Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-15
HOUSE MAJORITY
MEETS IN AUTUMN
BEING DECIDEDLY SLENDER, IT
WISHES TO PREPARE FOR
HARMONIOUS ACTION.
CONTEST FOR FLOOR LEADER
Lonqworth and Graham Are Rivals
for That Difficult Position-Demo-
Gratis Expect but Little fractional
Trouble in the Next Congress.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK


Washington.-Th Republican lead
ers in the house of representatives
gave over their plan to call the newly
elected members of congress of their
party to Washington in order that the
organization of the next house might
be arranged in advance of its meeting
next December The plan also was to
smooth out any difficulties well in adj
vance.
The present arrangement is, If there
shall be no extra session of congress,
to call the Republican majority in the
next house together some time in the
late fall prior to the December con-
yening of congress- The idea is to
have all arrangements made for or
ganization, and if possible to secure
in advance some kind of arrangement
by which party legislation can be IN
sured without danger OF having the
ranks split into factions as they have
been split in the congress just closed.
The Republican majority in the house
in the Sixty-seventh congress was l6O;
in the ixty-eighth congress its control
will be only IL votes, which, unless
there is actual harmony, represents no
certainty of control at all.
The Republicans in the next house
will miss the time-tried leadership OF
several men. James r. Mann of Hi
nois, long time Republican. floor lead
er, died recently; Frank W. Mondell,
leader in the Sixty-seventh congress,
was retired to private life, and Joseph
w. ForGney of Michigan, an old Re
publican wheel-horse, has decided to
leave public life. Joseph G. Cannon
also departs, but owing to the intirmi-
ties Of years Mr.. Cannon has not been
as active a leader as was the case
once upon time.
Floor Leader in Doubt.
Nobody knows definitely who is go
ing to be the floor leader of the Re
publicans in the next house. Things
have been in such a wildly scrambled
condition. legislatively speaking, that
the Republican members who will
hold over have been unable to give
much definite organization thought to
the future. During the spring and
summer they will begin to think and
to plan, and it is only the truth, prob
ably, to say that thinking and plan
ming will be necessary.
Representative Nicholas Longworth
of Ohio and Representative William j.
Graham of Illinois still are rivals for
the job Of floor leader of the Repub-
licans in the next house. Neither OF
these gentlemen probably believes
that in any case he is to have an en-
tirely easy time if the leadership shall
come his way. It is a hard task to
make it certain that a legislative ma
jority is represented by such scant
margin as IL votes.
There are many hopeful Republicans
here whose seeming belief is that, be
cause next year there is to be presi-
Dental election. many Republican
members of the house who other
wise might be inclined to be unruly
will be more amenable to discipline, or
at any rate to persuasion. Represent
atives of prominence seem to feel that
the members of their party who have
joined in fractional groups will refrain
from doing it next year because OF
their desire to make party record
which will result in the election of a
Republican president.
Democrats Foresee Little Trouble.
The Democrats in the next house
VIII have some troubles of their own
but as they are determined to cap
ture the presidency if they can, the
members probably will be on their
good party behavior, and the Demo
cratic leaders say there will be com
paratively little trouble in holding
their followers in line for such poll.
cies as may seem to be Of kind to
aid in success at the polls. One fact
cannot be gainsaid: there are more
leading Democrats who are holdovers
than there are leading Republicans
consequently the Democracy in the
lower house will have plenty OF
skilled parliamentarian and plenty OF
persuasive old-timers who possess the
ability to soothe party animosities
and to bring men of varying views
into accord.
OF course there is no doubt at al
that the Republicans will organize the
next house of representatives Whether
or not with the small majority which
Twill be at their command they will be
able to &c through the next session, q
prediction session, without friction
remains Of course to be seen. Tie
Democrats say one thing and the Re
publicans say another.
There will be nine months, probably
which the Democrats and the Repub.
Elicans Of the next house of represent
atiyes can have unto themselves fol
making their legislative, and in a way
nolitical, plans for the future. Some
legislation has gone over from the
present congress which perhaps never
will be seen again in legislative form
hut II is known that some great ques-
lions are to be given consideration
next year, and this being the case, the
value of time for preparation is thor