The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-10
Democrats May Be Able to
Submit Membership of the
Leading Committees
STORMY SESSION IS CoMIhG
WITH NO LIGHT IN sIGHT
Virtually Four Parties Are Represent-
ed, All Working at Odds-Con,er.
vatives and Radicals IN Both Re.
publican and Democratic Parties.

publican and Democratic Parties.
Washington, April 1O-After three
days of fdleness both branches Of con-
gress resumed work today. There is
some expectation that before the day
is over the house minority might yet
be able to submit, in part its selec-
tions for the standing committees,
probably including that of mileage
and accounts, ways and means, ap-
propriations and rules.
Before any important business is
taken up by the house this week, the
Democrats, will hold another caucus
and pass upon the tariff proposals to
be submitted by Chairman Underwood
of the ways and means committee.
The caucus will take up the legisla-
tive program Tentatively agreed up
on by the Democratic leaders and will
determine what public measures are
to be considered first and what tariff
revision will be attempted.
1t 10 daily becoming manifest that
congress is facing q stormy session
and that there can be made no FORE
cast Of the probable legislative re-
suits. The fact that both of the great
political parties are badly divided is
no longer denied and the leaders ap-
pear to have little hope Of restoring
anything more than surface harmony.
There are virtually four parties,
each with q large representation
working at odds In the present ses-
sion. The Republican minority Of the
house is divided between regulars and
insurgents, as was evidenced by the
vote in the speakership contest. The
breach between these two factions 10
even wider in the Republican major
ity In the senate.
A sharp line has been drawn, be
tween the conservative Defh6crats Of
the senate, wfo are opposed to 4ny
attempt at dictation on the part Of
William Jennings Bryan and the pro-
gressive Democrats, including prach-
cally all of the new members and
several veterans like Senator Stone OF
Missouri. who are Bryan adherents,
The house Democratic majority seems
thus far to have escaped a break. but
the leaders fear that the party contest
in the senate may at any time spread
to the other branch. The situation
has interferred with the selection OF
committees and the beginning of leg
islative work.
Probably there never has been q
congress where so much uncertainty
existed and where the uneasiness has
been go equally distributed between
the two major political parties. OF
course this is due in part to the fact
that In the present congress the
Democrats are in power in the house
and the Republicans are in ccutrol OF
the senate. The real cause Of the
anxiety. however. is believed to be
due to tia proximity of the party con-
ventions which will select the stand
ard bearers for 1912 and the knowl-
edge that a slip by either during the
extraordinary session or the regular
session to follow may easily determine
the result of the next national CAM
paign.
Taft's Program
So far as the administration pro-
gram Ia concerned there is no room
for speculation. President Taft has
recommended the enactment of .legis-
lation to carry out provisions of the
Canadian reciprocity agreement and
1t is no secret that he will be glad to
have congress stop at that.
Neither is their any obscurity about
the program Of Speaker Clark, Repre-
sentative Underwood. chairman of the
new ways and means committee and
other Democrats who. are directing
the policy Of the house. Their plan
for progressive legislation on num-
ber of subjects with which the coun-
try has been made familiar in the
past year or so has been given out.
Now that the new majority in the
house has adopted rules giving 1t just
as much power as any majority ever
enjoyed, there Is no doubt that
measures on the subject of direct
election Of senators. publicity before
elections Of campaign contributions,
Canadian reciprocity, revision Of the
woolen and cotton schedules, and any
further tariff changes the majority
desires will be sent to the senate in
whatever order is desired by the ways
cans may expostulate or denounce as
tney plehSes tnoy Will De pOWerleeO
to prevent. The real legislative prob
lem, therefore. will be at the senate
end of the capitol.
Only time will tell what sort of
line up there will be in the senate on
tariff matters. Previous sessions have
indicated that there are just as ardent
protectionists In the Democratic rep
resentation as in the Republican and
q like situation may develop whom