The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-19
The Progressive and Reaetienary
Democrats in Senate Engaged IN
Struggle for Control
TWO FACTIONS HAVE LINED UP
Before the Fight In Ended Pre~id~nt
Wilson VIII He Forced to Choose
Between One Wing or the Other
Progressive Democrats Are Boom
ing Hoke Smith and Luke Lea for
Leaders-The Fight Among Demo-
Gratis I'm the senate In the First
Especial 10 The Caucasian.l

Sign OF the break In the fAr1y.
Especial TO The Caucasian.l
Washington. u. c.. 17.-The hrst
split in the victorious Democracy has
taken place.
The progressive and reactionary
Democrats OF the United States Sem
ate are engaged in a struggle for
control OF that body which Is exciting
extreme bitterness.
The two factions have lined up
over the question of the continuance
OF Senator Marshall, of Virginia. a
friend OF Thomas F. Ryan, the Wall
Street magnate, as the leader OF the
Democrats In the Senate.
1t is a situation pregnant with the
most important political conse-
quences. Before the fight IL ended
President Wilson will be forced to
choose between one wing or the 9TH
er. He cannot ride two horses tug
ging in opposite directions at the
same time. He may try IL at first,
but If he should cast In his fortunes
later with the forces OF reaction he
will suffer the same criticism that has
been leveled at President Taft.
Oppose Rule OF Conservatives.
The progressive Democrats In the
| Senate have been moved to act be-
cause of the necessity, in their view,
of preventing the control of Congress
| by the conservatives.
fxx,a ~
son administration, as Mr.. Wilson has
pointed out, will be the tariff and the
money trust" The Ways and Means
Committee, presided over by Mr.. Un-
derwood. will fortunate the tariff
bills.
The curbing of the money trust
will be confided, as 1t is at present,
to the Banking and Currency Com
mittee, the chairman of which will
be Representative Carter Glass. of
Virginia. Mr.. Glass Ia not ranked az
as progressive Democrat.
Both of these matters are consid-
cred by the Finance Committee of
the Senate. II Mr. Martin should be
named as Senate leader his appoint
ment of Simmons as the head OF the
Finance Committee will mean that q
protective tariff Democrat will have
control of tariff revision in the Up
per House and a conservative on
Banking and Currency Reform will
have charge of the legislation leveled
against the money combination.
Progressives Likely to Win.
The progressives have twenty-five
votes pledged against Martin up to
date. They need only three more to
assure a majority. 1t is evident,
therefore, that Martin will be beaten,
that he will not secure the Chair
manship of the Appropriations Com
mittee, that Simmons will not be ap-
pointed Chairman of the Finance
Committee. Bankhead Chairman of
the Postofice Committee, and men
of the same conservative character
chairmen of any OF the important
subordinate bodies of the Senate.
Il The movement of the progressives
Is not for any one man as leader. II
/ Ao oSaihSt ldi liA. 1uc tWO mcu
prominently mentioned for the Dem
J ocratic leadership are Hoke Smith,
OF Georgia, and Luke Lea, of Ten
nessee. The former served In Cleve-
lands cabinet and was Governor OF
his State before he came to Wash
ington. He Is a progressive. Lea Ia
a young, forceful, active statesman,
who knows politics. He was one OF
the Wilson floor managers at the Bal
timore convention.
First Sign of Party Break.
1t is not too much to say the figh,
among the Democrats in the Senate ID
the first sign of the break In the par.
ty. The conservatives, in urging the
progressfves to accept Martin. are
telling them that harmony In essen
, tial and the disruption of the party
will be on their heads IL they an.
tagonize the established order. The
progressive Democrats are responding
by saying that IL the Senate In con.
trolled by the reactionaries the Dem.
ocratic administrations doom Ia fore.
!. gone.