Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-28
A MINORITY HOUSE
Control in Hands of Southern
Democrats.
More Members from Tint Party. How
ever, Are from the North, Making
the Division on Historic Lines;
North Has 1914. south f3s.

than southern democrats will sit in the
next House. This surprising fact has
been made apparent by the most recent
returns from congressional districts. Con-
troll Of the House, however. will remain
In southern hands. thus afording the
spectacle of minority rule in the lower
branch of the national Legislature. while
minority president of southern birth
sits in the white House. The democratic
congressman from the Northern States
number l54: from the Southern States
1888
This calculation is based upon the fol-
lowing grouping of States into north and
SOUTH
Northern Staes-Arizona. California,
Colorado. Connecticut. Delaware. Illinois,
indiana, Iowa. Kansas. Maine. Massa-
chusctts, Vermont Michigan. Minnesota,
Montana. Nebraska. New Hampshire.
New Jersey. New Mexico. New York,
Ohio. ennsylvania, Rhode Island. and
Wisconsin.
Southern States-Alabama, Arkansas.
Florida Georgia. Kentucky, Louisiana.
Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri. North
Carolina oklahoma. South Carolina, Ten
nessec, Texas, Virginia and West Vir-
ginia.
This division is made upon historic
and traditional, rather than upon eli
matte lines. There might be some dis
pute as to, say. Missouri and Oklahoma.
but in Washington as a rule these States
ire considered to be distinctively south
crn" rather than Northern" in their
sympathies and political incinat.ons.
Should sharp sectional issue arise in
the next Congress the effect of which
would be to split the House along the
Mason and Dixon line. 1T is probable
that the House would fall automa tically
into the two groups above listed 1t Is,
therefore, OF great significance to note
the paraduXlcal situation which will ex
ist when Nj. Wilson calls Congress to-
lcthcr in special session next April.
The Northern States which contribute
the greatest number of democrats to the
rev House are, first, New York with o.
Illinois with u. Ohio with ~. Indiana with
e. Pennsylvania with -. and New Jer-
s.y with one. Massachusetts with her
seven democrats comes next and a doz-
en- more States trail along with any
where from five to one apiece. Only New
York's democracy contributes one chair
man of an important committees, name
~, Fitzgerald of the appropriations COM
mittee. In this connection the facts
should he noted that Massachusetts is
represented on the ways and means COM
mittee by Andrew j. Peters
SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS PREVAIL.
On the assumption that the new House
when organized will have the same chair
man OF important committees as it has
,o.d.v w. find thar soutberr do,,ocr,,s
.,,ilv oor,ro, W. p,io of 1ou,s;,r,
WIN leaves Congress wo,,ld naturally he
.ucceeded hv Carter Glass of Wright, az
chairman Of tho committee IN bank,ne
and CURRENCY s,,lzar ~ \e,r York now
,,o,.rror..,.c, of TINT State would nv
ia. same ruIe mo succeeded nv Flood of
Virginia nc chairman of tho imnortont
cnmn,itteo on fore,yr fairs Rurnett Of
Alabama. chairman of the committee on
Immigration and naturalization has been
re-olected to Congress: the same is truo
of Adamson of Gc,rgia. chairman Of the
committee ON Interstate and foreign com
,1erce. and of CLAYTON of Alabama. chair
II an of the Judiciary. committee H,. rule
of seniority. Hensley of Missouri would
succeed ison OF pennsylvania, as chair
h'"h ol the committee on ia"~r' An m
S'"i'c "l me Shiit from northern 10
southern control Alexander OF MISSOURI
chairman Oh IN" committee on merchant
ih"I'he ana hsherles remains IN congress
he same is true or HAY or Virginia
CHAIRMAN OF the committee on military
aHalrs' or fadgett OF Tennessee chair
man OF the committee on naval aHalrs; OF
Moon on Tennessee or the post once COM
ihittee sparkman of Florida. chairman
OF the rivers ana harpors committee, OF
Henry or Texas, chairman OF the rules
committee; and lastly of Oscar w I'm
derWood' chairman OF the all important
Ways ana means committee, ana leader
or the House.
'ther committees might be !nstanced
various southerners will retain their
present chairmanships of course cannot
Yet he determined. but 1t Is not likely
mat they Will relinquish them for any,
thing less powerful The sum total of
this review is that a sectional minority
of a partisan ma iority will be able TO
dictate legislation.
WHERE THE LEADERSHIP LIES.
-, ,h -, .,.. =. =.
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'"'' 80 "o' ''e-" "''''oe' ''s WA Wv
| managed in the House to important
committee assignments. Ohio, New York,