The Washington times., 1911-03-20
REPUBLICANS IN
SENATE WORRYING
Growing Democratic and In
surgent Strength MenaceS
Regulars.
COUNTER SCHEMES
FOR GUARDIANSHIP
Principal Difficulty Is Whether to
Make PenroSe Head of Finance
Committee.

While rumors OF war fit to and fro
In the region of the Mexican border, and
while the House Democrats are having
troubles in settling the question OF
committee places-all is not as peaceful
IS it might he over in the direction OF
the Senate That distinguished body is
having complications of its own, which
are none the less real because they are
more or less under the surface.
or course, the row on the Democratic
side. on account Of the ENHANCEMENT
between the Bailey following and the
progressive Democrats, is well under
stood 1t is not yielding to treatment
Nor will 1t. The differences between
the Bailey following and the progress
sive Democrats are irreconcilable and
are bound to break out in various forms
in the course Of the extra session.
On the other hand. there are serious
difficulties on the Republican side. The
regular leaders, or such as are left of
them' are worrying over what course to
take. They are menaced by a growing
Democratic strength on the one hand
and by a growing insurgent strength
on the other.
Finance Craftsmanship Worry.
The Republican troubles revolve
around the question whether to make
Senator Boies Penrose of Pennsylvania
the head of the Finance Committee For
time there was talk Of a combination
between Democrats and Republican in
surgents to prevent Penrose being ele-
waited to the post just vacated by Sena-
tor Aldrich. But this talk Of a deal
fnl L
could be commanded 10 make it an ac-
tuality.
This, however. does not entirely leave
the road open for Penrose. Some of the
regulars dc not like the notion of hav-
ing Penrose, the boss of the Repub-
lican machine of Pennsylvania, put at
the head of Finance. They think it will
not strengthen the regular element in
the Senate if this is done
Senator Winthrop Murray Crane Is
one of the regular leaders who is de-
clared to be not at all enamored OF the
idea of putting Penrose at head of
Finance. He would prefer to have Sena-
tor Cullom of Illinois put at the head
of Finance. The difficulty about this is
that Penrose is the raT king member
Some of the Senate gossips think they
see in the movement to put Culom at
the head Of Finance a clever plan to get
Cullom out of his present craftsmanship
of the Foreign Relations Committee and
put Lodge in that place.
Lodge Would Be Good Man.
Lodge would be valuable man for
the Foreign Relations Craftsmanship just
now in view of all the foreign compli-
cations which are on. Senator Crane
wants to keep the charmanship Of
Rules. If Senator Penrose steps out Of
the Craftsmanship of the Postoffice Com
mittee and goes to the head Of FL
nance, that will leave Senator Crane as
entitled to the craftsmanship of PostOf-
fees. If he does not take that post.
then the wav will be left open to Sena-
tor Bourne to take it.
Senator Bourne Is anti-Administration
and hostile to the Postoffice Department
under the Hitchcock regime. Hence
there is reason TO believe that Admins
tratiOn influence is being eXerted
against any arrangement that will put
Bourne at the head of the Committee on
Postoffces.
Senator Gallinger is now looked on as
the probable chairman of the Repub-
llCan caucus. Neither Senator Fry nor
Senator Cullom is understood to want
the job The Republican Committee on
Committees will have long list of veX-
atious problems to work out, some Of
Whether to put La Toilette and Cum
minis on Finance will be one of the
questions with which it will have to
wrestle.
1t is now generally expected Senator
Warren Will head the Appropriations
Committee. Senator Gamble is in quest
Of the Craftsmanship of Public Buildings.
Senator Clapp, a strong insurgent, can
not be headed off from the chairman
ship of Interstate Commerce.