The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-13
Politicians Speculate as to Use
of 1t In House In Event New
York ls Denied
NO EFFECTIVE WORKING
MAJORITY APPARENT
Democratic Majority of Twelvs
In Senate Will Prevent Re.
publicans From Controlling
Legislation In Next Congress

New fork. Nov. president villa
son, while passing through New York.
today en- route to Washington from
WIliamstown. Mass. was confronted
with figures showing that the House
of Representatives in the naw elected
Sixty fifth Congress VIII be Republican
by a scant majority OF two or three
votes
The situation presented was ad-
/ mittedly en- barrassing. as it gives the
Tammany delegation with it's fifteen
votes the balance Of power. The ina
dependent vote, including one Social.
list, one Prohibitionist and one Pros
tectioa!st, will not exceed Il total -
eight. il is estimated.
In the face OF solid Rcpu blican
vote the Democrats could win If the
eight independents would vote with
them. If the Tammany delegation de-
cldcd on account OF any grievances
against the administration to with
hold IFS fifteen voees any contest coa-
Quoted on strict party lines would be
lost to the Republicans.
The apprahe nsion with which Mr..
Wilson views the future can be UNDER
stood from statement he made in
q speech at Shadow Lawn two weeks
ago.
"A President without a Congress is
helpless nc said. He can get you
INFO trouble, but he cannot get you
out of trouble"
How Politicians View 1t.
There ore no surface indications
that the New York delegations Demo-
Gratis are planning to use the power
they hold to defeat legislative reforms
promised by Mr.. Wilson during this
campaign. Since the election. which
recorded a decisive victory for Whit;
man and Hughes in New York State.
the implied charge of bad faith on
the part OF Tammany has been heard
in quarters closely associated with the
White House II has been suggested
that Mr.. Wilson might retaliate by
refusing patronage which would have
gone to the Democratic organization
heti the election result been different.
The danger in the existing situation
"a observed by politicians is that Tam
many. with its love for fght, may at
tempt to use its extraordinary power
in Congress II what is considered q
fair share of patronage Is withheld.
The members of the House of Rep
resc1 tatives face one OF the most cons
fused and uncertain organization situ-
ations in the history of the governs.
ment. On the face Of returns avail
-Tbtr, INC potItiCa DIVISION OF rns
House is so close that an effective and
certain working majority does not
exist.
Strategic Nov Suggested.
Through fear Of a showdown that
would reveal the weakness Of the
Democrats in the chief legislative
body It has been suggested that
President Wilson will not call an extra
session of the new Congress next
spring. This strategy would delay tho
organization Np,It until the re gular
session in December. which would per-
nit year in which to vancouver the
contest for SpcckcrShip in the House
and the organization of important
commit ees
Speaker comp Clark is generally
regarded as ;ae Democratic caoice to
succeed hinsc :.
The candidate of the Republicans
for Speaker will he James II. Mann.
the present minority leader
The Democratic majority of twelve
in the Senate will prcven+ the Re-.
pubhcans from controlling legislation
in the next Congress. Due to this.
little partisan legislation can be looked
for during the first part of the new
Wilson administration. The adminis-
tration leaders. it is said, will exert
every effort to omplete- the Demo-
cratic legislative program before
March 4. wher the Sixty fourth Con-
sress will end.
Legislation which is to be pushed
as soon as Congress conveaes in DEE
ccmher. including immigration reform,
a corrupt practices; law. to further
limit political campaign expenditures:
conservation and water power leCisla-
ton; revision OF the laws affecting
railroads: vocational education law;
a law to permit organization of collec.
tive selling agencies in foreign coun-
tries.