Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-10
Blyan's Criticism Of Martins
Election Adds TO Troubles
Which Almost Without Number
Are BOthering Democrats.
Speaker Clark and Other Leaders
Facing a Difficult Problem.

w aSIllHSlOn, April Ut IS DAILY De-
coming more manifest that Congress
is facing a stormy session and that
there can be made. no forecast of the
probable legislative results. The fact
that both of the great political parties
are badly divided is no longer denied,
and the leaders appear to have little
hope of restoring anything more than
surface harmony.
There are virtually four parties, each
with large representation. working
at odds in the present session. The Re-
publican minority of the House is oil
VidoG between regulars and insurgents
as was evidenced by the vote in the
Speakership contest. The breach be-
tween these two factions is even wild
er in the Republican majority of the
Senate.
A sharp line has been drawn between
tho conservative Democrats of the Sen
ate, who are opposed to any attempt at
dictation on the part of William Jen-
nings Bryan and the Progressive Dem
oerats, including practically all of the
new members and several veterans like
Senator Stone of Missouri, who are
Bryan adhcrentS. The House Demo-
cratic majority seems thus far to have
escaped a break, but the leaders fear
that the party contest in the Senate
may at anv time spread to the other
branch. Tile situation has interf"red
with the selection of committees and
the beginning of legislative work.
Probably there never has been a
Congress where 50 much uncertainty
existed and where the uneaSiness has
been so equally distributed between
the two major political parties.
OF course this is due in part to the
fact that in the present Congress the
Democrats are in power in the House
and the Republicans are in control in
the Senate. The real cause of the anX-
iety, however, is believed to be due to
the proximity of the party conventions
for the Presidential campaign of 1872
and the knowledge that slip by either
during the extraordinary session or
the regular session to follow, may very
easily determine the result of the IA
tionai convention.
SO far as the administration pro-
gram is concerned, there is no room
for speculation. President Taft has
recommended the enactment of legis-
lation to carry out provisions of the
Canadian reciprocity agreement, and
it is no secret that I've would be glad
To have Congress stop at that and de-
fer the question of further revision
until the regular session ASSEMBLIES
next winter. His reason for this is
that the Tariff Board would be able
to report several schedules by that
time. Neither is there any obScurity
about the program of Speaker Clark
Representative Underwood. chairman
of the new ways and means commit
tee, and other Democrats who are di-
recting the policy of the House. Their
plan for progressive legislation on II
number of subjects with which, the
country has been made familiar in the
past year or two has been given out
Now that the mem majority i'll the
House has adopted rules giving it
just as much power as any majority
ever enjoyed, there is no doubt that
measures on the subject of a direct
election of senator's, publicity before
elections of campaign contributions.
Canadian reciprocity. revision of the
wooden and cotton schedules, and any
further tariff changes the majority
desires will be sent to the Senate
in whatever order is docrecd by the
ways and means committee.
The division in the Democratic ranks
probably would not have been so pro-
nounced if it mad not been for the
interview given by Mr. Bryan yes
terday deploring the election of Mr..
Martin. 1t throws the issue in bold
raIirf nra1irfnI n
it will crop out frequently in debate.