The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-11-19
DEMOCRATS FACE HARD
STRUGGLE IN CONGRESS
Elements of Trouble Loom Up in
Both Houses.

Elements of Trouble Loom Up il
Both Houses.
Washington, Nov. 13.-The ap
proach of the regular session of Con
gress, in the minds of thoughtful
Democrats, is in cloud whose silve
lining is all too faint at best. Th'
prospect is anything but propitiou,
at either end of the capitol AL
though in this Sixty-fourth Congress
the Democrats have a majority
which, while reduced, is still suf.
ficient with members loyal to party
trust to execute any programme de-
cided upon, there are elements OF
trouble in both Houses which at
this time are unmistakably ominous.
1t is everywhere conceded that the
coming session will be one of the
most important and eventful in
American history. What with i'm
portant domestic affairs to be con-
sidered, including appropriation bills
and taxes to meet unprecedented
emergencies, there looms the titanic
European war, which, despite all eff
forts to avert such consequences, has
involved this country's most vital
rights Of sovereignty as neutral
power in a way the end of which the
most optimistic leaders contemplate
with the gravest concern.
The chief factors of mischief are
seen to lie in the coming struggle in
the Senate to revise the rules so that
business may be transacted with the
greatest possible dispatch, and in the
House, thru the announcement of
Majority leader Kitchin that he is
opposed to the administration poll
cy, as made known, to urge upon
Congress provision for the military
establishment which the belligerent
conduct of the leading nations of
the world admonishes us is essential
to our safety.
1t is generally held among Demo
Gratis as extremely important that
they should not have a leader in. the
House who has seen fit to precipitate
friction in the party he would lead |
by avowing his antagonsm in ad-
vance to any proposition before it
has been promulgated in any definite
'orm, especially when it is known
What direction discussion of that
policy will take.
What makes it all the more re-
is that Mr.. Kitchin him
elf admits that the majority of Con-
ress, and even of his own con- I
tituents, are against him in his
eclaration on the subject. He con-
ents himself with the qualification
hat his attitude is a matter of his l
ldividual conscience. On that point
ome of his colleagues suggest that
member trusted with leadership a
Tho is thus so nice of scruple as to h
art company with a majority of his f
sllows on a vital question ought to b
e nice enough to yield the badge of t
adership to one more truly repre- t.
'ntative of the party will. a
In the Senate the fight over the Il
oture proposition is likely to be a
definitely prolonged, as all such H
ruggles have been. The pro- L
'nents of cloture are up against fl
e high, hard stone wall of freedom al
debate at the very outset of con- al
1eration of any measure for the 81
of debate. Unless the pt
lnority leopard changes it's spots
ID joins with the Democrats, yield ci
g unanimous consent, cloture will be
ii. Arriving Senators are studying w
e records from the earliest days w,
Congress for every possible light WI
parliamentary history on the sub va
It of forcing conclusion of debate. an