El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-22
Of
SENATORS
EH hH
SETTLED
Matter of Choice Chairman
ships Ends With One For
Each Man in Office.
NEW MEN WILL
GET THE OTHERS
CBy Winfield JonesD

Washington. D. c., Jan. 22.-The dis
pute among the senate Democrats over
the question Of seniority and commit
tee chairmanshIps for the 63rd con-
gress has been tentatively settled by
an agreement that the senators who
are entitled by reason Of seniority TO
the best committee plums shall nave
these positions, but otherwise the SEN
ate shall be so organized that senators
who have served longest shall not dom
Innate the upper body as they have al
ways done heretofore
Senators who are entitled by senior
fity to have the chairmanships of the
ssix most important committees and
these committees are:
simmons, Of North Caro-
alma
observation-disclosures, of South
Carolina
Foreign ReIations-Bacon, Of GeOr-
Interstate commerce-Newlands. of
Nevada
Judiciary Culberson, Of Texas.
1t is proposed, in consideration Of
leaving these chairmanships, that no
senator who is chairman Of any one OF
this group, shall be a member of
another committee, at least until all
other Democratic senators are pro-
ivided places in this group Of commit
tees.
This arrangement would, for in
stance, give senator Tillman the chair
OF
his choice But it would make II i'm
possible for him TO retain a place on
interstate commerce, on which he IS
now the leading Democrat
1t would give senator Simmons the
chairmanship Of finance, but would
make him ineligible to serve on com
merce.
As to Leader Martin
Senator Martin, of Virginia, under
the plan that has been devised, would
continue floor leader of the majority,
as he IS now Of the minority, but the
powers OF that position would be
greatly restricted. For instance, the
leadership would be limited to two
years, at the end of which time the
caucus would make a new selection
Also, Mr. Martin, as leader, would
have the authority taken from him OF
naming the committee on committees,
and that highly important committee
would be elected by the Democratic
caucus, or perhaps named by the lead
er. subject to the approval OF the eau
Gus.
StiII further. the floor leader ana
chairman of the caucus, Mr.. Martin,
would be made ineligible to serve on
the committee on committees.
Part Of the consideration which the
liberals propose to exact for leaving
the veterans in the chairmanshlps, IS
that the body of each first rate COM
mittee shall include a majority of rad
zeal and liberal members; that the
chairman may not be able to rule abso-
1utely.
There is still an element OF more rad
ical Democrats who insist that this
plan does not so far enough, and are
urging that nothing less than minors
ing the veteran conservatives from
the chairmanShips viii serve; but this
is declared not to be by any means the !
view Of the majority of liberals.
Wilson and sPrOgressives-7
Predictions are now being mate here
that governor Wilson VIII not De N |
office two weeks before he will have |
a good working agreement with the |
progressive Republicans OF the senate
These forecasts are based upon good |
grounds
It is realized that the next president |
cannot risk his legislative program
upon the Democratic majority IN the
senate OF one or two II IS entLreIy 700
precariOus, 1t is declared by senators
who are looking forward to the pIac-
steal affairs of the next administrator
They contend that he must seek as
Eistance from. the "prOgressives, and
there are signs in evidence already that
the Democrats, and "prOgresslTes" are
drawing close together. Some or the
Democratic senators, believing that the
'fprogressives'' will demand patronage
as part of the "era of good feeling
are worried lest inroads may be made
upon their state machines
The Patronage Matter.
other senators, however, say that |
The agreement between the next preSl- |
dent and the Republicans VIII be as TO |
policies of legislation and need not /
necessarily include dickers with pat |
Tonage Nj Wilson, when president |
will furnish a program OF legislation /
which the 'progressives' viii find to /
their liking and which they cannot /
avoid supporting, it is said
At the same time, they say, there /
should be no reason why the next pres J
ident should not give patronage to /
progressive" Republicans in territory |
where the Democratic strength IS weak. |
1t is certainly not to be expected that I
he will do anything for the standpat- /
ters-
Some senators expect to see the |
New Hampshire patronage go TO the (
progressive" Republicans in larger |
proportion than to Democrats. In |
Maine the "'progressives'' should get |
few pTuns, it is said, and sONhrOugh- !
out the country in states which are not 1
Simon pure Democratic territory. /