The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-03-06
Insurgents and Democrats
Have Plan to Elect An
other Speaker.
VICTOR MURDOCH
IS THEIR CHOICE
Republicans in Plot Epected to
Stay Out of Coming
Caucus.

Politics IN the House OF Representa-
uvcs is seething boiling, f,.ming
mass, now that Congress has got
recess and a breathing spell.
Encouraged by the great showing
they made the other day on the propo-
siton to amend the rules, opponents
Of Cannon are busy. They count upon
votes enough to amend the rules on
March IS and to prevent the Speaker
hereafter retaining the power TO die
tate the committees.
But this is not all. A fortnight ago
there would have been complete salts
faction with such an assurance To
day the insurgent Republicans and
Democrats are seriously considering
renewal Of the effort to defeat Speaker
Cannon entirely. and It is even in
tjmated that If President Taft is viii
ing 70 give his coUntenanCe TO the
move nent, there is good chance to eff
feet il
How They Figure 1t.
The mathematics Of the situation Is
simple. If twenty-four Republicans Of
the incoming House will stay out of
the caucus and agree never TO vote
for Cannon, he can not be elected.
The insurgent Republicans are positive
that they have twenty men now will
ing TO do that. They know just where
they expect to get five or six more,
though they have not yet put their
fingers on and pledged them. They
have matters working, however, and
are by no means hopeless of success.
The Democrats are responsible for
this revival Of the anti-Cannon pro-
posal, and they have taken II UP be-
cause of their great satisfaction over
the recent showing on the rules. The
independents explain that they never
believed the Republican insurgents
would stand fire. The Republican re-
Calcitrants, similarly, never had any
confidence that the Democrats would
stand by them through a real fight
It turned out when the test came that
both crowds stood to the rack and both
were pleasureably surprised
That showing gave both crowds new
courage. Why couldn't they 80 far
Their and beat the Speaker? No sooner
suggested than acted upon.
Democrats Proposition.
From the Democratic side came the
proposal now under consideration:
If you insurgent Republicans Will
stay out Of your caucus on Speaker
say the Democrats, and will vote for
some man Of your own number who Is
as perfectly good a Republican as you
can bring forward, we will undertake
after a reasonable time, TO vote the
Democrats in a mass for him and
make him Speaker. Can you do it2'
Three or four Republicans have been
named who, according to Democratic
constructors, would be entirely salts
factory to them. First in the list comes
Victor Murdoch, of Kansas, who has
been the most energetic and persistent
s,s IL surgents. He has oraved the
Speakers wrath and the wrath Of all
tho powers of the House Tor years, In
the effort to make the fight effective
He has written newspaper and maya
7ine articles assailing the Speaker and
his cohorts, and has never overlooked
an opportunity 20 make a speech full
of the most caustic comment on con-
ditiCns.
tie has acquired a magnificent row or
Influential enemies but incidentally ne
has convinced everybody OF his sin
ceTity and courage. The DenOcrats-at
least those who are working on this
project-say he would be ali excellent
presiding officer, and they would be pct
ter of under him than under Cannon.
Plan in Detail.
Here is the plan, then:
To make Murdoch a coalition Speaker,
under IN arrangement by which the
Democratic representation on the com
nlittees should be slightly increased.
To adopt the new rule. for selection
C the committees through a committee
On committees
To have the insurgents given a repre-
seutation on all committees Of such
proportions that, together with the
Democrats. the insurgents could over
5urn the control Of the committees-at
least the important ones-Dy the old
organization.
This would be real revolution. II
would take the power, the Speakership,
tie committees, everything, away from
rfse Cannon supporters, and would bring
sbcut a condition IN which the insllr-
gents and Democrats would try their
hards at working together and running
ThiL Is.
II is entirely possible IL twenty-four
Republicans viii 90 in for II. The Dem
ocrats say positively they know they
can hold their forces in line The in
surgents are just Is positive they have
twenty sure votes. Wanted: four more