Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-28
-FOUR IN FIELDFOR
. HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Democratic Camp Divided Be-
tween Radicals and ConserVa-
tives in Important Contest.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 2S.-The chair
manship of the committee on ways
and means is the most important
office in the House, not even except
ing that of speaker. The fight OF the
Democrats against the Cannon rules
resulted in a transfer of authorities
formerly enjoyed by the speaker a1o le
10 a bare majority of that comm -ttee
which not only submits to the House
all legislation with respect TO the rev
enues of the government, but powers
have been conferred upon 1t to APP
point all the committees of the House
subject to the approval of the Demo-
cratic caucus.
Thus the chairman of the commit
tee. who Is also the floor leader OF the
majority, has become the most i'm
portant parsonage in the lower House
of Congress, and the leader OF the
House in the next Congress may make
or break all hope of Democratic sue
cess in the Presidential election of
1916 by this choice of leader.
The seriousness of the problem is
emphasized by the fact that there Is
disposition on the part of many Dem
ocrats to abandon the rule of sen or
ity, which would. If applied, promote
the ranking Democratic member OF
the committee on ways and means to
be the successor of Representative
oscar w. Underwood, who goes to the
Senate after March 4. The rule of
seniority cannot be abandoned with
out a fight among the Democrats.
Already there is heard the sngges-
ion of a division % powers which W II
permit of the selection OF a fio1r
leader who will not at the same time
be chairman OF the most important
committee Of the House. This sug-
sestion is revolutionary 1t is not a
subject upon which the Democra
can reach a conclusion short of eau
Gus action.
Since the elevation of Champ Clark
to the speakership in 1910. the lead
ership has been held by Representa-
tive Underwood.
In the retirement of Mr.. Under
wood, change in the leadership Of
the majority in the House not only
comes to view, but a change in the
character of that leadership as well.
Should the rule of seniority be fol-
lowed. Representative Claude Kit
chin, of North Carolina, who stands
next to Mr.. Underwood on the ways
and means committee, is in line for
promotion. Furthermore, he wants
the job.
Next to Mr. Kitchin stands Rep
resentative Henry T. Rainey, of Hill
nois. Both of these men be ong to
the radical wing and are adherents IF
the general policies of William j.
Bryan.
Many Democrats believe, while not
always agreeing with Mr.. Under
wood in his views, that his conserva-
tive leadership should be continued.
They have therefore cast about for
man OF the same habit of thought
with the result that the names of
Rtk resentatives Lincoln Dixon, of
Indiana, and FINS ]. Garrett, Of
Tennessee. are mentioned in connec-
ton with proposal to divide the
powers now held by the chairman of
the ways and means committee, and
to take from that dignitary the au-
thority of leadership on the floor Of
the House.
The four men mentioned are all
lawyers. Kitchin and Rainey are
good speakers. Dixon is always pres
ent and rarely makes a speech. In
the committee room, however, and
among the members on the floor he
is a most effective worker. Garrett
makes no pretense of being an orator.
In service Kitchin outranks his rivals,
having served seven terms. In addi-
ton to being a speaker OF no mean
ability ne is one of the best trough
and-tumble" debaters in the House.
His speech on the lumber schedule
when the Payne bill was under con-
afforded one Of the best
of his ability in that d.
rect'on. Heekled repeatedly by Re-
publicans representing lumber dis
tricts and in fact, opposing the de-
mand of the lumber industry Of North
Carolina itself, Mr. Kitchin placed
himself squarely on record as a free
trader and maintained his position
against all Corners in a speech brist-
ling with invectives and good humor.