The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-12-10
WASHINGTON LETTER,

Speaker Cannon has returned to WASH
ington prepared to do battle with the In
surgents no matter how strong or how
numerous they may be. He has thrown
La Toilette and Bristow, to Represen-
tatives Gardiner, Murdoch and Cooper
and has announced that he is ready to
fight out the issue as to what real Re.
publican is. Speaker Cannon holds that
these Insurgents who voted against the
tariff bill and against the Reed rules and
added to these votes their voices of pro-
test on the stump should no lohger be
known as Republicans. He is strong in
the opinion that these men can not sub.
scribe to the cardinal principles of the
Republican party and at the same time
criticize the protective tariff system which
he believes is the major principle. He
declares further that men who do their
utmost to disrupt party should have no
comfortable dwelling place within its
ranks and for these reasons be has herald.
ed it broadcast that it is to be session of
war to the knife.
The Insurgents on the other hand
welcome this strife. They claim that the
tariff bill was a measure at variance with
Republican promises, that Uncle Joe and
his House organization do not reflect the
sentiments of the rank and file of Re-
publican voters, that they the insurgents
believe heartily in the protective system
but not in prohibitive duties. They as
sert further that the Republican party
must rid itself of Speaker Cannon in
order to be victorious in the coming
Congressional campaign. Representative
Murdoch of Kansas, the leader of the In
surgents in the House, declares that there
are at least forty-ive Republicans who
will not submit to the Speakers dietation
during the coming session and that they
Twill vote with the democrats when it is
necessary to overthrow Mr. Cannotss
epet measures. . One of the contests
may come on the question of Postal
Savings Bank legislation while the
amendments TO the Interstate Commerce
law are certain to furnish many trials of
strength.
~
officials of the Treasury Department
who have begun the work of investigating
the exorbitant premiums exacted from
government employees by fidelity bonding
companies declare that concerted effort
will be made by these companies to
bring about the defeat of Jas. A. Tawney,
chairman of the House committee on
Appropriations. Mr. Tawney is the
author of provision in the last Sundry
Civil bill which prohibited bonding CON-
panies from increasing their rates 10
government employees. He also is the
father of plan to have the government
bond its own employees. Before Mr..
Tawney's legislation became effective it'll
was the intention of many of the bonding
companies to double their rates. Because
of this activity on the part of Mr.. Tawney
the bonding companies have, it is under
stood, undertaken to raise campaign
fund which will be used against him in
his district.
~
The members OF the congressional
party, just returned from Panama,
while intensely enthusiastic at the pro.
gress being made on the canal are I'M
animous in the opinion that the Isthmus
Canal Commission should be ablished
and to this end they will endeavor to
effect the passage of the Mann bill at the
coming session of Congress. Represen-
tative Mann's measure will provide for
the abolition of the Commission and the
appointment of director general of the
Canal Zone who will have entire charge
OF, all departments, administrative. mill