New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-09
REVOLT IN THE HOUSE
MAE DEFEAT LEADERS,.
Insargent Combination against
Philippine and Statehood Bills.
IFrom The Tribune Rureau. ]

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington, Jan S.-That a erayelv critical
situation exists in the House is longer denied
| by the leaders of the lower chamber, and it is
admitted that the complications are such as to
tax to the utmost the strategic ability of Speaker
Cannon and his close advisers. 1t appears that
an offensive and defensive alliance between what
are known the beet sugar" Republicans, the
anti-Stateheed Republicans and the Democrats
has been quietly perfected under the leadership
of Representative Babcock, of Wisconsin, and
the indications are that tonight the so-called
insurgents have sufficient strength in this
combination to defeat the Speaker and the
| House leaders
Speaker Cannon. however, is facing the situa-
ton with equanimity. and is confident Of his
ability ultimately to- defeat the opposition pro-
gramme. which consists of attaching to the
Philippine Tariff bill amendment repeating
that section of the Dingley act which provides
for differential duty refined sugar and of
adding to the Statehood bill amendment pro-
viding that Arizona and New-Mexlco snail not
be combined in a single State unless a majority
of the voters in each Territory shall express at
the polls their appreciation of such coalition
It appears that Representative Babcock, +oy
reason of the peculiar influence he enjoys with
new members, many of whom feel indebted 10
him as chairman of the Republican Congress
Committee for their election found little di1r-
Guilty in effecting the combination winch no"
threatens the Republican organization in the
House.
The scheme of amending the Philippine tarliI
bin by striking off the differential on renheu
sugar Is not new. having been successfully used
when the Cuban Reciprocity bill passed the
House and the amendment which it is proposed
to add TO the Statehood bill is the same as that
offered by Senator Foraker in the upper house
x1faO @ Statehood
on passage year ago.
LEADERS PLANS CHANGED.
The plan of the Speaker and his advisers to
replace the Philippine bill with the Statehoou
hill was abandoned to-day. it was perceived
that this would play into the hands of the in
surgents On the contrary, it is now intended
to force the Philippine bill to vote first SO
that the anti-Statehood men will have to vote
against a measure which is strongly advocated
by the administration and opposed on its merits
by only handful of Representatives before they
receive their compensation in the form of sup
mort of their statehood amendment. The House
leaders hone 10 force vote the Philippine
bill by Friday. although they admit that their
plans are subject to change at any moment
Meanwhile the Speaker is doing valiant work
in bringing the younger members into me. ne
sends for the colts" in groups. emitting TO in
,-ite the more stanch adherents of the BabcOck
faction. and then quietly reasons with them.
To a group of members from State which has
usually returned a large Democratic delegation,
the Speaker said to-day:
Boys l hear that you purpose to support
Babeoek in his fight against the House organiza-
ton"
Receiving an affirmative reply, he continued:
We'll for a great many years your State has
been sending a large Democratic delegation down
rS,a
Roosevelt landed you fellows behind the breast
works Now. the first thing you propose to do
is to repudiate policy strongly advocated by
the President and to defeat the Republican or
ganization in the House. Does it occur to you
that the folks back home may conclude that
they might just we'll have saved themselves
all the trouble of electing you and have sent
the old Democratic delegation to Washington?
Even the Democrats who preceded you could
have done no more than to vote against the
President. the organization and with the Demo-
Gratis"
1t is believed that the Speakers homely logic is
having its effect. and that many of the men who
half halfway pledged themselves to support the
''insurgent' cause are growing fainthearted. It
is on this assumption that the Speaker bases
his hope to be able to bring the Philippine bill
TO vote by Friday but he is prepared ito mark
time until the enthusiasm of the colts dies out"
however long that may take. and he is confident
that time viii do wonders in bringing the
youngsters into line
Meanwhile the Republican whip, Mr.. Watson,
and two or three trusted eutenants making
a most thorough canvass of the House, and just
as soon as it be shown that the ''insurgent'
strength is broken, the Republican leader, Mr..
Payne, viii move the previous question on the
Philippine bill
The leaders say that if they can dispose of the
Philippine bill on Friday they will be able to
get vote The Statehood measure by Tues
day OF next week. and that then the House will
be free to devote itself to discussion of railroad
rate legislation until a rate measure is actually
ready for passage or the Urgent Deficiency bill
is reported by the Committee on Appropriations.
TAXES UP NORRIS CASE.