Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-21
MOST PECULIAR
REQUEST MADE
Congressman-Elect Peter A. Por-
ter Wants His Name on Rec
ord as Republican.
HAS CAUSED CONTENTION.
ais Motion Is Apparently Without
Precedent and VIII Undoubtedly
BE Denied by House.
lk,peoIal clorrespondence.

Special Correspondence.
Washington, ID. c., Dec. liza very
peculiar contention has arisen over the
request OF Congressman Peter A.
Porter Of the Thirty-fourth New York
district, 10 have his name recorded In
me list OF members-elect as a Repub-
lean. Mr., Porter's request appears TO
be without precedent and will be de-
ried. There have been instances In the
past when members OF the house and
even senators have been elected by one
party who have subsequently repudi-
sted the platforms upon which they
were elected and the party which elect
ed them. But these cases were based
upon the fact that the senators ana
representatives found the policies OF
their party incompatible with their
conscientious beliefs.
WHAT sIBLEY DID.
Mr.. sibIey OF Pennsylvania, elected
MS Democrat, did not agree with his
party on several national quesu0ns ara
he formally forcswore further allegi-
Of the house announced his intention 70
thereafter affiliate with the Republic
cans. Senators Dubois OF Idaho and
Pettigrew OF South Dakota we're elected
10 the senate as Republicans. They
disagreed with their party's deelara-
tions on the silver question as enunciat-
ed In the platform OF 1896 and there
after affiliated with the Democrats. SEN
ator Dubois was subsequently elected 10
the senate as IL Democrat and is Sun
serving as such.
But tho case OF Mr., Porter IL differ
ent. A copy OF the official ballot upon
which he was elected shows that ne was
the candidate OF the regular Democrats
and the Independence league, and tnat
while he also appears on the Dallot as
an independent he did not claim, Of
ficially, anywhere that he was an IN
dependent Republican SO far as the
memory OF the Oldest official OF the
house extends back there has never
been time when member elected on
ono ticket claimed the right 10 be re-
corded as member Of the opposing
party.
WOULD BE SUICIDAL.
one OF the best posted parliamentary
advisers OF Speaker Cannon In discuss-
ing the Porter request today SAID. 10
grant the request of the member elect
that he be formally admitted as iull
fiedRed Republican would be suicidal,
even II compliance were possible. IL
would open up too many complications
How? Well 1 will endeavor to explain
suppose that there should be TWO can
uidates lOr speaker, and two Candidates
for each OF the elective offices or ule
house. Now imagine not contest
and an even division OF the Republic
ans.elect between the two tickets, Inc
admission of a Democrat, or man VINO
owes his election principally 10 Demo-
cratic votes, or the Republican caucus
might result in that member deciding
the result. And II one Democrat
should be 80 admitted. why not ~ or
a hundred2 ~
mot only would such course d.
rectly affect the organization OK the
house itself, but II would follow thAt
the vote of those OF the Democrats 50
admitted to an opposition party eau
Gus would naturally affect the organize
ton of every committee OF the house
and incidentally would nave direct
and important bearing upon the legls-
latiye policies. Never yet has mem-
her of this house been elected by one
party and Immediately admitted to the
councils Of the opposition and there is
no likelihood that the speaker VIII en-
deavor to create precedent for the
political benefit OF Mr. Porter.
The members of the Democratic con-
pressional committee are sore on Mr.
Porter. That gentleman asked the
support OF the committee, but the day
following his election he announced
himself as a Republican. He will prob