Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-27
GROWING MORE PROGRESSIVE
THAN LOWER HOUSE OF
CONGRESS.
REAcTIoNARY ELEMENT IS
SLOWLY DISAPPEARING
President Wilson to Aid in Forcing
Majority Of Senate to More Prosrss.
sivs Views and Aetion-Houss Fails
to Mako Economy Record in Last
Congress.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, March 27.-The house,
not the senate, is likely to prove the
more reactionary body Of congress in
the Wilson regime. This is the opin-
ion of many who are familiar with the
conditions in the two bodies and the
influences at work in them.
Senate progressive democrats failed
lin their attempts to organize the SEN
ate committees as they wanted to. The
old guard democrats proved too strong
to make 1t possible to get rid OF
number of their members when 1t
came to filling important chairman
ships. Some of the senate commit
tees are hopelessly reactionary, as, LOT
instance, the judiciary committee.
Nevertheless the progressive demo-
cratic element in the senate is strong
and there is a powerful republican
element which is progressive. Senator
Poindexter is a progressive party man.
When piece of progressive leglslatloh
is brought before the senate, unless
the hands Of the democrats are com
pletely tied in caucus, 1t Is not eolhs
to be easy to block 1t.
Senate Growing Progressive.
AS a matter of fact, the senate IN
recent years has been showing ten
dency to become more and more pro-
gressive or radical. On the other manu.
the house is dominated by reactlonary
influence. 1t was well known this was
the case in the last congress and II
promises to be much the same IN tnis
congress.
President Wilson is talking about
going to the capitol and being ire
ouent visitor to the presidents room
at the senate end of the capitol, for
the purpose of advising with senators
about law making. This apparently
proceeds from the theory that the sen
ate ia the slow and standpat wing OF
congress and that it Will be necessary
to force 1t to action to get anything
progressive out of it. 1t is true tnere
are powerful reactionary influences III
the senate but if the president is go
ing to carry out his program e11ecliFe
w he NAV need an office at the mousse
end of the capitol.
House Holds Back.
The course Of no end OF 1mportah.
matters OF proposed legislation last
congress showed where the heart OF
the house is. 1t could not be induced
to order the administration OF the
meat inspection law opened up ana II.
let the Nelson resolution for an IN
yestigation be blocked, thus suiting the
purposes of the packers. 1t would not
force the reopening of the tobacco
trust decree or Of the powder trust
decree. tho the senate passed Dill 1or
a rehearing of the tobacco case. Inc
house failed to make record Tor
economy and when it came to i'm
portant social reform legislation, the
house showed itself In number OF IN
stances, far more reactionary than the
senate.
Unless the house in this congress
gets out from under the control OF It's
leadership, it is likely the same sit
uation will obtain in the next Two
years as in the past two years. A
big revolt, however, is not unlikely.
The majority of the house members
are undoubtedly progressive but they
are handicapped by the makeup OF the
committees and the secret caucus sys-
tenn.