representative Oil, James. of
Kentucky, may shape the nomination
| OF the Democratic candidate for Pres
| ident. Not only this, but they may
shape the result of the next election.
Until now statesmen have been talk
ing about the Democratic split in tho
House with bated breath and in wills
pers. Now they are beginning to talk
1t out loud and say what they think
, without lowering their voices 1t is no
/ longer any secret that there is seri-
Gus division am0ng the House Demo-
| Gratis. The inevitable lines of cleav-
age are beginning to appear.
Harmony Disappears.
Leader Underwood and Speaker
Champ Clark are no longer in har-
mony and accord. The friends of Will
liam Jennings Bryan are likewise
angry at the Alabama member, and
there are complications of grave
meaning to the Democratic party.
| Out of this situation may come a
tremendous movement OF the House
| progressive Democrats for Champ
| Clark for President. Il Is not at all
unl!k ely that the present House differ
elces will work out to the advantage
of Clark and TO the disadvantage as
presidential candidates of Woodrow
! Wilson and Judson Harmon.
When the present session OF Con-
gress opened, everybody marveled at
the rema rkable harmony displayed in
the Democratic House. The Republic
| cans looked on and lamented. They
said that II 1t kept UP they could not
| hope TO win in 1912 1t was generally
supposed that Leader Underwood and
Speaker Clark were going to operate
in complete accord. and that the I'm
derwood influence was going to be eX-
erted TO boost Champ into the White
House
where They Part Company.
Now. IT has become pretty plain that
Underwood. who is essentially a con-
servative. and Clark. who is essential
ly a radical, are not going to stand
hitched UP together.
The Underwood influence is expect.
ed to go in the Harmon direction
rather than in the direction either OF
Clark or Wilson. With the able chair
man of the Ways and Means Commit
tee will go a large share of the con-
servative Democrats OF the House.
Under the circumstances. with Oils
James bent on hghtipg Underwood
and backed BY a strong force of ;he
radicals or progressves on the Demo
cratic side. and with the Bryan sup
porters turned against Underwood,
there Is natural disposition among
the proRressives 10 help along the
presidential prospects of Speaker
Clark
CInrk's Strength Growing.
This is the more SIS because Clark's
strength in the country is said on tha
basis of reliable reports to be growing
1t has been calculated to hurt Clark
In the eyes OF lot OF the progressive
Democrats that In the early part OF
the extra session ne was known chief
Is as hsurehead through which I'm
derwood did as he wanted 10 do.
But now he is assuming Il different
attitude as was seen in the recent
Democratic caucus. in which Clark
wanted to go ahead with consideration
o. var Gus tariff measures without any
delay and found himself in the minor
ity and opposed by Underwood.
Il is quite clear that there is a Sc
eli nf dap the