Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-17
Three Representatives Regard
His Success as Certain.
SPEAKERSHIP CONTEST
HEPBURN TO SUPPORT ACTION OF
IOWA REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr.. Hit on the Outlook for Legisla-
ton in the Coming Session-Mr.
Mercer Discusses His Defeat.


the speakership question. Representative
William P. Hepburn of the eighth district,
who Is in this city, Will not be able to at
tend the meeting, but has wired his, col
leagues that II action is taken indorsing the
candidacy of Representative Cannon he
wishes his vote added to that of the other
members of the delegation, that the in
dorsement of the state may be unanimous.
In discussing the speakership matter with
Star reporter today Col. Hepburn re-
marked that the election of Mr.. Cannon to
that place seemed certain. This remark
was made just at the conclusion Of a long
conference between Col. Hepburn and Rep
resentative Dalzell of Pennsylvania, who
announced some days ago that he was a
candidate for the office Of Speaker and was
in the fight to win.
Colonel Hepburn was asked as to his opin-
ion of the rumor that Mr. Babcock had
made deal to throw his strength for Mr.
Cannon for Speaker, and was to be made
in return chairman of the ways and means
committee Colonel Hepburn's reply was
that he had no information whatever or
such a deal. and 1t was his opinion that
neither Mr. Cannon nor Mr.. Babcock had
for moment though. Of transaction OF
the kind.
The details Of the conference between
Colonel Hepburn and Mr.. DalZell would not
the fact that it did no relate to the Can
non speakershp candidacy.
Mr.. Hit Speaks for Cannon.
Representative Hit of Illinois has ar
rived in Washington to arrange his per-
sonal and committee matters for the open
ing of the session. He was at the Capitol
today. and remarked to Star man that
the election of Mr. Cannon as Speaker of
the Fifty-eighth Congress seemed assured.
He believes that the strength of his col
league has been demonstrated to such an
extent that no serious opposition can de-
yelop.
committee on foreign affairs, believes that
business Of Importance will be handled by
the short session of the Fifty-seventh Con-
gress.
The Cuban reciprocity bill will undoubt-
edly be taken up" he said, in answer to a
question. Whether a conclusion will De
reached is hard to say, as the time Is lin
tied on account of the routine work of pass
ing the regular appropriation bills.
Trusts and the Tariff.
How about the trusts and tariff COM
mssion?" was asked.
Il believe the trust question will receive
serious consideration at the coming ses-
sion," was the reply. There will certainly
be a report made on the subject whether
any legislation is enacted or not This re-
port will indicate the general trend of
thought on the part of the republican party
and will show what may be expected in the
future.
1.-The tariff commission may be appointed,
although exactly what may be accom-
plished in that way may be considered
somewhat of a question. A commission to
consider the tariff Is not a new idea or
method of dealing with. that question, as
Congress appointed such a commission in
nd hn RI n haf mi cci ion
was the initial ground work for the legisla-
ton which followed, although Congress
took up the question and considered 1t thor
oughly from it's own point of view"
Mercer a Cannon Man.
Although Representative Mercer of Ne
braska will not have a vote in making the
Speaker of the Fifty-eighth Congress- he
remarked cheerfully this morning that he
had done some work to further the Can
non boom in his state before the election
took place. Mr.. Mercer predicts that the
Cannon speakership proposition Is all over
now but the shouting.
In reviewing some of the causes which
made it possible for Editor Hitchcock to
get the most votes in the second Nebraska
district, Mr.. Mercer mentioned the swing
of the city vote to the democratic column
in all sections of the country. 1t was this
swing that did the work.
Dissatisfaction and higher prices for liy-
ing were the cause. Besides this, there was
a strike in Omaha Of 100 machinists in the
shops OF the Union Pacific railway, which,
Mr.. Mercer says, was laid directly at his
door. Then, too, his opponents objected to
his spending SO much time in Washington
since he has been a member of Congress,
and it was heraded in all directions that he
was a nonresident Of his own district.
Where l expected the hardest fight was
in the primaries, declared Mr. Mercer,
land here l succeeded far beyond my eX-
pectations. In fact, / succeeded in demor-
alizing the opposition to my denomination
so thoroughly that when the election came
off this opposition went over to the demo-
cratic party However, | ran we'll in the
strongest democratic county in the district,
and am assured that l got many demo-
cratic votes"
Mr. Mercer naturally has some regrets in
will not be instrumental in getting the ap-
preparation for a Supreme Court building
through his committee on public buildings
and grounds. "This has always been my
ideal scheme for Washington" he re-
marked, "and I had planned its culmina ton
at the next. Congress. In fact, it came very
near going through at the last session, but
| saw that 1t would have to be a squeeze,
and thought it better to let 1t go over"
Mr. Mercer was asked II he were to be
clerk of the next House, and he laughing
tered by the many pleasant things his
newspaper friends were saying about his
defeat and his possible candidacy for this
position. He, however, said he had not
made any announcement on that subject
and was not seriously considering it, at
least at the present time.