Evening star., 1909-03-12

did not propose to run the chance of
| getting in bad. not only at the Capitol.
but at the other end of the avenue as
| we'll
In this connection Mr. Watson. who
yesterday admitted. with wonderful. even
suspicious frankneSs, that he conceded
the insurgents twenty-five last ditchers,
with five or six more in a wobbly state
made an interesting important if true
statement.
my boy" said he to a Star reporter,
slapping the latter on the back and
smiling an expansive. sunshiny, ALIEN
bracing smile. we have igot the In,
my service as whip Of the House fell down
on a poll. The organization will win In a
walk. Last nights conference OF the In
surgents made that certain. Incidentally.
may say that the bottom has absolutely
election Of Mr.. Cannon as Speaker.
THE situation this morning. from our
viewpoint. looks brighter than 1t has at
any time since the situation became Sc
rious."
1t is only fair to the insurgents TO say
that when Mr.. Watsons confident predic-
tior based on the attendance at the In
surgent conference last night and the
results of the deliberation was brought
to the attention Of Representative Madi-
son Of Kansas one of the insurgent steer
ing committee, he made a fiat contradic-
ton
"Out Of the eighteen men present last
night he said, "only one decided that
he would not support the entire pro-
gram CThis was Miller of Minnesota.)
Lively Fracas Threatened.
1t has been a long time since so many
claims and counter claims have been
flung to the breeze around the CAPITOL
and it has been a long time since such
a lively fight as this one smashed the
usual recess calm into smithereens. 1t
is certain that neither side knows just
where it Is at and that both are f1ll-
ing in the gaps with superheated conver
sation.
An important conference of insurgent
and democratic leaders will be held this
afternoon. Representatives Gardner of
Massachusetts,, Nelson Of Wisconsin,
Madison Of Kansas. Hubbard of Iowa
and Henshaw of Nebraska, the insurgent
steering committee, will represent the
republican malcontents, while Champ
Clark and Representative Oscar Under
wood OF Alabama will attend to demo-
cratic interests.
Rumor has 1t that two matters Of inn
portance not yet prominently mentioned in
this rules row, Will be discussed this att
ernOon. First, suggestion from the
democratic side that they will deliver the
the insurgents to elect some other Speak
er than Uncle Joe Cannon. Second,
from the insurgents that the
rules of the SiXtieth Congress be adopted
only for the special session of the Sixty
first Congress.
This. it is claimed, would have the
advantage of not delaying, by a rules
row, the progress Of tariff legislation
and yet would leave the whole matter
open TO be threshed out Immediately
after fha cnnTpnin0 af the regular
sion In December next.
No insurgents or democrats in authority
would or could confirm these reports this
afternoon.
Roosevelt's Hand Felt.
There is every indication that. although
Theodore Roosevelt is no longer Presi-
dent Of the United States, his influence
will be felt in the House of Representa-
tlves during this rules row.
1t is claimed that Representative Victor
Murdock, one Of the most irreconcilable Of
the insurgents. has letter from DR.. Ly-
man Abbot, editor-in-chief of the Outlook
informing him that at a meeting of the
editors OF the Outlook which was attend
ed by Associate Editor Xheodore Roose-
welt, 1t was decided to support the insur-
gents In every way possible.
The insurgents are pictured as griev-
ing because this letter did not come
sooner, but as being determined to use
the Roosevelt influence for all it Is
worth---if it is now worth anything-in
keeping their forces in line and in Sc
curing recruits, If possible. during the
short working time remaining.
The insurgents were in session for
more than three hours last night, and
1T is known that good deal Of the time
was consumed by a discussion Of a pos
sible compromise with the organization
forces. which would permit of the ap-
At.
Of q committee to revise the rules, and
Postponement Discussed.
Undoubtedly it was this discussion
that gave rise to the report mentioned
above that the insurgents had suggested
postponing the row until December in
order not to delay tariff legislation
The organization leaders said today
they would not compromise. They would
not discuss their attitude with reference
to the proposal to put the whole fight over
until December. Probably they might be
brought to agree to this.
Chairman Augustus Gardner said after
the conference last night:
"The meeting voted unanimously to
give the tariff bill the right of way, and
decided upon a program embodying a
definite plan for a thorough revision of
the rules. This program will not be made
public until Congress is organized
PERSISTENT RUM0RS OF WAR.