The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-02
Agricultural Senators May
Start Committee Scramble.
See in Death of PenrOse Chance
to Get More Power.
WAS ONE OF OLD GUARD
Deceased Pennsylvania Senator
Headed Finance Committees.
Big Clash Over Filling His
Place Now Due.

Washington, Jan. 2.-The death of
Senator Penrose leaves a big gap in
the Republican "old guard leadership
which already begun today to bring
about an upheaval in the national and
state policies of the party in which he
was such a conspicuous figure for
some years.
While the body of the senator rested
in his Philadelphia home, preparatory
to the funeral, a scramble for the i'm
portant Republican committee assign
ments in the senate rendered vacant
by his death was under way.
Headed Financial Committees.
Senator McCumber, of North Da-
kota, ranking Republican member OF
the al1-important senate finance COM
mittee was slated to succeeded Pen
rose as its chairman by the customary
rule of seniority.
The vacancies on the banking and
currency, immigration and naval af-
fairs, committees of which Penrose
had long been a member, were to be
filled by the Republican committee on
committees.
Republican members of the SEN
ate agricultural bloc" We're casting
longing eyes upon the openings Of
fered them in the banking and cur
IGICg du4 TIC 1lildA4CG COtlllAlAllEC 4C4l
by the death of the Pennsylvanian.
Big Clash Imminent.
A clash between them and Repub-
ican senators from eastern states
who desire to retain their control of
the two committees was regarded as
inevitable.
A complete realignment of impor-
tant committee assignments may have
to be worked out by the Republican
fn n ~
the Republican senatorial ranks.
PeHrose was one of the last of the
''old guard leaders who stood be-
tween the agricultural, progressive
and Independent senators of the party
and their growing ascendancy over the
senate and its dominant committees.
Split Was Threatened.
Penrose's death was also threaten
ing to split the Republican party in
Pennsylvania with factionaI strife.
Even as the sick man he was during
the last months Of his eventful life,
Penrose was able to retain much of
the power he had welded for years
as the big boss of the Republican
organization of his state since the
, death of Mathew Stanley Quay.
His political enemies at home,
grown increasingly restive under his
leadership, were ready to seize the
reins he. held when Senator Knox died,
ana the appointment OF a successor
fell to Governor Sproul, with whom
Penrose was no longer on friendly
terms.
White House influences prevented
an open break, however, and Senator
Grow, himself a sick man, was ap-
pointed to fill Knox's place as a means
for patching up a temporary truce be-
/ tween the Penrose and the anti-Pen-
rose factions.
Governor May Take Job.
| Governor Sproul is reported to have
senatorial aspirations and he may sue
ceed to Penrose's seat in the senate
but not without considera BILE opposi-
ton from Penrose's friends in the
Pennsylvania organization.
! Penrose's death leaves Pennsylvania
virtually unrepresented in the senate
+ as Crow, since he was sworn in on
October "a last year, has been able to
attend but two or three sessions be-
cause of his chronic i'll health. He
t was i'll in a hospital when Penrose
died.