Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-08
Pleasing to Insurgents.

While this policy of Mr. Mann probably
does not appeal to former Speaker Can
non, now private in the ranks, 1t has
pleased the insurgents very much indeed.
Representatives Cooper Of Wisconsin, who
received sixteen votes for Speaker against
Mr.. Mann on the opening day of the
special session; Nelson and Lenroot of
Wisconsin. Madison Of Kansas, and Good
and Haugen of Iowa. were among the
radicals with whom Mr.. Mann conferr ed
yesterday. He asked their advice as to
whether he should register his protest
against the hoggishness of the democrats
with reference to the committees by re-
fusing to make assignments of minority
members to the existing vacancies, and
putting the whole business up to the
ma jority party. 1t was finally decided
that this would give the democrats a
chance to say that their opponents were
playing the baby act. and SO Mr.. Mann
will go ahead and make the committee
assignments Of the minority as he was
authorized to do by the republican caucus
of last Monday.
Yesterdays conferences followed the
fiat final refusal Of the democratic leaders
to assign any additional committee places
to the minority.
In addition to the insurgents mentioned
Mr.. Mann talked with Representatives
Canno, Payne Of New York, Hill of
Connecticut. Mccall of Massachusetts,
Mckinley of Illinois. Currier Of New
mony prevailed throughout the day. Both
factions of the minority are encouraged
by the manner in which the new minority
leader Is making friends and as a result
are closer together than they have been
in long while.
Statement Issued.
A. Hs,on ,o,.o at ,,.% ox,o,Icr tbn FoI
lowing emphatic statement with refer
ence to the attitude Of the democrats and
the consequences that may be expected to
follow:
1.-The democratic members of the ways
and means committee have turned down
my request to add one additional mi
nority member to the fifteen leading COM
mittees. where they propose to take two
and three additional majority members.
Their action in putting fourteen ma
jority and only seven minority members
on fifteen Of the leading committees is un-
precedented, is unfair, is arbitrary and
brutal
mo Speaker appointing committees has
ever so absolutely disregarded the rights
of the minority. The present unfair ap-
portionment of representation seems to
be the first result Of the hue and cry
raised by the democrats in favor of fair
dealing under the rules.
majority of sixty-three. which is only
sixteen greater than the republican ma
jOrity in the SiXty-first Congress, only
five greater than the republican majority
in the SiXtieth Congress. and is fifty less
than the republican ma jority in the Fifty
ninth Congress. 1t is twenty-one less
than the democratic majority in the
Fifty-third Congress.
Previous Congresses Cited.
"In the fifty-third Congress. with
majority of eighty-four, az
against sixty-three in this Congress, on
many of these committees the committee
was allotted three to five to
the democratic majority and two to five
to the republican minority. In the Fifty
ninth III and a republican membership
of go, the republicans took 179 places
on these fifteen leading committees. In
this Congress, with democratic majority
of siXty-three and democratic member
ship Of 227, they propose to take 20
places on these committees. On these
fifteen leading committees. the democrats
propose to take thirty-three more places
than the republicans had on the same
inthe last House and to give
to the republican minority but one more
place than the democratic minority had in
the last House.
The spirit of fair dealing which has
heretofore always prevailed in the appor
tionment of ma jOrity and minority MEN,
bers on the committees is disregarded,
and the statement is made that, the demo-
cratic caucus. having passed upon the
matter, it cannot be changed.
Assertion of Brute Force"
Because the democrats have the pow
er in this House they start in with an
utter disregard of the ordinary rights
of a minority TO fair representation on
committees. This does not augur well.
The democrats begin their operations by
trampling the fair rights of the minority
under foot by brute force.
THE radical element of democracy is
in control. 1t will attempt to ride down
the minority on every occasion, not by
intelligent activity, but solely through
the brutal power of members Such at
tempt will. of course. be vigorously re-
sisted on every occasion.
The republicans cannot prevent the
application of the force of numbers by
the democrats. but they can object to
those things which are ordinarily done
by common consent. The spirit of fair
dealing in the outset having been set
aside by the democrats, they must not
expect to receive many fayors from the
In behalf of solid minority 1 vigor
ously protest against the utter .disregard
of the usual rights accorded to the mi
nority by the democrats in this House.
Mr.. Mann has begun work on the job
of making up the committee list 1t is
probable that no announcement will be
made on this subject until the latter part
of next week.