The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
INDEPENDENTS HOLD
BALANCE OF POWER
Will Stand for Constructive
Changes and Oppose Old
House Rules.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1S.-Twelve
members from Minnesota, North Da-
kota and Wisconsin will play a big
part in the organization of the incom-
ing house Of representatives, accord
ing to the diagnosis of the situation
made by Lynn Haines, secretary, Ma
tional Voters league. They are:
ADMINISTRATIONS S. Schall Pro-
gressive: Carl c. Van Dyke, Demo-
crat; Sydney Anderson, F. F. Els
worth, Ernest Lundeen, Harold, Knut-
son, Republicans.
North Dakota--H. n. .-+Helgesen,
George Young, p. B. Morton, Repub-
licans. - -.
Wisconsin-Henry Cooper, John
Nelson, James Frear; Republicans: =
Balance of Power.
Mr.. Haynes says:--""The public re-
Allies q certain group will hold the
balance Of power==trsti highly i'm
portant crisis, but some newspapers
have interpreted-the--pF ebable--dead-
lock to mean a little handful Of con-
gressmen representing minor parties
will hold the balance: of power,
These Newspapers include in this
group Meyer London, Socialist:
Schall. Minnesota, Progressive: A. T.
Fuller, Independent; c.. N. Randall,
Prohibitionist, and w. P. Martin, Pro-
tectionist Democrat.
1T seems to e@.insteade of these
five, 80 and perhaps 10 will take an
Independent position when. the 65th
congress is organized.
"Certainly to the five named must
be add ed C1ydeK1S n11X-of: 1P1ftsbnrgh.
who, although elected as a democrat,
will be completely Independent and
most important power In the fight for
reconstruction; George r. Lunn, So
cialist mayor Of Schenectady, N. r,
who also was elected as a Democrat,
but is expected to be: thoroughly in
dependent, and Miss Jeanette Ran
kin of Montana, who was elected as a
Republican. Miss Rankin is thor
oughly informed as to the evils Of the
old spoils system, and may be expect
ed to take her stand with the indie
pendents."
STUDY Of the records Of old men,
bers and the information available
with reference to newr:members leads
Secretary Haines to. expect the rebel
lion against the adoption of the old
house rules will be Joined not only by
the Northwesterners above enumer-
ated, but by John. Nolan and. John
E1ston, Republicans, :: california;
Medill Mccormick and cN:els Juul,
Republicans, Illinois; Gilbert 1faugen,
Republican,--1o Wa:s. E.rank.-Jame and
Carl UNDERSTANDINGS ds,-%M Michigan;
w. L. La Toilette, Washington; Ed
ward Heating, Democrat, Colorado;
H. J. Drane, Democrat, Floridas WIS.
Howard, Democrat, Georgia. Robert
Crosser, Democrat, Ohio, and j. B.
Thompson, Democrat Oklahoma.
II do not, presume. to list all. Of the
Independent class, nor can it be as
sumed all Of those named will be
strong enough to survive the 1'bargatn-
ing to which they will be subjected.
But 1T is certain neither of the old
parties can organize the next house
along the old lines without in some
way Satisfying a..-considerable body
of independents"
''These independents, If run true
to form, will not be concerned with
the distribution Of patronage, but will
stand for constructive changes which
will make for more fundamental hon.
esty and light in the operations of
congress. ~~~
1.-THE strategy of their position lies
In the fact that they have sufficient
numerical strength to compel conces-
sions in the way Of rules reform from