The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-16
Insurgents Gaining strength.

One of the best grounds for the belief that the House insurgents have a good deal more strength than the organization T is willing to concede is the fact that the administration two statehood bill is still held in committee.
 ! According to a high authority in the ] House, the speaker has determined not Tito allow this bill to come out of commit tee until he is assured of enough votes to pass it. This, the insurgents say, means that the bill will never be reported. On the other hand, those who are talking for the organization say it will be reported at an early date. By holding the bill in committee, the record of division in re- publican ranks would be avoided, and this is doubtless the programme of the organ ization. The charges reputed to the Pres ident with respect to the use of money to defeat the two statehood bill was to- day the general topic of discussion at the capitol The insurgents did not seem to have any doubt that the President actually used the words attributed to him.
 { The denial of MT. Loeb the Presidents secretary, would not be discussed by the Missouri republican congressman, nearly all of whom are new men serving their first and last term in Congress and there fore unwilling to have an open split with the administration over a question of ve- racity.
 Pulse Beating Rapidly.
 The White House pulse is beating very rapidly these days and the progress of administration at the capital is on the other hand very slow. The Philippine bill which promises to pass the House tomorrow through the support of demo- crats, is in for long siege in the Senate
 .&oNA hood bill rests in the House committee. Railroad legislation Is no further ad- vance than it was in the last Congress, the Santo Domingo treaty is hung up in the Senate the administration trying to secure four Democrats who will vote for 1t; federal control of life insurance is dead and any currency legislation Is ad- mittedlS- out of the question:.
 , Combined with it all Is the patronage question. The other day Representative Ii Clark of Missouri made a speech and declared in effect that republican con gressnen without pap was a zero. The President is daily turning down repub- lican members of Congress on postoffices sn their own districts. which from time immemorial they have controlled without a question on the part of the administra- ton. Now republican member of the House picks up the Congressional Record and sees where the President has sent In Ghe nOmlndI1On or SD1ue fIldD or WfOm ne knows almost nothing for postmaster at his town. Naturally his constituents don't understand 1t, and the first thing he knows a report gains currency that he will have opposition for reelection. The congressman makes a kick and gets no satisfaction, being told that the new postmaster has a good record, Is rela- tive of an ex-Rough Rider, was recom- mended by one of the senators or some thing of that sort.
 Irritating to House Members.
 The latter excuse is especially irritat- ing to members of the House. As one of the insurgents put 1t today: "Yes, that's lust it. A senator ought to have any more power than member of the House. The reason he has is that the President has been made to believe that the whole republican side of the House can be voted like sheep, and all he has to do Is to see one man. the Speaker. When he makes terms with him the whole question is settled But it is entirely the fault of the House. As long as its members re main supine and decline to assert their Individuality no one will have any re- spect for them'
 he insurgents are taunting the organ iz tion republicans on this line, and 1t Is extremely discomforting, because true. An Illinosian happened to mention to an insurgent sympathizer today that he was fin great doubt about whether the Presi- dent was going to follow his recommenda- ton in postoffice case. He is an organ ization man, always votes the way the Speaker wants him. "The trouble is," an insurgent whispered to him. the President knows you will vote right and I dare say he feels that he can do pretty much as he pleases about your postoffice case. Does he ever consult you about legislation?" The member is probably deeply pondering over the matter.