The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-12-24
INSURGENTS ARE
SEEKING AN ISSUE
They Are Confronted by Two Dangers,
and, Furthermore, Their constitu-
ents Demand Fearless
Action.

Action
Washington, December "a Wanted
An issue. BY thirty or more insurgent
members Of the House Of Representa-.
tiYes. Issue must be squarely upon the
rules and guaranteed not TO endanger
members standing at the White House.
Some sure method 81 taking the gavel
away from Speaker Cheney preferred.
Any issue acceptable that win give the
country at large an idea that the insur-
gents are fearlessly fighting car rules
and a car ruler"
An advertisement like the above may
be inserted IN the daily papers one q
these days, unless the insurgent leaders
Of the House find the issue they are
looking for nearer the House OF Repre-
sentatives than they have discovered up
to date. II they can find the issue, they
assert, they can very quickly get enough
votes 10 overthrow the rules, speaker
and all.
AN issue Il really All we are waiting
for Al present" said Victor Murdoch Of
Kansas, who is the recognized leader of
the insurgent forces. Tt must be square
" upon the rules or we cannot do BUSH
ness Some suggestion has been made
that we agree upon the postal savings
bank as an inviting plank TO stand upol,
but there Is too much opposition to that
scheme for VS. 20 hope 10 do anything
with II. So II looks as though there
WAS nothing 10 do but wait until the
rules themselves can be attacked, then
10 go ahead and overthrow the speaker.
so far as | am personally concerned,
am against Cannonism in particular
and III general ] intend to keep on
fighting the speaker until ! Get him,
Some Of the other folks, however, haik
at the idea Of making a personal attack
on Cannon, so the best thing we can do
Is to wait until We can al get to-
gether"
The House insurgents are confronted
by two dangers while they are engaged
ID their effort to overthrow Uncle Joe.
IN the first place, If they are not sue.
eessful they are very likely to lose
whatever influence they have in the
House. because Of inability to secure
recognition from the powers controlling
that body; and, second they may lose
out with the president for opposing
Legislation that the administration wants
enacted There are a lot of postmasters
to b. appointed this session
What makes the situation Of good
many insurgents all the more tickiish is
the fact that their constituents at home
demand a fearless attitude Of them and
expect TO see their representatives per
s0nally twist the tail OF power every
time they read the home paprs Many
III them we're elected upon an anti-Cannon
I platform. and when they come up FOR re.
election next fall, they may have to "a
some strenuous explaining to hold Their
jobs.
Although the insurgents have held a
number OF meetings since their organizs-
ton under the aain.t he.rules banner last
winter, they have not yet been able Il
formulate any very definite plan Of cam
paign Il IS probable that a number d
them win take the stump next summer
to ASSET the primary lights Of would b
congressman who viii promise, II elected
to strengthen the insurgent forces By
so doing they may add to their ranks
next session. when they think they vii
lave more Of chance seally To 40 things
Tie one point On which al the insur.
gents are agreed Il that the speaker
has too much power under the present
iruie= Naturally, the element Of per.
sonalilies enters into the fight When
even such an abstract thing as the rules
themselves are being fought, and ID
Speaker Cannon il the storm center
That Uncle Joe has exercised the power
given him under the rules. and right
/ vigorously, IS not denied BY even the
most rigid organization adherent Ii
fact, the speaker himself IS wiling
enough 70 say that be Yields the gavel
70 suit himself and the best interest.
81 the party, a. be sees the best interests
10 be.
The moment that the majority Of
the House wants me to step down. III
step down he has said more than once
1T Is ridiculous to say that the House
as whole, Or az q majority, is opposed
20 me, Ny gavel Is IN my hands only
by suiferance and can be taken from
Them AZ any moment the majority indi.
Gates the wish"
The supporters Of the present rules as.
sart that the end sought by the insm.
gents would be fatal to wise legislation
They want the House run under tie
same rules as the Senate" said one Of
the organization supporters, "but if those
rules were in force they would be ths
first To demand that they BE changed
In the Senate, they have unlimited de,
bate How much business, do you sup.
| pose, would the House ever accomplish
with every member able to talk as long
as he ch0seg Why. we'd never get
anything through and the sessions would
last throughout the years
IN the developments Of the navy. the
United States has reached point at
which it is necessary for Congress to
stop and consider
Il is no longer question Of building
hattleships but q question Of manning
them Already the navy has forty five
thousand men, but the number II insuif.
eient to man the ships now at sea and
- - Eu,ruuIxssrs.svzs.zs.zu.