The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-12-08
DEMOCRATS F|RMY CONTROL THE
HOUSE Of REPRESENTATIVES

republicans whom the leaders can al
ways count ON for a low tariff vote.
There are at least "a whom they de
pend upon for a vote in the revision
of the rules.
by a democrat-insurgen coalition
in the house it is still possible to
override a veto, assuming that the so
republicans are still willing to rebel.
BY such a combination 252 votes could
be poled and this with the few scat
tering members who occasionally
leave the party reservation can nullily
any presidential veto.
A decidedly more interesting, if not
more effective situation, obtains in
the senate, where the two parties are
more evenly divided and where the
margin of difference between them
continues to narrow down with each
election.
When the senate met on the fourth
OF March there were 80 republicans
and Al democrats holding seats in that
body. But one vacancy existed That
was in Colorado and this still exists
and will continue to do so far another
year unless "A special session of the
Colorado legislature is called in the
meantime.
Since March, however, Senator Frye
of Maine has died and has been sue
ceeded by Obidiah Gardner, a demo.
crat. This made the democratic total
i2 and the coming to Washington of
loke Smith of Georgia who failed 10
| take his seat as the successor OF the
late Senator Clay, during the extra
session, brings the democratic
strength up to AZ.
Considerable doubt still exists as
to the complexion of the first legis-
lature of New Mexico. While it is,
on its face republican, the insurgents
IL that state say that they can con
troll enough vote, on joint ballot to
combine with the democratic members
and send one insurgent and one dem
ccrat to the senate.
The stalWart republicans, however,
are certain that they can elect both
senators The contest probably will
not be settled until the legislature or
ganizes and gets down 10 work. Should
one more democrat come to the senate
from New Mexico the total VIII grow
to a while the republican total will
once more rise to 80. The death of
Senator Frye reduced it to ~.
Arizona is yet to qualify as a state
and is expected to do so before the
adjournment of the present congress.
All indications point to the election
of two democrats from that new
state. Their votes would give the
democrats in the senate 46. leaving
majority of four for the republicans
on a straight out parry division.
No other changes can now be fore
seen in the lineup of the senate uu.l
after the 1912 election The capture
of two republican states will give ;ae
democrats majority at that time.
assuming of course that they lose noua
of the members of the senate whill
they now hold
In sizing up the political elements
of the senate the insurgent sena'o.s
must always be calculated upon. They
are more often against their party on
big issues than with it. There are
twelve senators who are claSsed as
'progressives' and who "insurge'
with more or less regularity
In this class are Senator'S 8orlh of
Idaho, Bourne OF Oregon Bris.oy Of
Kansas, Browen of Nebraska. Clapp
Of Minnesota, Crawford of South Da
kota. Cummins of Iowa. Gronna of
North Dakota, Kenyon OF Iowa. La.
Toilette of Wisconsin. Poindexter of
Washington and Works of California
Less than one half OF these insurg-
ents combined with the democratic
minority can control the senate abso-
lutely. Yet with the whole number OF !
insurgents voting with the democrats |
they cannot carry any measure over
the presidents veto This is the one !
republican safeguard The old line |
republican can hold together and by
supporting Mr.. Taft prevent any pro
position from going through during
this congress, regardless of the big