Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-28
HOW THE PARTIES
STAND IN HOUSE
Independents Will Have Mucl.
to Say in Determining Which
Side Will Have Control. i"
MANN REPLIES TO GARDNER
Copyright, 1915.
international News Service

ures on returns OF the last election
show definitely that neither demo-
Gratis nor republicans will have ma
jority OF the next house, necessary to
elect a speaker and that a handful Of
independents will determine which
side will control the organization.
Conceding seats to candidates in
possession of certificates of election,
because they are. certain TO participate
in the organization of the house, the
personnel now stands:
Republicans, PA; democats, 2l3; In
dependents, 2; progressives, 2; prohi-
bitionist, |; Socialist, !; contested. 2.
A majority is 2l8, hence, should either
democrats or republicans win both the
contests, they still would be short OF
a majority.
Maintain Strict Silence. 7
~All of the independents arc main
tanning strict silence regarding their
attitude ON the speakership, but the
democratic and republican leaders
agreed on how most OF them will
vote, provide caucuses are held and
solidarity maintained by the two old
Kelley Of Pennsylvania, progress
sive, gwho formerly was democratic
member of the house, is listed as a
democratic probability. y >
Sc are Randall, prohibitionist Of
California, who voted for Speaker
Clark, the last time, and London Of
New YorR, socialist. sits on the
democratic side now and has been
shown favors by democratic leaders.
Shall of Minnesota. progressive,
the leaders agree, probably would<lean
toward republican candidate If con-
WINGED of his progcssivism. He CAM
paigned for the national republican
ticket during the Aast campaign, al
though opposed by the regular or
ganization i'll his state. Fuller, indie
pendent, OF Massachusetts, also is
classed as republican hope.
Sugar Will Catch Martin.
Martin Of Louisiana, progressive,
comes from large sugar district Of
Louisiana, and has indicated that as
surance of protection Of the sugar in
tecst would be his first concern in
voting on the organization. He for
merly was democrat, however, and
democratic leaders hope to get his
vote. @
Contests, in which certificates have
not been issued, are on in the Thirty
second Pennsylvania district, where
Representative Barchfeld, republican,
is contesting the election of Guy, T.
Campbell, democrat, who on the face
Of the returns won by forty-six votes,
and The Third New Jersey district
where Representative Scully, demo-
crat, is opposing the election Of
Robert Carson, republican. Scully
now is reported to have lead Of
LIS votes on the recount, but there
still are about 5000 votes to be passed
upon by the courts. At least twenty
seats, it is said, will be contested in
the house after it is organized.
Should the republicans seat both Of
their contestants and hold other mem
bership solid for their candidate they
would need only two in six votes to
win the speakership, while the DEM
ocrats would need FIVE. On the other
hand, should the democrats win the
contested seats, the republicans would
need four in six votes, while the DEM
ocrats could win with three votes.
There is no question about the dem
ocrats voting solidly for Speaker
Clark, but there are some signs of
strife among the republicans. Repre-
sentative Gardner already has an
nounced his opposition to Represen.
tative Mann. Every effort will be
made by leaders, however, to have the
solid support of republicans assured
i'll conference before voting starts.
Mann Is Confident.
Representative Gardner, who an
nounced yesterday that he would seek
to obtain republican conference to
formulate policies for the future &C
tivity Of the party in the house, did
not visit the capitol today. Mr.. Mann
was there, however, and tonight he
expressed the view that the repub-
licans would stand united at least in
the organization OF the house.
II have nothing to say about the
speakership matter or the Gardner
episode he said, except that | still
hope that the president, through some
way in Gods providence, may aid in
bringing about peace which shall be
lasting and permanent and provide for
disarmament and the removal of the
heavy burdens of military and naval
preparedness and If | can in the
slightest degree assist to bring about
such result / would rather do that
than be speaker. y