The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-27
INDEPENDENTS
 WILL CONTROL
 VOTE IN HOUSE
No Party Has a Majority of Membership on
 Roll Call.

Roll Call.
 ~e arlington, Dec. 27-Revised fig hfeo on returns of the last electior snow definitely that neither Demo crats nor Republicans will have a ma jority of the next House, necessary tt elect a Speaker, and that a handfu < of members of minor parties will de. termine which side shall control tho organization.
 Conceding seats to candidates ix possession of certificates of election because they are certain to lpartict' pate in the organization of the House the personnel now stands: Republt- cans 214, Democrats 213, Independ- ents 2, Progressives 2, Prohibitionis1 1, Socialist 1. contested 2. A ma- tority of 21S. hence, should either Democrats or Republicans win both of the contestsss they still would be : short of majority.
 All of the Independents are main taining strict silence. regarding their attitude on the speakership, but the Democratic and Republican leaders are agreed on how most of them will vote, provided caucuses are held and solidarity maintained by the two old parties. ss
 Kelly of Pennsylvania, Progress sive, who formerly was a Democratic member of the. House, is listed as a Democratic possibility. So is Ran dall, Prohibitionist of California, who voted, for Speaker, Clarke. the last time, and London. of New York, So- rfo u% 3%a %s <,i l now and has received favors from Democratic leaders,
 Schall of Minnesota, Progressive, the leaders agree. probably would lean toward a Republican candidate ifsconvinced of his Progressism. He campaigned for the Republican Ma tional ticket during the last campaign, although opposed by the regular orr ganization in his state Fuller, Irde- pendent, of Massachusetts. also is cIassed as a Republican hope.
 Martin of Louisiana. Progressive, comes from a large sugar district in < Louisiana, and has indicated that as-
 trance of protection of the sugar in terests will be his first concern in voting on the organization. He for merly, was Democrat, however, and Democratic leaders. hope to get his vote. At the same time, Republicans think he can be convinced that. their party is the only one which has his sugar interests at heart.
 Contests in which certificates have not been issued are on in the Thirty second PennsyIvania District. where Representative Barchfeld, Republi- can is, contesting the election of Guy E. Campbell, Democrat, who on the face of the returns won by 46 votes, and the Third New Jersey District, where Representative Scully, Demo- crat, is opposing the election of Rob- ert Carson, Republican. Scu1ly now is reported to have lead of 125 votes on the recoufl,, fBit f{hefe still are about 5000 votes to gbe passed upon by the courts. At least twen- ty seats. it Is said, will be contested in the House after 1t has organized.
 Should the Republicans seat both of their contestants and hold their they would need only two indepen- dent votes to win the Speakership, while the Democrats would need five On the other hand. should the Demo- crats win the contested seats, the Re- publicans would need four indepen- dent votes while the Democrats could win with three votes
 There is no question about the Democrats voting solidly for Speaker Clark. but there are some signs of strife among the Republicans. Re- presentatiFe Gardner already has an- nounced his opposition to Represen- tative Mann for Speaker. Every ef- fort will be made by leaders, how ever to have the solid support of Re- publicans assured in conference be- fore voting starts.
 Representative Gardner, who an- nounced yesterday thatlne would seek to obtain aB Republican conference to formulate policies for the future activity of the party in the House, did not visit the Capitol today. MT. Mann was there. however, and last right he expressed the view that the Republicans would stand united at least in the organization of the House.
 II have nothing ito say about the Soeakership matter or the Gardner episode" he said, except that I still hope that the President in some way through Gods providence may aid in bringing about a peace which shall be lasting and permanent and provide for diSarmament and the removal of the heavy burdens of military and na- val preparedness, and if I can in the slightest degree assist to bring about srch a result T would rather do that than to be Speaker.
 The charge of Mr Gardner that I ? m for. Prussia and Prussianism is. of course. utterly untrue. II am for Am rrica first Hast. and all the time, and do not take sides in the European war. lin MT. Gardner's opinion, that is my cffense.
 'I suppose u is inevitable that in the present situation in regard to po- litical control of the House every man whU gets g. srouch will be tempt ed to bluster around and say that he will not play unless he can have his own way. That is always one of the results of a very narrow margin of votes. But in the end I think the Republicans will have the good sense to all get together and act as a united part. at least in the organization of he House.
 Representative Lenroot of wiscon- sin, whom MT. Gardner says he, will support for Speaker, had no comment to make.
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