The Washington herald., 1913-03-17
SENIORSENAT0RS'
Wings Clipped
Younger Element Triumphs in
Reorganization Of Upper
Body Of Congress.
PEACE STILL REIGNS
Simmons Retains Place as Committee
Head After a Long, Bitter
Fight.

The younger element In the majority
OF the Senate have triumphed in the
reorganization of that body. and. while
most Of the old wheel horses took the
places at the heads of committees to
which they were entitled under the rule
Of seniority. their wings are clipped. II
Is victory for the policy of the Wilson
administration. The new Senate orGani-
zation will stand for progressive ideas
and support the President at every turn.
If the chairman of a committee here
and there happens to belong to the con-
servative wing of the party, he finds
himself shorn Of power by the new policy
of appointing conferees. subcommittees.
filling vacancies and calling committee
meetings.
The Democratic caucus and the steer
ing committee that filled committee places
was undeniably dominated by the newer
element of the party. Most of the import
ant committees are dominated by the
new membership. They are sufficiently
numerous to out-vote the conservatives
two to one. Take the Finance Commit
tee for example. Senator Simmons man.
aged to retain his place at the head of
the committee after a bitter fight. But
the new Democratic membership Of the
committee is overwhelmingly radical. or.
1t. Here are the familiar names that
figured in the demand from time to time
that the reactionaries. SO called take
back seats and that progressive men
take command" Stone of Missouri. Will
liams of Mississippi. Johnson of Maine.
Shively of Indiana. Hoke Smith Of
Georgia, Thomas of Colorado. Ollie
James OF Kentucky. Hughes of New
Jersey. and Gore of Oklahoma. Every
man is member of the new school Of
thought and these are the men who will
have most to do with shaping the new
tariff bills.
Wilson Counseled Course.
Probably next to the tariff the sub
Ject that will receive first consideration
among administrative legislative policies
is the currency and banking law. This
committee was a new departure for the
Senate. There was no rule of seniority
to hamper the Democratic steering COM
mittee in the makeup of that commit
tee, SO they picked a radical for chair
man, Senator Owen of Oklahoma Mr.
Owen was at the head of a Democratic
Progressive League, so-called, and stood
for the initiative and referendum and
the recall. He assumed the task OF
replying to Senator Bailey who attacked
the modern tendency In his party to-
legislation. Supporting the new progress
sive chairman are such well known pro-
cressive Democrats as Hitchcock of Ne
braska, O'Gorman of New York. Reed
of Missouri. Pomerene OF Ohio. and
Shafroth of Colorado.
Undoubtedly the Democrats in the Sem
ate al the last moment decided that con.
OF party harmony warranted
them in allowing most Of the older Demo-
cratic Senators TO claim their chairman
ships. 1t is whispered that President VIII
son cautiously counseled this course in
view of the narrow Democratic margin in
the Senate. Beginning with the election of
Senator Kern over Senator Martin for
caucus leader, the Democrats have saved
the substance of a progressive organiza.
tion in the Senate even IL they have
seemed to yield the shadow. Tomorrow
the resolutions that provide for
the ancient rule of seniority
h.: declaring for the election OF chairmen
Of committees by the majority of the
that take from the control
of the chairman Of the committee the
Appointment of conferees and subcommit-
tees and the matter of calling meetings
will come up for action in the party
caucus and will undoubtedly be adopted.
BY this action the Democrats will have
divested the committee chairman of the