The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-02-03
Democrats Nominate CLARK for
Speaker in Caucus.

Speaker in Caucus.
The Hon. Champ Clark, of Illinois
/ was nominated speaker of the next HOus
of Representatives in the Democrats
caucus held recently. The vote wa
unanimous. The speaker will not hav,
the naming Of the various committees o
the House. The power will be retained
by the House itself, and the nomination:
made by the Committee on Ways and
Means. The caucus selected the follow
ing Committee on Ways and Means, So
work can be commenced at once fol
revising the tariff downward:
Oscar w. Underwood, of Alabama,
chairman; Ollie James, of Kentucky; F.
B. Harrison, OF New York; II. T. Rainey.
of Illinois; d. w. Shackleford, of Mis-
souri,; Claude Kitchen, of North Carolina:
Lincoln Dixon. of Indiana; A. M. Palmer.
of Pennsylvania; VIM. Hughes, OF New
Jersey; w. s. Hammond. Of Minnesota; /;
c. B. RandelI, Of Texas; w. G. Brantley,
of Georgia; Cordell Hull, of Tennessee,
and A. ]. Peters, of Massachusetts,.
In commenting on the harmony that
prevailed in the caucus the Washington
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun says:
THAT big stride toward success in
1912 was taken in the Democratic caucus
is the convection of Democratic leaders
and Democrats generally here.
The character of the gathering, its
methods and its results are felt to have
been such as to appeal to the people; to
convince the country that no mistake has
been made in entrusting the party with
power, and to confound the Republicans,
who have confidently looked forward to
this caucus as the place for the outbreak
of healthy row in which the Democracy
would exhibit to the nation its inability
to get together upon constructive pro-
gram and otherwise illustrate the alleged
futility of expecting real results from it.
That these things did not happen is con-
fessedly disappointment to Republican
hopes and the cause of corresponding
jubilation in the Democratic ranks, in
which general congratulations have been
interchanged.
THE truth is, the caucus was remark
able one in number of ways. In the
first place, the attendance was remark
able-22o of the 227 members of the next
House being on hand and the seven
absentees staying away because of illness,
and not dsinclination. In the second
place, the lack of friction, the entire good
temper with which the caucus started and
in which it ended, and the general accept
ance OF the result as party policy upon
which all Democratic members of the
next House will stand, is SO remarkable
as to be unprecedented. Democratic
veterans OF the House unhesitatingly say
they never attended caucus Of their
party so free from real trouble, SO genu-
inely unfettered and satisfactory, and
they do not believe one has ever been
held here. There was no gag rule, no
jamming down the throats of unwilling
members a cut-and-dried program, no
choking off debate, no effort to suppress
individual views or sidetrack unimportant
resolutions as not germane. The KEY
note was struck by Champ Clark, the
only Democrat ever nominated by accla-
nation for the Speakership, in the con-
ciliatory speech in which he accepted the
honor, and the spirit of conciliation was
followed throughout. Every element and
everv faction had its say and said it en-
phatically. For nearly five hours the a7o
Democrats thrashed out the problems
before them, disposing of one after the
other and finally adopting their plans by
unanimous vote.
There developed in the caucus wide
divergence of opinion. There were some
very vigorous protests against the new
plan. There we're some exceedingly hot
verbal shots exchanged. But in the end
the whole proposition, as indorsed by the
big majority of the members, went
through. and, except for one or two who
failed to land places on the important
Ways and Means Committee, it is not
possible to find dissatisfied Democrat.
Looking back at the caucus. the lead
ers here believe the party has given
demonstration to the country not only Of
its determination but of its ability to keep
campaign promises and respond harmoni-
ously and quickly to the will of the
people. 1t has formulated plan that
will end the obnoxious abuse of power by
the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives and place in the hands Of the House
itself the government of the House. 1t
has designated ID men as members OF a
ways and means committee to prepare
tariff bill for immediate presentation at
the next session whose records make It
certain the bill will be along the genuine
Democratic line Of tariff for revenue
only. BY the unanimity Of its action It
has given assurance that the measure or
measures framed by this committee will
be supported unitedly by the Democrats
Of the next House as party proposition.
One effect of the caucus has been to dis
pei altogether the idea that the Demo-
cratic party in the next Congress will
split up over questions of party policy.
The conviction that the party leaders
here have their share OF common sense
and that the necessity of solidity has sunk
deeply into the minds of the rank and file
has been greatly strengthened.
THE hope of the opposition that, with
their eyes wide open and with full knowl-
edge Of the pitfalls ahead, the Democrats
would deliberately play into the hands OF
the Republicans by making lot of incon-
] ceivably foolish blunders has about been
abandoned, and it is beginning to be real
| lied that the present Democratic leader
ship in the House is an able one.
There are ahead Of the party in Con-
gress good many other pretty tough
problems, but if they are successfully
solved as was the big one on Thursday
night there is mighty good foundation for
the present high hopes of the Democracy.
1t was perfectly well known that the
Republican leaders here and elsewhere
had their interest centered upon the
caucus and had made elaborate prepara-
tons to gloat over the expected rumpus." !"