Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-05

tant, it is a life and death struggle
with them, and consequently when
forced into the fray, have no hesita-
1lon about carrying the war to any
extent.
Fights On at Homo.
Ihe effort to defeat the insurgent
congressman by starting fight against
them in their home districts, as was
reported yesterday, had already begun
IN several districts in the west, and the
congressman so attacked probably will
make no choice of weapons in defend
ing themselves. 1t was expected that
some statement would be forthcoming
today from the administration side as
to its attitude regarding the insur-
gents.
Hitchcock is Silent.
So far. Postmaster General Hitch
COCK has remained silent under the
statements emanating from Represen-
tat1ve Miller of Minnesota, to the effect
that Hitchcock was holding up ap-
pointments of postmasters recommend
ed by tnsurgent republican members of
the house. The published intimations
that this course was being pursued
with reference to numbers of congress-
men from Minnesota and Wisconsin has
SO far brought no formal denial from
any administration authority.
Feeling is Intense.
There is intense feeling among the in
surgent congressman who today read
the published reports that they were to
be singled out by the administration
for punishment for their "rebellious
conduct" as members of the majority
party of the house. Several were un-
sparing in their denunciation of the
policy which sought to punish a man
for freedom and independence Of
thought and action, as they expressed
it. Not few were 10th to believe the
president would lend his aid to an eff
fort to administer castigation to them
for supporting the very principles and
policies for which they claimed the
party itself stood pledged. Representa-
tive Madison Of Kansas, declared the
insurgents We're not against Taft or
his policies, but in favor of every lead
ing reform to which the president and
the party are committed. He said the
Withholding Of patronage would not
swerve the insurgents from their
course.
1T is not the insurgents Of the house
but men like Aldrich and Cannon whom
the president will have to induce to
support his policies" he continued.
"The insurgents are for the presidents
policy and have been all the time" 9th
er insurgents approved Madison's dec
laration.
Senator Cummins said he had ex-
perienced no difficulty in the matter Of
patronage.
President is Considering.
From source close to the adminis-
tration the declaration came today that.
no hard and fast determination had vet
been reached by the president not to
recognize the insurgents in the mat
ter of patronage. The subject is under
consideration, but 1t was said a tenta-
tive determination had been reached
as matter of self protection in in
suring the success of the presidents
policies.
Taft Drawn Into Fight.
The fact that President Taft has
been drawn into the conflict between
the standpatters and the insurgents in
congress, is one Of the surprising and
in many respects sensational develop
ments of this struggle. When the ses-
sion began it was the general UNDER
standing that Mr.. Taft would keep his
hands off. In his Winona speech he
sought to justify the standpatters who
had voted for the AiiddTriiol tariff He
said he did not appear there to criticise
those republican representatives and
senators whose views on the subject of
the tariff were so strong and intense
that they believed it their duty to vote
against their party on the tariff bill.
That was question for each man to
BEETLE for himself.
Taft Finds Insurgents Strong.
He added that the question was
whether each man should help MAIN
tain the party solidarity for accom-!
plishing its chief purposes, or whether
the departure from the principle in the
bill, as he regarded it, was so extreme
that he must in conscience abandon the
party.
AS the president went thru the mid
die west he discovered that the insur-
gency was stronger than he had sup
posed. The result. Of his trip was his
decision to treat with the conservatives
and progressives alike, to regard them
as republicans, and to do business with
them as such.
When the present session Of congress
began the president put this policy in
force. He consulted with Senator
Cummins and several others in refer-
ence to the amendments no proposedil