The Washington times., 1908-09-28
Will Not Attend Caucus for
His Reelection TO
Speakership.
AFRAID INFLUENCE
WILL HURT r4RTl
Church People Expect His Defeat,
But Politicians Look for Small
Winning Majority.
By JOHN SNURE

Q
alarmed at the reports received from
various Congressional districts Not
only has hostility 10 Speaker Cannon
been revealed in unexpected quarters,
but It has been discovered that an ac-
tive movement is in progress TO Sc
cure signatures from Republicans,
pledging them TO refuse TO enter Re
publican caucus should Mr.. Cannon's
name be presented TO it.
1t is known twelve Congressional nom
inees in districts certainly Republican
have signed pledge to remain away
from any caucus 10 which Mr.. Cannon
IS presented for the Speakership nomi-
The States in which this movement
has received the Endorsement Of Re
publican Congressional candidates are
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Kan
SaS- The names OF the twelve Republi-
can candidates for Congress who have
taken this unusual step viii not be re-
ve8led
OJher Republican candidates for Con-
gTess who have been urged to enter
into this agreement have refused 70 do
SO, on the ground that IL viii be i'm
polite for them 10 take such a revolu-
uonary step. They have not heStated
70 say. however, that they will refuse TO
vote for Mr.. Cannon for Speaker. and
VIII not be bound by caucus nOmina-
non II IS the consensus of political
opinion now that the fight for control of
the House will be a close one. no matter
how the Presidential election may go.
VIII Be Small.
But even If the Republicans do have d
majority. 1t is nowhere believed that It
will be large. No one for a moment be-
neves it viii approximate the present
majority Of fifty. and the Republican
Congressional committee would be more
than saJSned II IL felt sure OF carrying
the lower HoU Sc by a majority OF twelve
OF fifteen
1t would require a majority much lar
ger than that anticipated TO secure the
reelection of Speaker Cannon. Should
the. Republicans sweep the Congress
SlOnal districts, so as 10 have major
ity Of fifty or sixty, il would be i'm
possible 70 defeat Mr.. Cannon for
Speaker. CannOn.s friends would point
70 such a majority as a VindiCatiOn or
his actions, and the methods which had
been pursued by the Committee on
Rules.
With a big Republican majority re
turned 10 the lower House, the regime
which has directed II for several years
would continue its methods. and Insist
Il had been yindiCated at the polls
Il Will take a Republican landslide,
however, 10 save Mr.. Cannon and his
House machine. Particularly in the
West, there IS a revolt against him, and
Republicans everywhere are protesting
that he has proved himself a dead
weight on the national ticket
It will not be admitted here in the
Congressional committee that MT. Can
non Is IN any danger of defeat in the
Eighteenth Illinois district. The Re
publican Congressional leaders have
made a sufficient canvass OF the district
10 convince themselves that the Speaker
Is In no DANCE Of actual defeat
May Be Justified.
What they do fear, however, is that
his majority OF 1000 will be so cut that
his opponents in his own party will
point TO that as a Justification OF the
stand they are taking in opposing his
reelection as Speaker. The Democrats
and the Methodists, who, in this par
ucular fight are working hand in hand
with the labor leaders, are persuaded
that Cannon will be defeated Thev de-
clare that the revolt against him is of
tremendous proportions.
Missouri, Tennessee, and Oklahoma
from now on Will be stubbornly con
tested by the Republicans. While the
Democrats have been Centering their
attacks upon Ohio, Indiana, and Wis
consin, the Republican leaders have Sc
cured representations from certain Dem
ocratc states which have convinced
them there is a lighting chance, and
better. in each
In the case Of Missouri, 1t Is argued
that such a contest as the Republicans
have put forward IN Indiana would, If
applied 10 Missouri, assure that State
10 the Republican column The situa-
ton in Tennessee is even more inviting
~ N~AN-A'-A-e---~' e-Ae~AA N--eAN III MIS-
souri,
The stories which have crept into print
TO date have almost exclusively been
confined to presenting the Republican
rows in States which have been regard
ed heretofore as solid for the ReDub-
Ncan ticket.
Now It Is discovered that the Demo-
Gratis have on their hands in Tennessee
q party quarrel which IS quite as in
tense as that which cOnfrOntS the Re
publiCans in Iowa and Wisconsin, and
Hnanm d.
nessee IS much less than the Republican
majority in the other States. The quar-
rel between Senator Carmack, who is
hre-eater, and Patterson, who defeated
him for the gubernatorial nomination. is
bitter and apparently irreconCilable.
May Knife Ticket.
Carmack's followers are accused of an
intention 10 knife the national ticket.
and the Patterson followers. in turn
are said to be Indifferent to the success
Of the national ticket and ready to trade
Il of. The Republican national COM
mittee was sufficiently impressed with
the opportunity presented In the State
10 arrange for two speeches In TenneS-
see by Mr. Taft, and other speakers viii
be sent 10 the State
Telegrans which are pouring in from
Oklahoma have convinced the RepUD-
lican leaders that there is hope of carry
ing that State. Senator Dixon, espe-
Cially, is convinced that Oklahoma IS
made familiar with the hostility toward
Haskell. which had beer felt even be
fore the Hearst disclosures and the
movement which has been started TO
force Haskeu's resignation as governor.
From now or Oklahoma Republicans
will be given every encouragement To
make an aggressive fight
Walter S. Dickie. chairman Of the
Missouri Republican committee. was at
headquarters today. Discussing the
Missouri situation, he said:
I thoroughly believe we will carry
Missouri both for Taft and for Hadley.
! base this prediction upon the COndl-|
tiOns, business and political, which we
discover exist through the agricult turai
counties Of the State
We have discovered, moreover. that
the railroad vote IN Missouri will be
divided along the same general lines as
IN former Presidential campaigns The
farmers Of Missouri were never so pros
porous as they are this year. They do
not want any change in adminiSt ration,
and the railroad men do not want the
election OF President who would in
terfere with a return Of the great pros
perily they have enjoyed"
With Missouri. Oklahoma. and Ten
nessee lighting ground. there IS now
presented the remarkable situation Of
political battle IN less than twenty