Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-01
HOUSE MEMBERS
EXPECT To SAVE
s113,0O0 PER YEAR
Economy Plan Will Abolish Sew
eral Offices and Con-
SoIidate Others.
DEMOCRATS HOLD
ANTE=SESSION CAUCUS
Burleson Chairman, Healing
Breach Made by Recent Com
mittee Appointments.

WASHINGTON, April 1.--Democra tic
representatives in the sixty-second
Congress, who will control the lower
house for the next two years, met IN
caucus at 10 o'clock today. The House
chamber was a scene of activity early
in the day, scores of new members ar
riving more than an hour ahead of
time to mingie with the veterans in the
lobbies and cloak-rooms.
The caucus was called to order by
Henry ID. Clayton. of Alabama. the
temporary chairman. Before the gavel
fell there was considerable informal
discussion concerning the order of
business, but it was the prevailing
opinion that the first action would be
the election of officers of the House, a
sergeant-at-arms. clerk, postmaster.
doorkeeper and chaplain. The princi-
pal contest is over the post of SER
geant-at-arms, the candidates being
U. S. Jackson. of Indiana. and w. II.
Ryan. of New York.
Burleson for Chairman.
The first action was the election of
Representative Albert 5. Burleson, of
Texas, as permanent chairman Of the
caucus. He had -een a candidate for
craftsmanship of the committee on ap-
preparations. which the ways and
means committee report assigns to
Representative ]. J. Fitzgerald, of New
York. This action, it is believed, will
restore good feeling which was upset
by the contest for the appropriations
committee.
The question of patronage was then
taken up, and discussion followed on
plan to abolish many positions. it
having been estimated that about
$4,000 annually can be saved in this
manner.
The ways and means committee
planned to submit to the caucus its re-
port on the organization of house COM
inittees. A list of the committees and
their chairmen has been completed and
contests are brewing over few OF the
selections.
Adopt Rules of fifty third Congress.
until late last night completing it's re-
port for presentation to the caucus. An
entirely new code Of rules to govern the
next House has been written. Repre-
sentative Henry. of Texas, chairman of
the committee, stated before the cau-
Gus that the committee had used as
basis for the new code the rules of the
House in the Fifty-third Congress, the
last Congress controlled by the Demo-
Gratis.
The organization of the caucus was
completed by choosing Representative
w. A. Ashbrook, of Ohio, as secretary.
In short speech to his associates
Chairman Underwood, of the ways and
means committee, announced the plan
to cut down the big roll of House cm-
ployees and to give most of the patron
age to those Democrats who had not
been given committee chairmanships.
The details of the plan to save $4,000
in the expe 5es of running the House
were presented in a report by Repre-
sentative Palmer, of Pennsylvania, q
member of the ways and means COM
mittee, to whom the work had been en-
trusted. The scheme not only con-
positions, but the consolidation of
others.
After prolonged discussion the caucus
adopted the economy program, which
in detail includes the adjustment of
six of the standing committees-mili-
tia, private land claims, Pacific rail-
roads, levees and improvements of the
Mississippi river, ventilation and acous-
tics. and manufactures.
The pruning policy will cut out near
1y one-third of the House employees
and the saving may amount to $1S0,000.
At o'clock a recess was taken. The
report of the rules committee prob
ably will be considered this afternoon.