Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-19
NOT GWEN CREOENCE
Report That Taft Is Opposed
to Cannon's Reelection.
MUCH INTEREST AROUSED
View in Congressional and Political
Circles.
PARTY HARMONY DESIRED
Antagonist to the Speaker, It Is
Asserted. Would Create Factions
and Impair Executive
Usefulness.
MUCH INTEREST AROUSED
PARTY HARMONY DE
DESIRED

Considerable interest was created i'll
congressional and political circles TO-DAY
by the report from Hot Springs, Va, that
Vice President-elect James s. Sherman
had been discussing the speakership OF the
next House with Mr.. Taft and had found
Mr.. Taft disposed to view with dlsfaNof
the reelection of Speaker Cannon.
The report was not given full credence
in every quarter, since it was deemed I'M
thinkable that Mr.. Taft contemplates an
attempt to dictate the election OF a
Speaker of the House-au absolutely UNI
precedented act in the entire history of
Congress and the government 1t must
follow that if he intended to oppose Mr..
Cannons reelection, he would have to
suggest candidate who would be accept
able TO him, and use coercion and federal
patronage to elect him.
No one in Washington is quite ready to
believe that Mr.. Taft is geared up to any
such action. Such a course. it is claimed,
would be entirely foreign to his mental
makeup. his judicial character and his
knowledge of and reverence for the fun
damental rights of the, coordinate
branches of the government-1egisIativ
executive and judicial ~
Some Practical Conditions. -.
Aside from principle involved. it is
pointed out that there are practical con-
siderations which would deter him from
attempting to supplant Mr.. Cannon with
a man of his personal choice.
In the first place, it is claimed. such
an fort would .embroil the next eXecu-,
live with Congress at the very outset of
his administration, and even in the event
II.
other Speaker the contest would leave
scars which would be felt during the en-
tire tenure of Office of the President.
Speaker Cannon is so thoroughly in
trenched in the esteem and affection of
the republicans of the House that he
cannot be set aside without a show of
cause and merely upon clamor, it is
claimed.
No Nucleus of Opposition.
1t is pointed out that there is no nu-
cleus of opposition to him in the newly
elected House of Representatives. Mr..
Lenroot of Iowa is the sole representative
elect who has declared he will not be
bound by a republican caucus which re-
elects Mr.. Cannon.
Several candidates for Congress from
Kansas and Nebraska who detained
against the Speaker in a desperate effort
to save their bacon We're not elected. In
the absence, therefoSe, q existent 1ragoA
pective revolt among the nfenseerszthem-
selves, pressure for his defeat must come
from the outside but there will be wide
spread resentment if it SHOULD come from
the White House. =
The spirit of subserviency to the execu-
tive which has occasionally marked the
attitude of the House during the admin
istration of President. Roosevelt CANNOT be
counted upon in the next Congress, IL Is
frequently stated: This will be true. tor
two reasons. First. because Mr.. Ta1t Is
not of the temperament to ruthlessiy IN
fringe the rights of the coordinate
branch, and second. because the legls-
lative branch has had bitter experience
and will profit by Ii in sadness and con-
triton 1t has seen the evils OF yielding
inch by inch, and it is claimed that there
will be more display of backbone in the
future.
Desirability of Harmony.
Another practical consideration which
is expected to control Mr.. Taft in this
case is the desirabilty of maintaining
the spirit of harmony and cooperation
in the coming administration. upon which
every one is counting so heavily. 1t is
pointed out that never has a President
approached his Office with brighter pros
pect of cordial welcome and cooperation
from republicans of all beliefs.
" The situation is on par with the be-
tration. when 1.-The era of good feeling
was in full sway, only to be checked by
the tragedy which permitted A different
policy to become effective. Fdctionalsm
in the party was disappearing. party lines
in the country at large were merging, and
the President was assured of his hands
being upheld on every side. Mr.. Taft, it
is insisted. was elected by much the same
spirit and element-a vote of confidence
in his character and esteem of his per-
sonality. ->~-
Report Secuted by Sherman.
Vice Presdent-elect James s. Sherman
OF New York was in the city d few hours
today. He came from Hot Springs, Va
this morning in private car with Will
liam L. Ward of New York, and the car
laid over in the yards until 1 o'clock this
afternoon. when Mr.. Sherman left for
New York.
To friends who talked with him Mr.