The Washington times., 1911-01-09
COMMITTEE TRUST
FACING DOWNFALL
Senate Overhauling After
March 4 Will Be Un-
precedented.
BALANCE OF POWER
AIM OF INSURGENTS
Numerous Changes in Personnel
Are Certain to Be Brought
About.

The great committees OF the Sen
ate are going to be overhauled after
March to an extent that is certain
TO have a remarkable effect on ieg-
islation. Not in recent years have
they been subjected to such changes
as they will be after this session of
Congress closes.
With the retirement of old leaders and
the crushing of the power of the old
guard. with the Democrats gaining in
power, and with the insurgents holding
the balance of power. the committees
are not only going to be overhauled.
but the influence of the progressive Re
publicans upon them is going to be vast
ly increased. Much is being said about
the insurgents holding the balance OF
power in the Senate when it is reorgan-
lied. But it is even more important to
control the committees and to consid-
cradle extent the insurgents are going
TO dominate the committees by holding
the balance of power therein.
One can scarcely go over the list of
Republicans on any of the great COM
mittees without being struck by the
numerous changes in personnel that are
certain to come about. Take the case
OF the Finance Committee. Senator Al
drich will retire as chairman, and Sem
ators Burrows, Hale and Flint will drop
out of the Republican membership Of
this committee.
Penrose Opposed.
Penrose will be entitled to the chair
manship on the score of seniority, but
to this there will be violent objection.
Room will exist on the committee for
four new men and the insurgents are
going to insist on representation. 1t
has been the policy to keep the progress
sives off this committee, but they can
be thrust aside no longer.
Senator Hale will retire as chairman
OF Appropriations, and with him will go
'Kean and Burkett. Senator Elkins'
death has left a vacancy on the COM
mittee. Here are four Republican va
cancies to be filled next session on one
Cf the foremost committees of the SEN
ate. Warren Of Wyoming will probably
be chairman. He is a regular, but the
insurgents will not consent to have this
committee filled up, as it is now, en-
tirely by regulars. They will have a
look-in or large-sized row about 1t.
Elkins' Successor.
Since the death of Senator Elkins,
chairman of the Interstate Commerce
Committee, attention has been directed
closely to this committee. OF course.
the Finance Committee is always rated
as the foremost committee of the SEN
ate, owing to the fact the tariff uues-
ton may come up at any time. 1t Is
likely to come up in acute form at the
next session. But in view of the de-
mand for further raIlroa legislation,
interstate commerce is OF great moment.
1t is taken for granted that Senator
Clapp, a leading insurgent, will head
this committee unless he should make
way for Cummins, also an insurgent
leader. Both are now on the commit
tee. But regardless of the Craftsmanship
the progressives will make a special
effort to strengthen themselves on this
committee. 1t will have before it the
next session the great question Of con-
troll of capitalization. Regulation of
interstate corporations, generally, is a
problem looming up just ahead, and It
will come before this committee A
sooner or later.
Key to Situation.
With their power in the Senate grow
ing, the insurgents will endeavor TO
make this committee progressive just
as 1ar as possible Ihey look on this
committee and the Finance Committees
as the keys to the most important legis-
Iation proposed.
Depew, Piles, and Warner will drop
out Of Judiciary, inasmuch as they will
lSave the Senate March 1. This will re-
gult in adding some of the newer and |
more progressive element to that i'm |
portant committee.
From three to five vacancies will ex-
ist on the Republican side of nearly |
every large committee of the Senate af- |
ter March 4. And while the question of
Who fills them will not be of as much |
moment as in the case of the Finance, |
Appropriations, Interstate Commerce, |
end judiciary Committees, it will still
Of moment.
The progressives and the newer men, |
bers of the Senate will see to 1t that |
the relics OF the Old Guard who will |
remain after this session have no mo- |
nopoly on desirable committee assign |
ments And because of this, the exist |
ing regime IN the Senate will be utter
ly shattered, and any new ruling CO.
terie will have to be a growth.