Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-10
Proqressives Criticise the Re-
publicans for Vesting Power
in | leader Mann.
NAMING OF COMMITTEES
PRECEDED BY HOT DEBATE
Belief Expressed That Chairman Un-
derwood Is Striving to Cap
ture Tariff Votes.

An outburst of progressive republican,
ism against the republican caucus and the
method of giving James r. Mann, their
leader, the power to suggest members for
House committees threw the House into
lively debate this afternoon just before
Representative Underwood. chairman of
the WAYS and means committee, presented
to the House for consideration the names
of the members of the various House
committees, which have already been
published
Representative Cooper of Wisconsin,
noted for his refusal TO enter ~ caucus.
and one of the foremost progresSiveS in
the fight on Speaker Cannon. started the
rlunpus. The fight waged bitterly between
the reactionaries. progressives, progress
sive republicans and democrats each po-
litical faction taking whack at the 9TH
erS.
Representative Mann of Illinois made
the republicans laugh and caused the
democrats to shudder when he said to
the democrats:
THE republican, party does not have to
send its leaders to the White House for
instructions as to how to make up
tariff BILL
The progressive republicans and many
democrats are wrathy because they be-
lieve Chairman Underwood of the ways
and means committee is refra.ning from
making committee appointments until he
sees HOW the members are going TO act
with relation TO the Underwood tariff
bill.
Cooper Open Debate
Mr.. Cooper. who started the debate this
afternoon. said in part:
TWO or three years ago there was a
revolution in this House against the
great power which the Speaker had in
appointing committees. He was endowed
With power to fill committees in any
way he chose, and there have been in
stances where Speakers have packed COM
rnittees so as to chill. the very legislation
which the country wanted. I will never
attend a caucus and L will not be pledged
in advance.
Men have been punished by Speakers
for no other reason than that they vio-
lated q caucus agreement, and / am op-
posed to the method which the republic
cans have chosen of giving to one MEM
ber, Representative James X. Mann of
Illinois the sole power to suggest MEM
befs OF committees for the republican
side 10 be voted today
Representative Madden of Chicago, a
republican. interrupted him. saying:
And do not think it is right. either"
Representative Murdock. the new pro-
Eressive party leader, had something to
say:
Il agree with the gentleman entirely,
but does he know that the progressives
meet III open conference
The entire progressive party. which is
making eyes at all the progressive re-
publicans. made eyes at Representative
Cooper when he replied:
Yes, it is the only proper way
The progressive party in the House,
with eighteen pairs of hands, applauded.
Representative Austin OF Tennessee
came to the defense of the republican
party by saying that ne thought the
party could be trusted to select the prop
or leader
could also be trusted in the selection of
committee members.
do not let us bicker over these unfor-
tunate differences of opinion" he said,
but let us present an unbroken front to
the free trade tariff bill they are seeking
to enact into law
Not a Personal Attack.
Mr.. Murdock reminded Mr. Austin that
Mr. Cooper was not making a personal
attack on Mr.. Mann, and also took the
opportunity 10 advertise the progressive
open conference. which he said was the
only fair way 10 treat the party and the
public.
Representative Madden of Illinois.
who had pleaded for an open caucus
of the republican party, said:
This fossilized habit of selecting
men regardless of their ability and
simply because of length of service
ought 10 be done away with. The time
is coming when il will be done away
with Every committee in the House
ought to 81: i'm open session and
caucuses ought to be held with open
DOORS
Representative MondelI, a standpatter
defended the republican party with cor
siderable vim and vigor He said that
me republican caucus had always selected
good protsctionists to fight the demo-
cratic free traders, why criticise?
Representative Good of Iowa criticised
the democratic caucus and declared that
committee assignments depend on the way