The Washington times., 1911-01-20
Continued from First Page.)


sentative Fitzgerald's substitute for the
Foster resolution, and finally, the Fos-
ter resolution was made unanimous.
Fitzgerald Substitute Beaten.
Mr.. Fitzgerald's substitute, which was
beaten, provided that the Speaker should
retain the appointive power. The Foster
resolution, which carried in such un-
mistakable fashion, provided for a
Committee on Committees, the same to
be the Ways and Means Committee.
Meanwhile. the caucus had voted down
number of other propositions. Repre-
sentative Page of North Carolina want
ed an Independent committee on COM
mittees named: Representative Cox of
Indiana proposed that each State, with
Democratic representation, should have
the privilege of one member of a com
mittee on committees, and Mr.. Garrett,
OF tennessee, presented a resolution
clothing the Committee on Rules with
the power to name the other standing
committees of the House.
All of these propositions were voted
down in short order, after everybody
had been given tn opportunity to air his
views.
No Curb on Debate.
Although the so-called slate went
through without any trouble last night,
there seemed to be no disposition on
the part of Caucus Chairman Hay, nor
of the caucus itself, TO curb debate
Champ Clark, in his speech accepting
the Speakership nomination, reminded
the new members that they had a right
10 be heard, and that they would be
heard if it required week.
The way the caucus sat upon the FitZ-
gerald resolution to permit the Speaker
10 name the committees of the House
was the signal feature of the caucus,
demonStrative of the quiet work of the
Democratic progresSiveS, in Conjunc-
ton with the effective realization that
the country expected reform along this
line.
Clark Opposed Fitzgerald.
Men like Sims of Tennessee, Henry of
Texas, Stanley of Kentucky, Wilson of
Pennsylvania, Garrett of Tennessee, and
Foster of Illinois, came out unequivocal-
ly in favor of a committee on commit
tees
The voice of Champ Clark was also
raised against the Fitzgerald resolution,
although it had been most eulogistic
of the confidence the party had In Mr..
Clark's Judgment his integrity. and
ability.
However Mr.. Clark and others re-
minded the caucus, the Democratic sue
cess of November last was due to a
feeling throughout the country that all
was not well with the rules of the
House. i
The party would lose the advantage
gained, argued the progressive Demo-
Gratis. were it now to reverse itself and
again turn the House over into the
SSpeaker's hand.
Only Eight AbSentees
OF the 22S Democratic members of the
next House. there were but eight absent
from the caucus last night, and illness
or important business detained these. |
They were: BIackman. of Alabama;
Burleson and Gregg, of Texas; Gruger, |
of North Carolina; HamilI, of New
Jersey; Sherley, of Kentucky; Stack, of |
DIR. Theron w. Akin, of New York, |
who defeated Representative Durey, in |!
the Twenty-fifth district was also alb !
sent, but DR.. Akin has been dropped
from the rolls as a Democrat. He !!
claims now to have been elected as an |
Independent, and he says he is going to !
sit on the Republican side.
Accordingly, Representative Harrison, |
Of New York, informed the caucus Of
this fact and moved that the doctor be !
dropped which was promptly done.
DR.. Akin is the member-elect who in +,
Cluded a lemon, pail, and a garden
hose in the list of his campaign ex- !
penses. The lemon, he said, was used !
10 aid his throat; the pail and garden !
hose were employed to wash the mud |
off the buggy in which he visited the |
rural sections.
When Mr.. Harrison moved last night !
that DIR. Akin should be dropped from
the rolls in view of his statements that !
be wasn't elected as a Democrat the