Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-06
LOSING THE CONTROL
Conservative Ranks in the
Senate Rapidly Breaking.
SHIFT IN THE LEADERSHIP
Progressives Will Have Their Day
in Court.
CHANGE IN THE COMMITTEES
Resulting Effect on Contemplated
Legislation, It Is Expected,
Will Be Far-reaching.
SHIFT IN THE LEADERSHIP
CHANGE IN THE COMMITTEES

:" AAA OC =
Decimated by death and thinned by the
verdict Of the voters at the polls. the
ranks Of the conservatives Of the Sem
ate are rapidly breaking to make place
for advancement Of the progressives.
Fate and political changes form a combi-
nation that Is proving disastrous to the
reactionaries.
And the end may not be In sight yet
At least one other senator. member Of
the old guard. Is in precarious health. and
still another conspicuous leader of the
standpatters Is not out Of danger OF de-
feat in the legislature.
Recent and impending changes In the
Senate will inevitably result In reorgani
cation Of the committees next session
which will advance progressive repub-
Iicans to important chairmanships and to
membership on influential committees
hitherto controlled by the reactionary
element.
Transfer Of Leadership.
This means that the leadership OF the
Senate will pass from the conservatives
10 the progressives and every one knows
that leadership In the Senate carries al
most absolute domination of legislation.
Such authority is primarily exerted
through the committee chairmen.
The retirement of Aldrich and Hale;
the defeat Of Burrows, Scott and Carter:
he coming retirement of Flint the de-
'eat of John Kean Of New Jersey and
he death Of Elkins remove from the
Senate group of powerful conservatives,
holding place on the most important COM
nittees. and give ground for the promo
Ion OF progressives to the vacancies thus
created which must necessarily shift the
leadership and control.
II Lodge Is defeated for reelection and
T the Senate should lose one Of It's aged
md feeble members at the hands of the
reaper. there would be further weakening
II conservative control.
The foregoing calculation has reference
mainly to the effect upon committee
membership and Craftsmanship. and is ir-
respective Of the weakening of the voting
strength OF the reactionaries In the open
Senate by the defeat OF Depew of New
Fork. Dick of Ohio. the possible ousting OF
Lorfmer and the menace OF the drift OF
solitical affairs to several other pro-
aounced standpatters.
Changes In Committees.
The committee on finance. the commit
'ee on appropriations. the committee on
Interstate commerce and the committee
N the judiciary will show the effects of
reorganization consequent upon these
:hanges In the Senate membership, and
Is these committees which exert the
most powerful influence upon general Leg
Station.
The progressives will have their day in
sourt. They will be In possession of the
lssets which make for power, compelling
having In vic 70
consult them first. Assignments on naval
tnairs, foreign relations. census. rules
Md other committees will be included in
ne resources Of the new combination,
minor in influence. but still desirable.
furthermore. all this means that the
unofficial but all-powerfI bodies known
y the steering committee and the
committee on committees" will have
places for the progressives and give them
! foothold Of power I'm these. the initial
seSes Of influence In the Senate.
Looking over the Senate when II meets
aext December. one will see but three
u the most prominent members of the
reactionary faction In positions Of power
Crane Of Massachusetts,, Penrose OF Penn
sylvanta and Smoo< Of Utah; and their
powers will be qualified by the presence
f additional members of the progressives
~ the committees on which they serve.
Effect on Legislation.
Profound significance attaches to this
coming change In the spirit OF the Senate.
n the opinion Of far-seeing members 81
hat body. The next Congress will have
% deal with the tariff. with regulation OF
separations and with additional legis-
alton affecting the railroads in interstate
commerce.
1t il not beyond the range of possibili-
sies that the decision Of the United States
supreme Court In the pending antitrust
suits may require amendment to or modi-
location OF the Sherman antitrust law
Anecting every corporation and indus
trial organization In the land. Changes
n the currency and banking laws must
% made.
The all-important fact towers above all
sther considerations that when these
questions 80 vital to the business and in
lustrtal interests OF the country come up
Tor legislative action the Senate. which
.or quarter of a century has been
dominated by the conservatives" win
- controlled by the 'progressives."
The First Result.
The first result Of the change In SEN
ste control viii be to make 1t possible
% get these questions out Of committee
md before the Senate-something that
sas not been possible where the judg.
nsnt Of the reactionary senators in the
oASt ran counter to popular demand
Once before the Senate, IL remains for
he joint action Of the individual sena-
tors TO determine the action upon the
AGislstion. Back and in support of the
progressives will be the big and increas-
ng democratic Membership, which can be
depended upon In most cases to support
progressive policies.
The more the reactionaries view the
future the more imminent becomes their
certain submersion by the tide of pro.
rossivisT sweeping over that body.
FIFTY BILLS" AT BANQUET.
Exclusive Club Numbers President