Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-18
"A DAMAGING | Blow |.
HENDERsON,s WITHDRAWAL GAVE
THE REPUBLICANS "A HARD
LICK.
ROOSEVELT SAYS "BABY AcT.v
President Endeavors in Vain to
Induce Reconsideration.
SWANSON IS GREATLY PLEASED.
He Thinks the SPEAKER. Action
Makes Tarin the I.sue-Hender-5
SOM. High Temper Said to Have
Had Much to Do with His Deter
mination Not to Be . Candidate
President Endeavors in Vain to
Induce decentralization.
;wANsoN IS GREATLY PLEASED.
ks the Speaker1s Action

WASHINGTON, D. c., September IL
| iaL)-Whatever may be the outcome
of Speaker Henderson's withdrawal, and
concerning that Washington predictions
are still at great variance, depending
largely on partisan make up of the person
talking, everybody agrees that he has
struck his party most damag ging blow
at critical moment. He has emphasized
the differences of opinion that undoubted-
ly exist in the West as to the tartt1f
and advertised them before the country.
He has pointed out the cleavage that was
beginning to appear in his party, and
made it so conspicuous as to call forth
the delight of the Lemocrats. He has
made the contest for Congress more diff
cult for every Republican in close dis
trict throughout the country. Such a
step, viewed even from a Republican
standpoint, is all the more surprising
when made by a man whose lifelong
capital has been partisan loyalty. "The
Republican party, right or wroEg," has
in effect been his exclamation at every
issue raised in the twenty years of his
congressional service. Never before has
he for one minute pretended to raise a
suggestion that because he was at va
rance with members of his party he
would decline this or tnat He isn't that
kind of man. His record has been one
Of a partisan, without severe scruples al
that
How Quick He Has Changed.
He changed from opposition to Cuban
reciprocity to it's vigorous advocacy at
the behest of his party. He was especial
ly vigorous in denouncing those Of his
party associates who were not Willing
to reverse their attitude on the ''plain
duty to Porto Rico" proposal when such
reversal had become the party pro-
gramme. That a man who has so stead
fastly preached party loyalty should
strike recklessly in the face Of Republi-
can prospects has created anything but
GOOD feelings among his associates. There
is, OF course, a prospect that he will be
pursuadeda into reconsidering his action.
But this course is not without its diff
culties. If he should expect / renomi-
nation upon virtual repudiation of the
Iowa State platform he would fall fax
short of unanimous vote in the Third
Iowa District. That is said to be the
strongest tariff reform district in the
State. Anything less than a unanimous
vote for denomination he could not con-
sistently accept under the circumstances
which he has himself created. A new
nomination at the hands of a, divided
party would now be merely reference
Of the division to the polls, where the
cutting of his candidacy could not but
be pronounced. And yet, Mr.. Henderson
could not well accept another nominal
ton unless it were to be accompanied by
some such expression of the allegiance of
the district to him, as against the oppo-
sition toward which he has declared war
It will, therefore, not greatly simplify
matters for him to withdraw, and no evi-
dence as yet appears that he would con-
slider doing so.
Were he to be renon1inated, however,
the important question would arise
whether the Republicans of the House,
assuming that they We're again in con-
troll, could afford to elect him to the
speakership should he be returned. They
would seemingly be lacking in self
respect if they again made as their
leader one who had showed such wanton
lack OF seIf-control, aside from the re-
collection Of the failure of his leadership
in the session which has just closed.
The only argument in favor of doing SO
here, and doubtless a similar one prevails
in his district, is that there is nobody
else wholly available. No party likes to
trade horses during an uninterrupted
period of power, and this has dispelled
from the field the aspirations of other
Republicans who might have been in
training for the speakership. Mr.. H2g-
derson. in his own district, has so out
ranked everybody else that no readily
available man to take his place IS in
sight. But it is doubtful if these consid-
erations will avail to restore him to the
post he has deserted.
A Man of High Temper.
The causes of Speaker Henderson's
withdrawal rest in his own mental make
up as much as anything that has hap
pened in Iowa. He is an extremely high
tempered man. and does not readily
brook interference with what he has
come to regard as vested rights He has
been hardly a large enough man men
tally to sustain the part to which pecu-
cial circumstances assigned him. His
chief gifts have been in the line of
spread-eagle oratory and bonabastic de-
clamation. He has fallen down. when
ever he has tried to handle a great ques-
tion Of public policy. Such an occasion
arose in regard to the London landing
clause, which has become an issue with
the millers of the Northwest. They sue
ceeded in getting a bill through the Sen
ate for the removal of this clause, and
when Tawney, of Minnesota, went s to
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FOUR MEN ESCAPE FROM