The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-17
Split in Republican Ranks Give Democrats a Chance in the Iowa Race.
HenderSon'S Retirement Will Cause Hot Fight in House Over Election of Successor.
BY PATTERSON srEALEY.

Washington, September 16.-(Special)- Speaker Henderson's witdrawal from the Third Iowa congressional district race, owing to his difference with the republ- can party in Iowa on the tariff, caused a sensation in political circles when the news became known here tonight. There is a possibility that the speaker may re- consider his letter of withdrawal before 1t Is too late. That he will be urged to do so there Is not the slightest doubt. Speaker Henderson does not always car " out his announced purposes-witness his attitudes on Cuban reciprocity-and a second manifesto while 1t may not be forthcoming. would not, to say the least create anything likef surprise.
 The last session of congress was a hard one on the speaker and his lieutenants. "The insurgents" made life miserable for them on several different occasions. and not a little bad feeling was engen- dered. It was open talk that the speak, CT would not have walkover for re- election to his high position, though, the general belief was that the insurgents were not strong enough to control a ma jority of votes in a republican caucus.
 Hurt the Speaker.
 The constant criticism. however, and his inability to compare to his predeces- sor as disciplinarian. hurt Speaker Henderson considerably.
 The most important point in the Hen derson withdrawal is the split in the republican party over the question of for rff i,, oI1 press 1t, persist in becoming the great issue before the American people. A number of farseeing republicans began to realize about year ago that unless their own party did something in tariff revision 1t was only a matter of time before the democrats would obtain control of the government They have accordingly started campaign cry Let the tariff be revised by it's friends" and in so do- Ing have sought to capture the demo- cratic position That this faction has grown so strong in the republican party that 1t is able to cause the withdrawal from public office of the occupant of the second highest position in the government service, speaks for itself.
 Badly Divided.
 The republicans are undoubtedly badly divided, and at this time it looks as if it will be many a day before they can get together. Henderson was elected to the present congress by over Il ,00O majority The third district democrats nominated ex-Governor Boies make the race against him this year, and the split in republican ranks at least gave the demo- cratic nominee a fighting chance, run ming, as he is, on a tariff reform plat form which, according to the Iowa re- publican convention, more nearly coin cides with the views of many republicans than does the position of Speaker Hen derson.
 Campaigning unoer such conditions the speaker doubtless realized would be of a rather embarrassing nature, hence one reason of his withdrawal. There Is nat urally considerable speculation as to Hendersons successor should he persist in retiring.
 Big Fight in the House.
 If the republicans carry the next house, which is not at all certain, there will be a big fight for the speakershp Sher- man of New York will likely be the leading candidate. He has many friends and is the best presiding officer in the body. He will probably be handicapped however by the opposition of Platt of New York. who, during the Henderson speakership fight made the New York republican congressman unite on Serene Payne, who was also a candidate, thus placing Sherman without the support of his delegation.
 Dalzell of Pennsylvania would also be- come a candidate for Henderson's shoes but Dalzen Is in the same fix with Quay that Sherman is with Platt. Littlefield of Maine. Tawney of Minnesota, Hep burn of Iowa and a number of others will also De candidates
 Cannon of Illinois will also be can didate, and in view of the complications confronting Sherman and Dalzell, would likely prove the strongest man in the race. He has few enemies on the repub- lican side and would be difficult to com- bine against.