Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-24
Eighth Iowa District Congress-
man Talked Of for Speaker
Of the House
4E WOULD REVISE THE RULES
Has Been an Opponent of One. Man
Power in the House and Attacked
Reeds Rules Each session-His Can.
didacy Looked Upon With Favor at
Washington.

II
During the first few days Immediate
ny following the sensational announce
trent of Speaker Henderson but little
attention was bestowed upon the Ques-
| ton of his successor; indeed the repub-
| licans were so taken off their feet by
1 the suddenness and unexpectedness of
the decision of Colonel Henderson that
| for the time being all other considera-
tons were lost sight Of in the discus
| sion of the causes leading up to the
declination OF Mr.. Henderson, and in
| taking account of the probable conse-
quences of the withdrawal Of the
leader of the party in the popular
branch of congress just upon the eve
of the campaign.
| The Importance of the declination of
the speaker to again make the race III
the Third district, from a national point
| of view, having been minimized by the
| practically unanimous conclusion Of re-
rublicans everywhere that local and
personal conditions entered largely into
the motive prompting the declination
of Colonel Henderson, thus in large
measure eliminating the tariff issue, SO
far as it appeared to be an issue with
| in the party, attention was Immediately
| turned to the question OF Colonel Hen
derson's successor.
| At this time the campaign for the
speakership of the Flfty-eighth con-
gress is on in dead earnest. There are
numerous candidates, representing all
i Z 9th n Ia
tr:cts grooming prospective favorite
sons who have as yet not announced.
The list up to date includes Joseph
G. Cannon, of Illinois. chairman of the
committee on appropriations; William
P. Hepburn, of Iowa, chairman of the
committee on interstate and foreign
| commerce; Joseph w. Rabcock, of Wis
consin chairman of the congressional
committee and of the house committee
on the District of Columbia; James $.
Sherman, Of New York, vice chairman
of the national congressional committee
and chairman of the house committee
on Indian affairs; Serene =. Payne, OF
New York, floor leader of the majority
in the house and chairman of the ways
end means COMMITTEES; Theodore f.
Burton, of Ohio, chairman of the COM
mittee on rivers and haIbors; Charles
e. Littlefield, of Maine. the strenuous
leader of the younger element In the
house; James A. Tawney, of Minnesota
the republican whip" Francis W..
Cushman, of Washington, the sarcastic
statesman who denounced the rules"
of the house in vitriolic TRADE during
the last session.
Mention of Colonel Hepburn's name
in connection with the speakershlp is
received with favor. 1t is pointed out
that Mr.. Hepburn combines many OF
the qualifications necessary in the pub
lie official who presides over and directs
the house of representatives
The republican party is in search OF
man with record for consistency;
of stalwart republicanism, steadfast
adherence to fixed plan and purpose;
man commanding the confidence OF
the people and of the membership
Of the house; man Of broad and lber-
al ideas, man of convictions ana the
courage to defend them.
In canvassing the qualifications of the
several candidates or names mentioned
there is invariably long pause when
Colonel Hepburn's name Is reached, and
lit is reached among the very first.
Colonel Hepburn has commanded the
high esteem and genuine admiration
| of the house. For the same reason
that the people admire the president
because he is sincere, square, fair, bold
and something OF fighter-the mem
berstfip OF the house loves Uncle Pete
Hepburn. Easily the ablest debater
I and hardest hitter in the house, and
without a superior in either branch of
congress, Colonel Hepburn possesses
the confidence of his colleagues. not
only on the republican side, but of the
minority as we'll.
II is a well-known fact that Colonel
Hepburn is opposed to the rules now in
vogue in the house, established under
the leadership of Speaker Reed and
perpe:uated by Speaker Henderson. At
the commencement of each congress
Colonel Hepburn has made an effort
in the republican caucus to overturr
the existing regime and to bring about
the establishment of a system of legis-
lature procedure more liberal toward
the members. He chafes under the one
man power; not because the man has
been his colleague, Colonel Henderson,
but because he is opposed to the the
DRY which practically places Within
the disposal of one man the entire
range of legislation with absolute power
to dictate what shall pass and what
shall be shelved. Colonel Hepburn real
ICES fully the absolute necessity for
rules and a system, but he takes the
view that the present rules are lily de-
vised in some respects. He is O de-
batter of the best type and believes in
debate He is an advocate of taking uls
measures and thrashing them out on
the floor Of the house. He believes in
publicity, in getting at the facts, in
bringing to light all the hidden points
involved; in throwing the searchlighs
Of strenuous debate upon importan.
questions. Colonel Hepburn is set in
mis- conviction that the 357 members of
the house are better able to determine
upon The merits and meat of PROPOSE
ton than any truimvirate of men no
matter how wise or good or high-mind-
ed the three may be. He believes in
submitting questions of Importance tn
the membership of the house, the direct
representatives of the people, rather
than to the judgment Of three mer
whose judgment may not be superio:.
to any other three of the 357.
In each of his efforts to tring the re
publican caucus to view the matter in
the light in which he saw 1t, Colone.