The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-02
CLARk'S BOO, AM
SERIOUS AFFAIR

WASHINGTON, ID. c. Special
Champ Clark's presidential boom is
a serious affair. Politicians here are
just waking up to the fact. and not
ing. incidentally, that while the pros
pective Speaker Of the next House
may not be pushing his own campaign
actively, he Is carefully avoiding any
move that may hinder Il. Credit for
shrewd political generaiship is now
the manner in which he lodged re-
sponsibility for the appointment OF
committees in the new House.
1t was a concession to public opin-
lon. to begin with. but. in addition,
and of equal Importance, IL removed
Clark from the danger zone of sec
tional prejudice, injured pride and de-
feated ambition.
Boys Eager for PIums.
The Democracy has long been out
OF power. The boys" are eager for
the plums. There are sixty-two com
mittee chairmanships in the House
but of these not more than a score
at the outside. are OF Importance.
Many Democratic representatives
therefore. with influence in the selec-
ton of presidential delegates in their
own States. are bound to be disap-
pointed.
Uncle Joe" Cannons opposition in
his party dates back to the day when
some others for important commit
tee assignments. Champ Clark has
nearly sidestepped this pitfall by de-
Ginning the responsibility of naming
the committees. His voice was pow
erIui IN swinging Thursday nights
caucus in favor Of the COMMITTEES on
committees plans.
Already the struggle has begun. The
Rules Committee will be the first one
70 DE named by the Ways and Means
~ hnv
on committees. IL is a powerful body
in the shaping of the legislative pro-
gram The committee on committees
VIII tackle the problem at the meet
lnS called for next Friday. Henry.
OF Texas, is tentatively suggested as
chairman, with Fitzgerald. OF New
york; Stanley. Of Kentucky: Graham
OF Illinois, and Hardwick. of Georgia
ioiIoWing in the order named.
Another Big Committee.
Ihen there is the Committee on
Appropriations, almost as important
as ways and Means. FitzSerald. of
New York. and Burleson, of Texas are
engaged in battle royal for this po-
sition. ~
Both New York. and Texas delevates.
WIN be big factors in the next Demo-
crauc national convention, and IN is
easy TO see what a peck of trouhl,
Clark would be in II he were com
peIIed 10 decide between the aspirants
largely In this matter also, as it will in
many more of the chairmanships For
years the bulk OF the Democratic rem
resentation in the House has come
from the South. Therefore. most of
the ranking Democratic members of
the big committees who ordinarily
would be advanced to chairmanshiDs
are Southern men.
For instance. there are BurIeson. OF
Texas; POu, OF North Carolina: Ad-
n. Tn.aws N..ea
Georgia, claiming. respectively. the
chairmanships of the Committees on
Appropriations, Interstate and For
eign Commerce. Weights and Meas
ures and Accounts.
ChOcII Full Of Dynamite.
When il is considered that Clark is
himselt rated as Southern man:
tnat Underwood, chairman or the
Ways and Means Committee. is from
Alabama. and Henry. slated for the
chairmanship of Rules. from Texas
the sectional problem. if left to
Speaker with presidential aspirations.
would be fun OF dynamite.
The newly elected members who
came ia on the crest of the tidal
wave from States in which every eff
fort Will he made to hold in line for
1912 must also receive serious con-
sideratiOn. IL is learned that the New
York delegation will back Fitzgerald
solidly for chairman OF the Commit
tee on Appropriations.
But the Texans will also solidly
back Burleson.
Undisturbed by Disputes.
As Speaker shorn of power. Clark
will be able to sit back and await
with complacency the issue of these
disputes. There will be chickering's
and bruised spirits. but no one will be
able to point an accusing finger at
| Clark and charge him with RESPONSE
bility.
Wherefore close observers here are
giving serious attention to the Clark
| boom. He may not be actively in the
/ field. but he is not piling any objec-
/ tons i'm the way of those who are in
charge of his boom.
a New Christian Scripture.
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