The Washington herald., 1911-04-08
MARTIN ELECTED
MINORITY LEADER
Continued from Page One.

ing the minority of the Senate Every
one of them was present yesterday except
the three heretofore named, who were ab-
| sent on account Of illness Senator Mar
tin refrained from voting on the chair
manship question.
Unanimous for Other Officers.
Except for the Craftsmanship, the action
tof the caucus was unanimous as to the
other officers. Senator B. F. Shively, of
Indiana, was reelected vice chairman
and Senator William E. Chiffon, of West
Virginia, secretary, without opposition
and by reclamation.
Chairman Martin was authorized to
appoint a committee of nine on reorgan-
iZation of the committees of the Senate
This committee will also be endowed
with other powers, and It is possible that
later a committee on legislation may be
appointed. Senator Owen. of Oklahoma,
made an Intellectual effort to pass a
resolution taking the appointment of the
committee on committees away from
Chairman Martin. Mr.. Owen outlined a
plan of dividing the minority Senators
into three classifications, based on
seniority.
Mr. owens resolution brought out a
shower of disappearing remarks. Its
author suggested in introducing it that
it was copied mainly from the proposals
submitted in the caucus on a former
occasion by Senator Bailey. of Texas.
This brought Mr.. Bailey to his feet. and
nc argued with some spirit against the
value of precedentS in such matters. The
opposition was so strong that Senator
Owen finally withdrew the resolution.
How They Voted.
Tho. vote was as follows:
For Senator Martin-Senators Bacon.
Bailey. Bankhead. Bryan. Clarke. of Ar
kansas; Culberson. Chiffon. Fletcher,
Foster. Johnston, Overman. Paynter.
Percy. Rayncr. Simmons. Smith. of
Maryland: Swanson. Taylor. Thornton.
Watson. and Williams-2l.
For Senator Shively-Chamberlain
Davis, Core. Hitchcock. Johnson. OF
Maine; Kern. Lea. Myers, MARITIME, New
lands, Owen. O'Gorman, Pomerene. Reed,
Stone. Smith, of South Carolina-l6.
There was a surprise when Senator
'O'Gorman. of New York. voted with the
Bryan following for Senator Shively, as
there was when Senator Culberson. of
Texas. joined his colleague. Senator
Bailey, in support of Mr.. Martin.
hours and half. The Bryan followers
kept up their fight until the last ditch.
They held two separate conferences dur
ing the morning. For a week they have
been considering either Senator Stone
Senator CulhersOn for chairman. They
we-c somewhat shocked yesterday when
they learned that Senator Culberson was
going to vote for Senator Martin. Final
ly, within an hour Of the caucus, they
agreed upon Senator Newlands as their
ca rdidate, but after the vote was taken
there was much surprise to find that
after going into the caucus they had
scratched Senator Newlands' name and
substituted that of Senator Shively.
Feared Opinion Of Country.
Senator Owen. of Oklahoma, one Of the
progressives. issued Statement. at the
close of the caucus in which he said
that while Senator Martin himself
claimed to be a progressive, those who
supported Senator Shively for the leader
ship did so because they feared that the
country might feel that Senator Martin
would not be regarded as progressive as
the country had a right to expect of the
leader of the Senate. We shall expect
the country TO be agreeably disappointed
in this matter" said Senator Owen.
There are at least twenty-five or twen-
ty-thTee militant progressive Democratic
Senator's, who are going to do things.
and | trust and believe that even those
Democratic Senators who have not here
tofore been regarded as in complete sym
pathy with the national, platform will be
found actively progressive, SO that there
shall be in the senate party united in
spirit and in common purpose to control
the special interests of this country and
restore the rights of the common peO-
pie