The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-21
Will Be Battlefield for Great
Conflict During Coming
Months.
HULL is THE TARGET
FOR THE INSURGENTS
Importance of Situation Empha-
sized by Speaker Cannon In
His Elgin Speech.
By JOHN SNURE


nized as political battle-ground Of the
utmost Importance in which will be
fought out in the next eight or ten
months great struggle between the
insurgents and stand-patters.
Speaker Cannon, in his Elgin speech,
emphasized the Importance of the Iowa
situation. and made It clear that ne
fully understood IT, He had already
given plain indication Of this by going
10 Iowa not long ago, and. in a speech
at Knoxville, attacking the insurgents
and unfolding the House rules, and that
assemblage Of policies generally re-
ferTed 10 as CannoniSm. He declared
at Elgin that Senator Cummins had set
out TO defeat every Republican member
OF Congress in Iowa who voted for the
tariff bill. and that a test was ID be
had whether the Republican party was
made up OF the small band Of insur-
gents who voted against the tariff bill,
or Of the men who in Congress sup
ported that measure.
Representative John A. r. Hui has
become the chief storm center of the
struggle in Iowa Representative Hull
is from the Des Moines district, the
Seventh and was Instrumental In hav-
ing Speaker Cannon go TO Iowa and
speak at Knoxville In his speech
there, Mr.. Cannon gave Hull a warm
Endorsement Captain Hull has been
in the House for many years. he Is
chairman Of the House Committee on
Military Affairs, and he has stood by
the House organization. and Uncle
joe" through thick and thin. He voted
for the tariff bill, and during the spe-
cial session stood consistently by every
thing which the organization wanted
He refused TO revolt against the old
House rules. and he was willing 10 have
the tariff schedules arranged as the Ways
and Means Committee. the Speaker, and
other powers that be in Congress, want
ed chem.
Leading StandpatteTs.
For years Representative Hull has
been recognized as one OF the leading
standpatters Of Iowa. He has always
been antagOnistic to the Gun Minis fol-
lowing. He Is one of but few members
of the House left from Iowa who are
not insurgent The downfall of the
stand patters from Iowa in the House
began when Col Dave" Henderson.
former Speaker. was driven into re-
tirement Then Major John F. Lacey,
long chairman Of the Public Lands Com
mittee, was defeated. and also driven
20 retire. After that. Col W. p Hep
burn, long head Of the House Inter
state Commerce Committee. was beeteh
at the polls by a Democrat. and ''Rol''
Cousins. of the Fifth district. was I'M
PEELED to go back to the seclusion OF
his law office
Thomas Hedge, Of the First district
another Of the old Guard" quit Con-
gress. J. w. Blythe, general counsel
Of the Burlington road, died. thus de-
Driving the standpatters Of thetr real
leader. Senator Allison died and Leslie
NJ. Shaw, long Secretary Of the Treas
uTy was relegated into political OBJ
security, In short the growth of the
progressive movement ia the State has
been such as 10 leave in the Iowa del
eEation only two Of the older members
Of tho standDat element I'm the State
Ore Of these Is Representative Hull
and the other IS Representative Walter
T. Smith. For a time. there was talk
Of a fight on Smith, but the indica-
lions now are that none VIII material
lie.
OF National Value.
A frst-class fight has developed. how
ever, against Representative Hun. and
it IS recognized by Speaker Cannon
and his lieutenants as OF national i'm
pOrtance. If Captain Hull IS beaten
Il Will mean that one Of the last strong
holds Of the standpatters In Iowa has
been surrendered 10 the proEressives
and viii mean that the influence OF the
Cummins element has been vastly in
creased IN the State. 1t would mean
further that # would probably not be
long until Walter l. Smith. who is men
toned as a possibility for Speaker of
the House to succeed Mr.. Cannon. would
be retired, and his place taken by
progressive or insurgeut.
u is charged in the Des Moines dis
trict that Eastern money IS to be poured
into the campaign In the interest OF
Hull in view Of the Importance OF the
"a platform that stands squareIy BY Can
nOnism He has invited the issue and
is apparently willing to have the night
proceed on this line Tt is charged
BY his opponents that one Of the con-
sideratiOns he Is to get IN return for
standing by the House organization
without backing water IN any respect
is all manner of help from the organi-
cation, such as the sending OF speakers
TO his district, and that the entrance
Of Mr. Cannon into the district was
part Of the arrangement. Just how
much there IS 10 such statements is not
known here, though Uncle Joe's" deep
interest I'm the struggle is apparent.
Forces Divided.
As tire situation stands now. the iudi-
cations are that Captain Huh will be
reuorliuated and reelected. II happens
that two iueurEent candidates have
come on. against him. One IS s. F..
Prouty and the other O. G. Doweil, both
wol-knowr Iowa politicians. and both
Cummius men. Neither of these can
dldates would get out Of the way for
the other. Thus, the insurEent strength
promises to be divided and Captain Huh
viii probably he returned 10 the House.
His return Will be hailed as great vic
tory for the opponents Of insurgency.
Just now there is talk that insWEcut
leaders On the Seventh district are like
iy 10 take hold of the situation with a
firm hand and force either DoweIl or
Proutv TO quit the race. It is possible
some new man viii DE CenteTed on. If
this is done the situation will be ma
teTially changed and Hull viii face de-
feat.
The contest viii be settled by the
primaries next June and 10 is certain
to attract all manner OF national atten-
ton Ia the meantime. Des Moiues is
Senator Cummins' home and the Situa-
ton has become such that he can hard
~ keep ont Of the fight. I'm fact the
attack made on him by Speaker Cannon
when be visited iowa and at the same
time indorScd Captain HUI practically