The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-01-28
Tells Speaker to His Face That lie
Should Make Way for New Man
Veteran Leader Very Angry.

Washington correspondent of the
Boston Globe has this to say of
Congressman Fosters defiance of
Speaker Cannon mentioned in yes
terday's Journal:
Representative William Mckinley
of Illinois, chairman of the Republi
can congressional committee, gave a
dinner on Friday to the members of
the newly elected committee, and
although Vice President Sherman and
Speaker Cannon are not members of
The committee they were present as
Mr.. McKinley's guests.
Representative D. j. Foster is the
Vermont member of the committee,
and when he was called upon by the
chairman he said frankly that New
England wanted a man other than
Mr.. Cannon as Speaker of the next
House, declaration of insurgency
that rather took away the breath Of
Chairman Mckinley and some of the
other close friends of the Speaker.
1t is said that Speaker Cannon re-
piled to Mr.. Foster in an angry and
vehement speech, denouncing his en-
emies and critics. While Mr.. Cannon
did not say in exact words that he
would again offer himself as can
aidate for the speakership,. his man
ner was so defiant that those who
heard him construed Mr.. Cannon's
words to mean that he proposed again
to be a candidate if the next House
has Republican majority.
The dinner was private and things
that were said there were not sup
posed to be repeated outside, but Sat-
urday what Mr.. Foster said was
much discussed by members of Con-
gress, who regarded it as significant
that a leading New England member
should be of the same mind as the
men from the West and openly revolt
against the Cannon rule.
Mr.. Foster commands the respect
of the House and enjoys it's confid
ence He is naturally a loyal Repub-
lican, as Vermont men are wont to
be; and equally as a matter of course
he is conservative, for Vermont is |
not State of radical ideas; but des~
pite his loyalty to his party and his
conservatism, he finds that Mr.. Can
non is more of load than the party
can conveniently carry, and he is
courageous enough to declare his
views.
Mr.. Foster is now serving his fifth
term in the House to the general sat-
isfaction of his constituents. He is
chairman of the committee on ex-
penditures in the department of
commerce and labor, and a member
of the committees on foreign affairs
and reform in the civil service, which
shows his standing in the House.
Mr.. Foster was today told by the
Globe correspondent that as there
were a good many rumors in circula-
ton, some of them highly sensation
al, perhaps it might be convenient
thing if he would say just exactly
what took place at the dinner.
81 was the first speaker at the ban
suet." Mr.. Foster said: mo intima-
ton had been given me that l should
be asked to speak, and when the
chairman introduced me saying that
he wished me to tell them what New
England wanted, said substantially
as follows:
"I shall be perfectly frank with
you. New England wants two things;
first, a Republican House in the next
Congress to assist in fulfilling our
party pledges and in carrying out
President Taft's legislative program; ,
and, second a new speaker in the ;
next House of Representatives. The I
people of my district, and in fact of ,
the entire State, are intensely inter- G
ested in the question of a change of s
the leadership in the House. They say
that at the close of the present Con- g
gress Speaker Cannon will be Is 7
years old; that he will have been i
speaker eight years, as long as We r
permit any man to be President con- T
tinuously and longer than any speak q
.r heretofore has held that office r
They insist that aside
from all other considerations these T
facts constitute a sufficient reason a
'or the selection of a new speaker in h
he next House. They believe that 6
here should be a change in the n
of the House at least as I,
,ften as once in eight years, and l T
jay to you squarely that if l am a a
member of the next House 1 shall T
represent my constituents in this be- c
ief to the best of my ability. r
an speaking thus frankly I want r
o assure the members of the COM a
nittee that 1 am not Influenced in IL
he slightest degree by personal mo- r,
ives. l was the first man in New "a
7noIaud to annouuce myself in the 80