The Washington times., 1911-05-12

The row in the Senate over the cleo
ton OF a President pro tempore has
served to give especial emphasis to the
growing division among the Senate Re-
publicans.
One thing after another is widening
the breach among the Senate Repub-
licans, and there is no sign whatever
that 1t will be closed. The Old Guard
leaders on the Republican side and the
progressives are getting further and
further apart. The feeling between the
two factions, moreover, Is getting more
intense.
Not a few political observers, includ-
ing some of those in Congress, believe
that in the split now on in the Senate
there is the forerunner of grave trouble
in the Republica nparty in 1872 If such
trouble does materialize, it will mate
rialize at the Republican national con-
vention. Those who believe a third
party is coming believe the beginnings
Of 1t are now being fashioned in the
Senate in the struggles Of the Old Guard
and the progressives.
Progressives Conspicuously Absent.
Senator Gallinger, nominated in Re-
publican caucus for President pro tenn
PORE might, under the circumstances
that used to obtain in the Senate, be ex-
pected II get the Republican vote. But
the progressive Republicans, with the
exception Of four-Borah, Brown, KeItr
yon, and Lxon-did not go into caucus,
and did not, therefore, vote for Senator
GaIIinger. They consider themselves in
no way bound to support Gallinger.
They prefer to support Senator Clapp,
one of their own number.
The whole business is a good illustra-
ton of the fact that less and less at
tention is being paid TO the caucus. 1t
Is getting more and more difficult to
bind members. in either house. by eau
Gus action.
The split now on among the Senate
Republicans is the situation after two
years of constant factional fighting. OF
course. there were forerunners OF trou-
bic before the last special session on
tariff. Eut when that session was held,
the differences between the regulars
and Insurgents became acute.
Railroad Legislation Row.
In the next session, the regular long
session of the Sixty-hrst Congress,
trouble between the factions became in
tense in consequence Of the railroad leg
islation proposed by the Administration.
At the beginning of this session. the
question Of whether the progressives
should get what thew wanted on the
committees loomed large. Now comes
the fight over the election OF a Presl-
dent pro tempore.
In the seven ballots cast Thursday
In the Senate on this question, four in
surgents voted steadily for Clapp. They
were Bristow, La Toilette, Gronna, and
Poindexter Had they been present,
Senator's Cumniins, Bourne, Crawford,
4 nd. Works would have voted for Clapp.
Senator Bacon, Democrat, got thirty-flve
votes as his highest number. The high
est Senator Sallinger got was thirty
two. Clapp got four votes and the 9TH
ers were scattering. Senator Bacon mar
rowly escaped election. But he did not
quite get a majority OF those present
and voting.
Not Bright for Gallinger.
A few changes, it is true, would
throw the election to Gallinger. But
II is a question whether any such
changes will occur. In the first place.
Senator Gallinger is recognized as
one of the leading conservatives of
the Senate Old Guard.
The progressives charge him with
being strongly reactionary. They are
fighting, not DR.. Gallinger personally,
but the things he Is standing for.
They insist that a man of more liber-
al views ought to be in the chair of
the presiding officer of the Senate.
1t is not atIall unlikely a comprom-
ise will come out of the situation.
Senator Lodge is talked of as a COM