OCR Text |
Show INDEPENDENTS II CONTROL OF NEXT HOUSE Revised Figures Show Definitely Defi-nitely That Neither of Old Parties Has the Majority. WASin.VGTOX, "Dec. 28. Revised figures fig-ures on returns of the last election show definitely that neither Democrats nor Republicans Re-publicans will have a majority of the next house necessary to elect a speaker and tliat a handful of independents will determine which side will control the organisation. Conceding: seats to candidates In possession pos-session of certificates of election because they are certain to participate in the organization or-ganization of the house, the personnel now stands: Republicans. 214; Democrats, 213: Independents. In-dependents. 2; Progressives, 2; Prohibitionists, Prohibi-tionists, 1 ; Socialist, 1 ; contested, 2. A majority is 2 IS. hence, should either Democrats or Republicans win both of the contests they will still be short of a majority. All of the independents are maintaining fctrlct silence regarding their attitude on the speakership, but the Democratic and Republican leaders agreed on how most of them will vote, providing caucuses are held and solidarity maintained by the two old parties. Kelley a Democrat. Kelley of Pennsylvania, a Progressive who formerly tvas a Democratic member of the house, is listed as a Democratic probability. So are Randall. Prohibitionist of California, Cali-fornia, who voted for Speaker Clark the last time, and London of New York, Socialist, So-cialist, who sits on the Democratic side and has been shown favor by Democratic leaders. Shall of Minnesota, Progressive, leaders agree, probably would lean toward a Republican Re-publican candidate if convinced of his progress! vlsm. He campaigned for the national na-tional Republican ticket during the last campaign, although opposed by the regular regu-lar organization in his state. Fuller, independent, in-dependent, of Massaohuretts, also is classed as a Republican hope. Martin of Louisiana, Progiessive, comes from a iargo sugar district of Louisiana end has Indicated that assurance of protection pro-tection of the sugar interest would be his first concern In voting on the organization. organi-zation. He formerly was a Democrat, however, and Democratic leaders hope to get his vote. Two Contests On. Contests in which certificates have not been issued are on in the Thirtv-second Pennsylvania district where Representative Represent-ative Barchfield, Republican, Is contesting contest-ing the election of Guy E. Campbell, Democrat, who on the face of the returns re-turns won by forty-six votes, and the I Third New Jersey district, where Repre- i sen tat I ve Scully, Democrat. Is opposing the election of Robert Carson, Republi- I can. Scully now is reported to have a lead of 125 votes on the recount, but there , still are about 3000 votes to be passed upon by the courts. At least twentv seats, it is said, will be contested in the house after it Is organized. Should the Republicans seat both of their contestants and hold other memberships member-ships solid for their candidate, thev would need only six votes to win the' speakership, speak-ership, while the Democrats would need five. On the other hand, should the Democrats Demo-crats win the contested seats, the Republicans Re-publicans would need four in six votes, while the Democrats could win with three votes. Democrats for Clark. There is no question about the Democrats Demo-crats voting solidly for Speaker Clark, but there are some signs of strife among the Republicans. Representative Gardner Gard-ner already has announced his opposition to Representative Mann. Every effort will be made by leaders, however, to have the eolid support of Republicans assured in conference before voting starts. Representative Gardner, who announced an-nounced yesterday that he would seek to obtain a Republican conference to formulate for-mulate policies for the future activity of the party in the house, did not visit the capltol today. Mr. Mann was there, however, how-ever, and tonight he expressed tits view that the Republicans would stand united at least in the organization of the house- "I have nothing to say about the speakership matter or the Gardner episode," epi-sode," he said, "except that I still hope that the president through some way in God's providence may aid in bringing about peace which shall bo lasting and permanent and provide for disarmament and the removal of the heavy burdens of military and naval preparedness. Would Aid Peace. "Tf I can in the slightest degree assist to bring about such a result, 1 would , ratbor do that than to bo speaker. "The charge of Mr. Gardner that I am for Prussia and Prussianism is, of course, utterly untrue. I am for America first, last and all the time, and do not take sides In the European war. In Mr. Gardner's Gard-ner's opinion that is my offense. "I suppose it is inevitable that in the present situation in regard to political control of the house every man who pets a grouch will be tempted to bluster around and eay that he will not play unless he can have his own way. That is always one of the results of a very narrow nar-row margin of votes. But in the end I think the Republicans will have the good sense to all get together and act as a united party at least in the organization of the house." Representative Lenroot of Wisconsin, whom Gardner will support ior speaker, had no comment to make on the situation. |