The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-23
Representative Hints at Con-
Spiracy Between Cannon
and Aldrich.
CANNONISM" GREAT
MENACE TO COP.
Your Ignorance, Prejudice. Con-
ceit, and Pufnd Preferences.
Some of His Comments.

In an open letter to Speaker Can
non, Representative Charles n.
Fowler. Of Elizabeth, N. j., makes
an attack on him, which is one of
the most sensational arraimments
ever known to American politics.
Mr.. Cannon has been the object of
many bitter and virulent assaults,
but none of them has approached
the bitterness of the one made by
Mr.. Fowler, a responsible public
man of high standing in Congress,
until recently The head of the House
Committe or Banking and Cur
rency, and known the country over
as one of the best informed Students
of finance in America.
CHARGES A CONSPIRACY.
In substance. Mr.. Fowler charges
a conspiracy between the Speaker
and Senator Nelson ". Adrich of
Rhode island. chairman Of the
Finance Committee, to control i'm
portant national legislation and to
defeat the movements for tariff and
currency reform.
Mr. Fowler makes the sensa-
tionaI declaration that the Repub
lican party is doomed to certain
defeat unless sCannonism,' with
all its eorrupting, degrading. and
paralyzing influences, is torn up
root and branch" He characterizes
the rule of Speaker Cannon over
the House as brutal despotism. and
says Cannon is guilty of ignorance
or of political cowardice.
Political Effects.
That the letter cannot fail to have
impo rtant political effects IS gener-
ally believed. It is expected to make
the fight more bitter than ever in
certain distTicts on members Of the
House who have hitehed their for
tunes 10 The Speakers chariot
The letter is the direct outgrovfth
of the fact that when the committees
were announced by Speaker Cannon
at the close OF the recent speeisS ses-
sion. It was found that Mr. Fowler
had not been reappointed chairman
OF the Banking and Currency Com
mittee.
Believing that currency and Sank
ing reform OF the right kind could
not be had under the present rules.
Mr.. Fowler was a candidate for the
Ispeakership against Mr.. Cannon. He
lsays he announced himself. not be-
cause he expected to be elected. but
10 bring before the public the issue
OF genuine currency and banking re-
form as distinguished from the legis-
Ilative program on that question:
iagreed to by AIdrich and Cannon.
This conduct made Mr.. Fowler an
l'insurgent" in the eyes of ''UneIe
joe
Fowler's Letter.
Referring to his course in that re-
spect Representative Fowler says in
his letter TO the Speaker:
do you suppose, sir, that I did not
| appreciate fully the probable conse-
auence Of my action when undertook
to play my part IN securing this re-
| form? Do you suppose that I was not
aware of your ignorance, prejudice, IN
| ordinate conceit, favoritism, putrid pref
| erences, and that like all such char
| acteTs possessing absolute power. NAL
ice is the handspring OF your every
action under such circumstances?'
After reciting from the official rec
/ ords the Speakers support OF money
measures in Congress up 10 the pres
ent time, Mr.. Fowler reminded Mr.. Can
ron of the latter's opposition TO rene
dial legislation proposed by the New
Jersey man to avert the panic Of 1907.
He reminds him of how ne was pleaded
with to permit consideration Of the bin
| prepared BY Fowler with the assist
ance of fifteen OF the greatest bankers
in the country, and recites this:
HHooted at Panic"
you literally hooted the idea of
panic and inquired: What in he does
this bowling in Wall street amount TO
The country don't care what happens
to those d. spectators. Everything Is
all right out west and around DanvilIe
The country don't need any legislation
Then I don't take any stock in your
d. asset currency"
Mr.. Fowler adds: AS usual. your
ignoi ance and prejudice were all sufn.
cienr then But the panic came. as
every man who had any intelligence
upcn he subject knew Il would
Now. sir. mark this-tha bill pre-
pared by these representative bankers.
which MT only with your sneers and
conte6slt, and known as the Bankers
bill provided for about s250,000. 600 OF
credit currency called in that bin Ma
tioaal bank guaranteed credit notes.
III that bill had been upon the statute
books when the pressure came there
would have been no general SUSPENSION