The Washington herald., 1909-03-10

President Taft e IN favor Of a few
changes in the Cannon rules OF the House
Of Representatives. but he is not wiling
TO sacrnce the chances Of an equitable
and early revision Of the tariff schedules
IN order 10 bring about these changes
The insurgents. however. are not the
least worried. and say they are going 10
join forces with the Democrats on the
opening day Of the extra session OF Con
gress. and take the appointment OF the
committees out OF the hands OF the
Speaker and have = committee on com
nittees elected
I This IS the sum and substance o. more
than three hours OF conference yes1E-
day between the President. Serene E.
Payne. and the insurgeut leaders. Repre-
sentatives Gardner. OF Massachusetts,.
Nelson. OF Wisconsin. and Madison. OF
Kansas
The President also had a long confer
ence with former Representative James
e Watson. the retiring Republican whip
OF the House. IN the White House last
night. and Il was then and there de-
ternineS that the Cannon forces would
not be molested until after the tarir
question Is disposed Of Then. It Is not
at al unlikely. the President VIII be in
sympathy with the movement 10 take
some Of the power out OF tie hands Of the
Il Speaker
"Standpatters'' Not Worried.
The 'stand-patters'' contend thsrs Is
nothing IN the statement that the Presi-
dent would be glad 70 see q change IN
the House rules. but Representative
4 Gardner. Madison. and Nelson said vs.
terday they felt very much encouraged
after their conference with the CHIEF
Executive 8Ir- Nelson aided. significant
y: You know you can never rsght 8
wrong IN ore day; it VII take tina
Speaker Cannon and his friends. there
Is no doubt, have been very rnuch per
turbed about The expected attack OF ire
insurgents. although they decline 70 sd-
NIT IT, II IS known thai the Speaker Rnd
Senator AIdrich had ''hurry %" oeu-
esrence Monday, and that later they
called at the White House and talked an
hour and a half with the President. BE-
cause 4 was announced that Ihs White
House would give It's support 70 The fight
70 revise tie rules. Yesterday THIS visit
was followed By one from Chairman
Payne. and later Jim Watson held
long talk over the conclusions thai had
been reached
II IS pointed out by the Cannon forces
that il IS costing the ration Sl0,o00,000
every day that ths revision OF the tariff
schedules IS delayed. and with this they
are urging The President not 10 give his
approval 70 the insurgents plans Ever
since Ins Republican convention IN Chi
cagO the President has been Gnxious for
/ a change in the tariff and now he IS
fully convinced that public sentiment de-
mands the revision. At this late day.
those IN high authority say, he Is not
going 10 delay matters any by giving his
! assent 70 the fight on the rules
II the insurgents 20 into the extra
session Of Congress with the backing OF
the President. II Is believed they viii
spend at least several weeks speaking
against the rules. and necessarily wiz
delay the passage OF the tar1H bill that
long
; Visit Not Fruitful
Following the visit OF Representatives
Gardner. Madison. aid Nelson to the
,, White House yesterday, they each de-
clared they felt more encouraged over
their fight than they had the day before.
However. they said they could not an
nounce the President was back OF them.
In the face OF former assertions BY ths
insurgent leaders this Is taken 70 mean
that their visit was not fruitful IN get
ting the assistance they had desired
He promised the President that under
no circumstances would he try to block
the passage OF the tariff BILL said Nh.
Nelson. we have 10 idea of using any
such tactics"
Mr.. Nelson also said that the delegation
had promised not TO make any changes
in the personnel OF the Ways and Means
Committee, in case they were succession
I in placing the appointment OF the commit
tees in the hands OF a committee instead
Of IN the hands OF the Speaker
Il The Democats. in the meantime. are
sitting quietly back. waiting for cru
sade against the Cannon forces. and Il
Is regarded very doubtful il there vii
s be 8 Republican majority when the
r gavel falls next Monday. some who held
= different views a week ago are nov
among those who believe the Democrats
( twin dominate the SiXty-frst Congress.
= There Is a party majority OF forty-seven
> m favor Of the Republicans. Il IS true.
hut thirty OF these Republicans are
pledged TO the insurgents. and this knocks
the forces down considerably; n fact, L
gives the Democrats and insurgents the
Z ma j0rity.
: Democrats VIII Ala.
2 The Democrats are going 70 give solid
: slport to the fght against Speaker Can
non. and although there is some talk
lamong Louisiana and Western Repre-
sentatives that they are not going 10 take
d SIDES with 4 few Republicans who can't
+ get along with their own party" It IS
+. believed they wiz be whipped into Hns