Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-30
q CAUCUS RULES ALONE
Overthrow of Speaker Brings in the
0lden Method.
COMMITTEES ALSO DOMINATED
Southern Men to Direct Course of ALI
Legislation.
NORTHERN DEMOcRATs IGNORED
DOminRtion of Dixie such as Gives
No Other section Chance to
Have Part in the Pro-
ceedinEs.
CFrom a staff correspondent)

WASHINGTON, July % 9-CSpecial.) )--Now
that the southern democracy has triumphed
in its hastily considered legislation. which
King Caucus commanded should be done,
II may MT be out of place 10 dispa sionately
review what this mounted and militant ma
iority in the lower house accomplished and
aimed to accomplish.
With reciprocity off the ways and sail
ing in summer seas toward ''our Sister Of
the SHOWS" the rest OF the legislation en-
deavored 20 be put over by the house demo-
crGts reminds one OF Gtlberts line "a thing
of shreds and patches"
The so-called farmers free list bill looks
as II It had been edited by the janitor Of
an office building with a meat axe. Then.
as the interests Of the various constituents
became more acute, longer time was
given TO consideration OF the wooden and
cotton schedules. Some of the democrats
particularly OF the northern brand, being
interested IN the raising OF sheep and the
fabricating of the fleece, the happy-go-
lucky style Of legislation was abandoned
for a serious discussion of reduction in the
duties on wool and wooden goods. The
ways and means committee took a month
to consider the wooden schedule before II
was reported to King Caucus Nearly eight
weeks have been given to the considera-
tion of the cotton schedule. the one sched-
ue In which the south Is most vitality in
terested, the reductions In this schedule
being in the very nature OF things less
than in any of the other schedules which
the ways and means committee formulated.
And why not? Is not the south the great
est beneficiary under this schedule?
south an the saddle.
Early in the extraordinary session OF this
congress the dominance of the south was
predicted, but no one was bold enough to
prophesy to what extent this domination
would go Although the north had elected
many democrats. no northern candidate
for the speakership was even hinted at,
Champ Clark. Kentucky-bred and Mis-
souri-domiciled. being the lone leader to
receive the support Of the majority, with
Underwood of Georgia slated for chair
man of the ways and means committee
months In advance of the convening of the
sixty congress in extra session.
Not content, however. with following out
this cut -and-drled program King Caucus
was enthroned with all the panoply and
circumstances usual in democratic assem-
blages, and he has been the instrument, not
only in mapping out democratic policies
and measures, but his rule has prevented
Independent action on the part of its mem
bership as presided over by Burleson Of
:. Texas.
y Having made the fight against the con-
tinuance of the power of the speaker, It
became necessary to give that power into
the hands OF a body Of men. Instead of a
! single Individual and in consequence the
rules and policy adopted gave almost arbl-
trary power to the caucus and the ways
and means committee. which Is being ex-
Serclsed so that republican insurgents, who
Ntor the last few years have refused to fol-
low party leadership or party caucus. now
stand aghast at the subservience of demo-
cratJ with whom they used TO cooperate
on occasions.
Control of Committees.
But the dominion OF the south is not
alone seen in the speaker or the chairman
of the ways and means committee, but in
the chairmen OF the leading committees Of
the house. OF the thirty-five important
committees OF the lower branch OF con-
gress, thirty-one are presided over by
southerners. and these committees, with
but few exceptions. have a majority OF
democratic members hailing from the
south number OF minor committees
have chairmen from the north, and few
other chairmen from the south are at the
head of minor committees.
Only four important chairmanships are
accorded 20 the north. as follows: Approp-
riations. John j. Fitzgerald OF New York.
but he finds himself in company with nine
~-eouthern members out of total of four
teen democrats on the committee. For
eign affairs william sulzer OF New York,
and he finds ak democratic members from
she south there with him. Invalid pensions.
Isaac r. Sherwood Of Ohio, and Labor.
William B. Wilson OF Pennsylvania.
The first caucus measure 20 be presented
20 the house was the proposed constitutional
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