Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-16

Washington, D. c., Jan. 13.-Less
than twenty members were present
when the house met at IL O'Clock to-
day to continue the Philippine tariff
debate.
The insurgent forces now present
an unbroken front, despite the assaults
of the President and Speaker Cannon.
Representative Babcock, the insurgent
leader, now has fifty one votes pledged
in writing against the adoption of the
rule which will be brought in with
the statehood bill He declares that
he has at least dozen more who will
vote with him when the rule comes up,
but who do not care to be subjected
to lectures and threats by the house
organization in the meantime.
The, President took hand in the an
ti-statehood fight yesterday by send
ing for the republican delegation from
Missouri. This delegation is com
posed of new men with the exception
of Representative Bartholdt. The del.
legation filed into the executive office
OF the President. The entire delega-
ton had insurgent leanings until last
week, when Speaker Cannon appar-
entity won all over except Representa-.
tive Murphy. Later it was found that
Representative Fulkerson had revolted
and was with the insurgents.
President Gives Advice.
The President told the delegation
that the way to remain in congress was
to always be in line with their party.
He said he was sorry to see that some
OF the Missourians had been led off the
beaten path.
All the Missourians except Murphy
and Fulkerson, pledged themselves to
support the President in anything from
an anti-statehood fight to wolf hunt.
The two insurgents refused and remain
with the Snti-statehood forces.
elligT Cannon is now pursuing a
No.. as of carupaAgn Al hsa sugges-
ton Representative Bartholdt yester-
day called the committee on public
buildings and grounds together and ap-
pointed subcommittee to hear the var
ious projects which have now been put
before the committee. Bills appropri-
ating more than s4O,o00,0OO are now
before the committee, and until the
insurgent forces gained such forrnid-
able strength Speaker Cannon had
given it out straight that he did not in
tend that any pork BARREL" as the
bill is known, should go through-at
least not while there is a deficit in
the treasury
Cannon Not Dlsmayed.
Speaker Cannon has not given up
the fight by any means. He and his
friends still are claiming that they
will be victorious, but Representative
Babcock apparently has the votes
pledged in writing. With the aid of
democratic votes, which go solidly
against joint statehood for New Mexi-
co and Arizona, the insurgents need
only between fifty and sixty votes to
defeat any rule.
The insurgent movement has divorc.
ed itself from the Philippine tariff
bill and will not take an active part
in fighting that bill, although many OF
the insurgents are beet sugar men
who are bitterly opposed to lowering
the tariff on Philippine sugars. The
beet sugar people will vote solidly
against the passage of the tariff bill,
and may vote with the democrats to
remove the differential duty. BY re.
moving the differential the sugar trust
will be brought into the fight against
the bill.
Public Building Bill.
Representative Bartholdt is now cir
culating the report that the speaker
may be induced to permit the passage
of a public building bill, providing it
does not exceed $14,000,000 The
scramble has now begun to get inside
the $14,000000 appropriation. The
speaker promised insurgents that if
they would desert and again get with.
in the breastworks they would be tax.
en- care of in the public building bill
II" there is such bill. The action
Of Chairman Bartholdt of the public
buildings committee yesterday was for
the purpose of holding steady those
who have been taken into camp on this
proposition and to keep the bait fresh
enough to catch others.
V