Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-11-06
RUM0R HAS IT HE WILL HAVE
To QUIT AS SPEAKER.
Many Combinations Named that Would
Be Able to Reduce Him to Ranks
"Uncle Joe'' Says It's ALI "Pea-
NUT Politics, This Talk From Insur-
gent Members in and Out of Congress.

inc IuTOuc9
Or Will he wage war to the limit
against his foes and emerge again tri-
umphant as the iron duke of American
poltics2
These are the three possibilities upon
which the advance guard OF repre-
sentatives and senators at the national
capitol, awaiting the session which
opens ON December 6, is now speculat-
ing. That the member from Danville,
ILL.,, faces the crucial moment of his
career is no longer a matter of con-
lecture, but whether that engagement
will be a Waterloo or victory for
Uncle Joe" no one can predict with
certainty.
Combined Attack on Cannon.
Four forces will combine this winter
to secure the political scalp of the
speaker. These are:
First, the democrats, fighting purely
along partisan lines for the defeat of
any republican.
Second, the republican insurgents
against the rules.
Third, the disappointed ones in the
recent tariff revision, who hold Speaker
Cannon largely responsible for the fore
ing through of the Payne-Aldrich bill.
And finally, those republicans who
feel that 'for the good of the party"
Cannonism must be rooted out of the
national house of representatives
Two men at least--Fowler of New
Jersey and Parsons of New York, both
republicans-will personally carry the
fight onto the floor of the chamber.
Senator La Toilette, at the other end
of the capitol, through his magazine,
will pour out his walls of wrath.
That at this time, five weeks in adj
vance or the reconvening of congress,
the struggle wakes so bitter as to
find outlet in violent personalities on
the part of those Legislators against
Uncle Joe,n and from the Danville
member in return, is indicative of the
extreme lengths to which the contro-
versy will likely grow.
Then, too, from the wake of the
presidential cruise down the Mississippi
come rumors of decision by number
of republican party leaders that Speaker
Cannon must go in order that the ad-
ministration asd President Taft, in par
ticular, may be saved embarrassment.
Improbable Possibility.
1t is possible that Mr.. Cannon may
himself solve the riddle by quietly
resigning the speakership on the first
day of the session. 1t may be that a
resolution for his dethronement will
carry. Or the anti-Cannon forces may
split again. just as they did on the
question of the rules at the beginning
of the special session, when the defec-
ton of certain democratic element in
voting with the republican machine for
the Fitzgerald amendment alone saved
the day for "Uncle Joe"
Members who are in close touch with
the situation believe that if Cannon is
ousted it will only be after struggle
without precedent in the annals of
American politics. Uncle Joe is rug
ged belligerent and he has the advan-
tage of the house machine at his
command.
Meanwhile, folks are watching Presi-
dent Taft closely. If he so much as
should guide the destinies of the house
the insurgent movement will gain ad-
herents by the score and the wavering
ones in the machine will scurry to get
from under.
Certainly Speaker Cannon IS only hope
to succeed himself as head of the house
for another term lies with President
Taft. Possibly he may stem the tide of
antagonism and remain speaker for the
remainder of his term, but not q single
member now in the city believes he
win again be chosen. Most of them
think Uncle Joe himself is sharp sight.
ed enough to see the handwriting on
the wall and will not even announce his
candidacy for speaker at the expira-
ton of the present congress.
It is by no means certain but that
the house organization itself may stave
off defeat by knitting the present
speaker and putting in his place some
other man-Tawney of Minnesota, for
instance, who is known to have aspira,
tions in that direction, or Smith OF
Iowa, Payne of New York, the present
floor leader; Olmstead of Pennsylvania
or any one of a number of others.
Peanut Politics. He Says.
New Orleans, La.-''It is all peanut
politics, shouted Speaker Cannon to
crowd of 400 senators, representatives
and water delegates at smoker given
Saturday in the Athenaeum. "Uncle
Joe" was swinging a tremendous gave
and a cigar as big as an Indian club
and was replying in his own way to at
tacks recently made upon him by in
surgents in and out of the house OF
representatives