The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-13
ORGANIZATION OF NEXT HOUSE
MATTER OF GREAT UNCERTAINTY
REPUBLICANS HAVE
A SLIGHT MAJORITY
Hot Fight Will Be Waged for
Speaker and Organization
of the Committees.

WASHINGTON. y. G.. Nnv. tc-
Members OF III" House of Representa-
tives in the newly elected Sixty-ifth
Congress face one Of the most unr"r
tain organization situations in thc 'iS
tory Of rhe government.
With Il few districts StIl in doubt.
the Republicans appear 70 have 4 plII-
ralijy of four or five members and Il
possible ajority Of TWO or three when
il IS figured that an Independent elect
ed in Massachusetts. and Il progressive
independent III Montana probably will
vote with them for organization pur'
poses. Independence Of action has
charactertzrd a number of the re-elect
ed members on the Republican side
and their attitude toward Democratic
legislation in the last few years has
given Democratic leaders cause fox
hope that some of them might carry
their independence into the organiza
ton Of the next House.
On the face nf the unofficial returns
the political division of the House Is
so close that an effective and certain
working ma ioriiy does not exist, While
there might he few changes when
the official returns are counted. the
chances are that these would not ma.
terially alter the general result. In
view Of the Sitllation. it is regarded hy
Democratic leaders as improbabl" that
President Wilson will call an ezra, SFS'
sion Of the new Congress next spring.
in that case tho organization fight Will
not come until the regular session in
December. 1917. which will mean ma
neuverins for mora than year in the
contest for the Sp"akerShtp of the
House and The organization OF import
ant committees.
Opposition to Mann.
As matters stand to-day the Candi'
date Of the Republicans for Speaker
will be James Il. Mann. the present mi,
nority leader. and Speaker Clark gen
erails is regarded as the Democratic
choice to succeed himself Already
there are rumhing$ Of uncertainties
because Of the close political division
On the Republican side thcr" arc re-
ports of diSaftectionS against tuc mi
noritv leader AS a candidate for Speak
er on the part OF several members VINO
il is suggested. might vote for Clark
instead. Consequently there is gossip
among some Republicans regarding the
advisability of naming another man aS
candidate for Speaker. if one can bc
found upon whom the Republican
membership could unite.
There are certain 20 be some inter
esting and lively conferences on both
sides before any organization tickets
are finally launched is assured. rs
the Democrats apparently will hs III
the minority. some ot tho friends NJ
Champ Clark are not certain that ne
will be a candidat" 20 succeed himself.
Unless he can be elected speaker they
prefer that he abandon the race and
become a candidate for minority leader
the post he held for man years before
the Democratic aScendancy IN 1910.
Such deveiopmcnt might precipitate
a lively contest within the Democratic
ranks with Claude kitchin. the pres
enr minority leader aud Speaker
Clark as the rival candidates for the
minority leadership.
There are many ether possibilities
with the party division so close and
until all the votes are counted ana
certificates Of election returned there