The Washington times., 1909-10-23
RULES MAY REMAIN,
BUT CANNON MAY GO
RepreSentativeM Murdoch Says
Speaker May Be Sac
rihced.
By J. c. WELLIvER.

By J. c. WELLIVER.
Representative Victor Murdoch of
Kansas has delivered a very plain state
meRt concerning the fears of the Repub-
lican Insurgents in the House. that they
may win nominal victory in their
fight against Cannonisn. and yet be de-
fedted as to all the substantials.
Mr.. Murdoch declares in an interview
that Speaker Cannon will in due time
be forced by his own following to re-
tire in order that somebody else of his
own faction, less eminent and therefore
less Objectionable, may take his place
and save the old organization, rules, and
traditions It would be the sacrifice of
the head Of a system, in order to save
the system.
Long before the adjournment Of the
special session last summer, the insur-
gents were INDUCING among themselves
talk Of Just such an emergency. They
have made no concealment Of the fact
that the opposition to Cannon is one
OF their greatest assets That is. they
md that the public knows more about
Cannon than It does about the Cannon
rules and organization. The Cannon
rules are mighty vague and indefinite in
the average mans mind. Cannon is
very concrete.
Night Control Minnesota.
A proposition TO drop Cannon and
elect. say. James A Tawney to be
Speaker, and 10 continue the old rules
would probably command a number OF
insurgent votes. In the first place,
Tawney might control the entire dele
cation from Minnesota, which otherwise
would be absolutely opposed to a con-
unuanee Of the Cannon program. This
IS the very condition 20 which Mr. Taw-
ney has been looking forward. with his
ambition 10 be reelected and to be a
candidate for the Speakership. He
knows that there is serious prospect
that If the next House is Republican. II
will be utterly impossible to elect Can
non its Speaker.
A compromise win be attempted
Tawney, Stevens OF Minnesota, Walter
Smith of Iowa. are the men who
have been most talked Of in connection
with such an arrangement. Either Of
them would represent rather more than
9aI ioaI Tor the old organization.
smith would be very nearly the full
ioaI, Tor he is a vigorous defender of
the old rules, believes in One-man dOmi-
nation OF the House, and has a strong
conviction that he would be one excel
lent man TO do the dominating More
than that. he Is part Of the old organi-
cation; II has made him, and in case OF
the enforced sacrifice of Cannon. ii
could very easily turn TO Smith. pro
Nlded he could command the supDOrt
OF the Iowa delegation. Iowa will be
ia the main against Cannon. If il
would support Smith, and If the Can
non vote IN general could be thrown
10 him, and If a few mild Insurgents
would go along Smith might be made
Speaker.
Politics Are Afoot
It is no secret that Smith, Tawney,
Stevens, and some other men are look
ing forward 10 the possibility OF just
such a development There is more
Speakership p9litICs afoot in the House,
at this very minute, than anybody on
the outside dreams. The Cannon people
boot al the idea of Cannon being I'M
loaded They are going out to make a
desperate fight for control They viii,
through their control OF the Congress
slOnalt campaign committee make every
cmO-t 10 place under absolute ObllEa-
lions every Republican they can reach
IneE will aim 10 beat those who VIII
not give the necessary pledge and 20
elf-ct everybody who gives IT, AND
t-hen when the time comes TO organize
the House in the SiXty-seCond Con-
Gress they viii be prepared for a dead
lock Of any length. counting on winning
j. n the end by reason Of public disgust
egVer the performance, ana perhaps
Through another deal with Democrats
Gland right there comes one OF the us
Castr0us recent developments Tor iil'
t -nou forces. Down In Georgia their
Dera huge fr8cas going on inside IN
ConpOCTatiC party because teoI sL
80 eressnlen gave their votes, aloni
r1-1e1 Tammany. 20 adopt the Cannon
in - last spring Democrats Ia Geof Bla
NeEeyery other southern SlaIe. ahd l-
to Wv York even, are beng compete 90
h. give assurances that they VIII enle
no more such alliances If they are per
n Fitted 10 return 20 Congress. That 1
Talere Parsons did the real damage Z
C~rnon. He has placed Democrats al
TseIr the country on inquiry; ana IN
w-ffuOcrat who comes back 10 congress
M hout a positive pledge TO keep Ou
g. he Cannon camp. viii be hard I
a. II II he doesn't pledge, he VIII nav
Ere.y at home.
o,1t vgrer Cannon has recently broke
the web much violence IN attack o
rTsuati.steFu insurgents The real eN
fact son of his state OF mind lies IN "a
Deuah8t he knows his alliance VII
fha-ocrats has been wrecked wit
rt anchor slipped he must win b
4Haking his nght sQuaTely among Reput
Hcans He must go boldly about tn
business of defeating those inSurgeut
whom he knows &c be opposed 10 hin
Better have Democrats IN their places
from the Cannon point Of view; bu
better STILL have staudpatters succee
them wherever il is possible.
Great Campaign Expected
These are tie feautres in the develoE
e Tight over control of the HOus
which are causing all the politicians
predict tLat next years campaign wi
be the most remarkable complicatio
Of cross currents. conflicting interest
ana underground methods, that has bee
known in a generation. Not by an
means all the insurgents are certain
being easily returned TO their seat
Some Of them are no districts while
are very close as against the Demi
Gratis. and they may lose at the poll
This is true Of all the Nebraska men
bers on the Republican side. 1t lool
TODAY as Dr. Nebraska might have on
one Republican in the next House The
there are "a number of other insuTgeu
whose home districts are closely diva