Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-17
HARMONY IN PARTY RANKS
NOT LIKELY WITHOUT
STRUGGLE,
CHAMP CLARK IN CONTROL
ON EVE OF HARMONY FEAST
Preliminary skirmishins Indicate. In
tent to Secure Radical Revision Of
Tariff-conservation Democrats Who
Won in Last Election Forced Into
Back Seats in Party Councils.

Washington. Jan. 1.-THE conserva-
i've democracy won in November; the
radical democrats are in the saddle
now. Two months ago such conserva-
iiSes as BALDWIN in Connecticut, Dix in
.\cG orh, Harmon in Ohio and Wilson
/ in New Jersey, put their states into
t.lt Ge.n ocratic column. Today, Champ
{ lark has hilcned the democratic mule
TO the Bryan chariot and is driving 1t
whittier he viii. Such is the strange
SITUATION confronting the dem ocrats
Mo gathered today at Baltimore tor
tleir harmony dinner, and VINO have
llielr faces turned toward Washington
i or their house caucus, TWO days later.
Oul Of this situation can harmony
come: Inej say so. livery 4hllueAt4aA
democrat, apparently, hopes TOR mar
...on!. I've. TIE se!V4,tives have
hopes that the party may present har
--.Si--o1o - -, t'NH ...>e- .iie G1@e~S
s.Oas of these tatSiul days in BATH
more and in Washing on. But the thln9
which seems apparent is that harmony
must come, ii al all, as the result OF
concessions which the radicals VIII
make TO the conservatlN es, not because
taey are compelled to do SO. but just
Tor the sake of keeping all hands in
she snip. " hen ii comes to counting
the noses. so the present indications
point, the radicals Will have more noses
oi all .grees Of color and size than
San be gathered around the conserva-
1--WE STANDARDS.
Situation Credit to Clark.
This situation Is no small credit to
the sagacity of Champ Clark. the Mis-
souri, leader, and organs friend. Clark
has shown surprising ability in hand
ling the sitpaton within his party.
Months ago-just how TAR back no one
apparently knows-Mr. Clark UNDER
took to line up the democrats on the
speakership question. He had the place
ia his hands more than q month ago,
with the absolute assurance OF more
than enough votes in caucus to insure
his election as speaker. But he did not
stop there. Along came this sugges-
ton for harmony meeting At Balti-
more. The first suggestion was that 1t
be conference. at which there should
be mapped out program for the dem
ocracy to follow in the sixty -second
congress.
At this conference suggestion the as
tute Mr.. Clark Jumped to the ceiling
Let the principles Of the democracy be
settled at an unofficial conference in
the east. which could and would be
controlled by the conservatives? Not
so. And Clark made such a stir about
II that the originators Of the idea had
70 modify their plan so that it will be
Just banquet. There will be con-
gratulatory speeches. but nothing will
be done which can bind the party Nor
is It at all likely that Mr. Clark over
estimated the danger. The Baltimore
and there is little question but that IL
would have been under conservative
control, IL carried out as originally
planned
The radicals. too. have proceeded to
make up their slate for the ways and
means committee. which will become,
even more than now the pivotal COM
mittee OF the house. Originally they so
constructed this committee that 1t had
clear majority OF radical mem bers-
men who will fight for tariff for reve-
nue.. and for free raw materials. To
make sure Of certainly radical ways
and means committee. they omitted
from their slate three conservative
democrats now on the ways and means
com mittee-Brantley OF Georgia Pcu
OF North Carolina. and Broussard OF
Louisiana. This brought protest. and
In the interest OF harmony the radicals
permitted the name Of Brantley and
Pou to go on their slate. Broussard
they would not have. because ne il,
frankly protectionist.
Committee Of Fourteen Proposed.
But to inure a radical committee II
IL now proposed that the majority
membership OF the ways and means
committee shall consist of fourteen. in
stead OK twelve. the present number.
rms VIII give assurance that the demo-
cratic conservatives can not combine
with the republicans and vote down the
democratic radicals. But the recopnj-
ton Of Brantley and Pou, az well as
the selection Of the conservative IN
derwood as chairman, seems to have
come from the radicals as VOLUNTARY
concessions in the interest OF harmony.
and not because they did not have rho
situation in their own hands.
This preliminary diminishing indi-
Gates the purpose OF the democrats in
control that there shall be a radical "a
vision OF the tariff. In the revision.
" this plan carries, not much will he
said about revenue tariff with in
cidental protection" To secure such
revision 1t will manifestly be nece.-
sary to place such men as BrantIev Of
Georgia. in the minority, for he pro-
tests openly that no tariff can be laid
without involving the element of pro-
lection, and he proposed, so far as his
influence goes. that the protection shall
be afforded with judgment.
Then. too. 1t looks as tho the
will put thru their plan
for stripping the speaker of his power,
The way has been prepared for giving
the committee-appointing power to the
on ways and means. whose
members are to be elected by caucus.
and be insligible to other committee