Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-04-24
MAJORITY TOO BIG
DEMOCRATIC HOUSE LEADERS
FIND THEY HAVE UNWIEIOY
BODY TO CONTROL.
OBJECTIONS TO BE FEARED
Underwood Desires Solid Party Vote
but May Be Disappointed. Though
Defeat of Major Legislation
is Not to Be Feared.
By GEORGE CLINTON

nlngton.-COngresS in the frs
hours of its extra session is. in a ma
Jorlty party sense, rather an unwieldy
oody. Speaker Clark looks from his
rostrum into the faces of scores
OF members of his party sitting in the
mouse for the first time, and Leader
oscar w. Underwood probably re-
CARDS with some little anxiety the
TASK OF Keeping such an immense fol
lowing In entire accord with all the
legislative propositions for which the
democratic party, now in power in all
branches of the government must un.
dertake the responsibility.
MT Underwood is not only chair
niah OF the ways and means commit
Tee. out he is also the Democratic
moor leader. 1t is not at all to be
wondered at that he fears the posi-.
oiiity of trouble because of the enor-
nous majority which the party has in
tne new house. 1t has been recog
nized by party leaders in representa-
i've assemblies ever since they came
INTO existence that it is easier to put
.hihgs through, as the party wants
tnem to go through. when the ruling
majority is just big enough to be
easily handled"
IL must be remembered that the
Democratic leaders are confronted
TINS year with three parties in opposi-
ton, the Republican party. the Pro-
gresslve party. and members of the
nepuoilcan party who call themselves
progressive-Republicans and who. al
though clinging to their od-time Re-
puo1canism in a party sense. have re-
puolated many of the Republican doc
.rlnes but yet are not willing to accent
IN luil those of the Progressive party
inns puts new factor into the prob
rem Oh democratic leadership. for Mr..
Underwood must learn just where he
Is 10 look for support on the other
SIDE OF the aisle if he fears that upon |
any great measure some of his own
'olowing may break away and de-
sires TO make up for it by going to
some battalion in the ranks of his
friend the enemy"
Underwood Fears OBJECTIONS.
IL is SAID to be the fear of Mr. I'm.
derwood that on some tariff matters
ana on some other minor matters a
part of his following may break awav
and refuse to be bound even nv can.
Gus section. No one thinks Mr. In
derwood fears that enough marty mon
VIII break away to endanger the pas
sage of anything of prime import
ance 10 the party. but the leader is
anxious that everything that is done
with major legislation shall be done
with solid party vote back of it.
very likely trouble will be avoided
out the means of securing harmony
are not altogether to the liking. IT Is
SAID. or the leader. Already Demo-
cratic members of congress are max.
ing 1t plain to the members of the
ways and means committee that Ger. ;
tain of the tariff schedules must he {
naue tnus and so or else support will
oe lacking. These demands do not
make 1t certain at all that the bill or
Dills will be patched with comprom- 1
ises, because Mr. Wilson has taken q I
nand, with Underwood and Champ
Ciark and also with several of TIL, {
more progressive Democratic members {
OF the house, and is using the force OF
persuasion to get tariff legislation {
through which will not show any {
symptoms of patchwork. I
All the members of the lower bousa l
of congress now find Themselves cit '
ting on benches. as one of them said :
IKE pack Of school boys" The a
mouse does not look as it did when IL Il
was In session only a month ago II
pears some resemblance today to the
mousse Oh commons in England so far
as the matter of furniture is concern.
60 at least. but there certainly is one .
point or superiority here-the Nom. d
GERS 90 not sit with their hats IN "
tnere are many new members of IL
congress and some of them are mon vi
whose past lives have marked then, 10
out for special interest There arc pf
some members who have served be. u
iore' put nave not been in the house W W.
ior period of years. In a way these I'll
men are considered as new members an
because they have no rights of senior. vi
ny III committee appointments and
no.nins except sentiment which at .
tacnes TO previous service to give ai
'nen any reason to believe that thew "
VIII pe any better treated in the mat -
q p
Ter OF committees than their fellows "a -,
VINO are serving for the first time =. ~.
Wnen Representative Josenh w =. -
keifer, Republican, of Springfield. O.. -,
to congress some time ago a.
AFTER an absence of many years he 'e
was given position on the great =,
committee of appropriations. The "
ohioah had been out of service a :,
ong time, but once he was the speak =
sr of the house. and this singled him v
'ut for special consideration when he 4
returned after a long absence, and SO I,
t was that Mr.. Cannon. then speaker. l,
'ut his predecessor in Office and to a r
'eat in the appropriations committee. h
Committees Made With Care. n
There are no men in this new con- @
'ress who have a former record serv- n
&c like that of Mr.. Keifer but there a
re some of them who have followed II