Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-04-10
Presiding Officer of House Pro-
poses to Follow Up Recent
Victories by Shrewd LegiSIa-
tive Coup,
SUCH ACTION WILL
DlSARM OPPOSITION
Membership to be Made up of
Sixteen Republicans and Ten
Democrats, According to
Present Plans,


fspeciaI Dispatch 10 ib~ Morning Jouruni.i
Santa ife. ~ NJ, Aprl A,--Thc new
est thing in the house of representa-
tives is the committee on ways ana
means. 1t is likely to be not only
the newest, but the most important
thing.
It viii be remembered that when
the committee ON committees of the
house made its report, shortly after
the opening of the legislative session.
It empowered the speaker to appoint
any subcommittee which might sub
sequently be needed and gave him
| fun discretion as to the making up
such committees
At that time all was harmony be-
| tween Speaker II. l.. Baca and his
republican constituency in the hou~s.
| Times have since changed. Mr. Baca
and the organization are no longer
friends. In fact Mr. Baca is now
| relying more upon democrats than
| upon republicans for the hold he has
upon the house.
! The events of the last few days
have shown that the speaker Is in
| delicate position. He, has n strong
| iblluNilk uliitlE Aii'
cans OF both parties. He also has
a following which may be temporary
or permanent among the democrats.
/ When the committees were appointed
J By Mr.. Baca he didn't then antici-
! pate what was to follow. Some of
his appointees, who were then friend
ly TO him, are now fighting him tooth
| and nail. II Is necessary for him to
get a committee whc.l will more near
| ~ represent his own Views on pend
ing legislation aud which will express
| his wishes on what shall be done.
| than any committee which Is now IN
/ existence.
Consequently the ways and means
committee has been created. on the
face of 1t. II Is to be Il steering COM
| mittee. Its duties and authority are
not laid down by any rules or law.
The committee Is to be a large one.
composed of twenty-six members, n
majority of the house Al this head
viii be John Baron Burg, of Bernalillo
county. Mr.. Burgs position is a very
peculiar one. At the opening OF the
session he was an outcast. Ca progress
siveD, who had no standing whatever
III Ilt phIlN tbultllN MI bAiE, noW-
ever, has managed to impress his
personality upon the house to such an
extent that from being helpless
outsider he Is now one of the men
who control legislation in the house.
BESIDES Mr.. Burg. it cannot be stat
ed definitely, who will be on the COM
mttee, but anybody who has paid care
ful attention to the roll calls of the
last two days viii nave no difficulty
In arriving at a conclusion as to the
personnel of the committee. There
viii be sixteen republicans and ten
democrats. This Just about comprises
the speakers strength In the house.
\ perusal of the daily papers Of the
last two days will enable any care
ful observer to make a guess at the
committee that VIII be more than half
right
Mr.. Baca denied emphatically to-
day that in his rulings in the fight
over the expulsion of the four MEM
bers charged with bribery on Mon
day he had departed in any way from
parliamentary law or precedence. lie
challenged anyone to show wherein
his decisions were al variance with
established custom.