Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-06

whom voted against the P~ayne-Aldrich
tariff bill, appear to be persona grata at
the White House, Postoffice department,
land office and internal revenue bureau,
where federal pie" is served.
No politician who would discuss the sit
uation at all tonight dared hazard an opin-
lon as to the political outcome of the con-
test. Some insisted that it would arouse
bitter opposition to President Taft, while
others declared that the effect would be
to make all republicans line up for or
against the president and smoke out"
those who have carefully kept a neutral
position.
Miller Blows OFF the Lid.
Representative Miller of the Eighth Min
nesota district, was the man chiefly in
strumental in blowing the lid off, of the
situation today. He did it by a statement
to the effect that Postmaster General Hitch
cock had informed him yesterday that his
(Miller's) recommendation for presidential
postmasterships we're being held up be-
cause Of his insurgent activities in the
house. He quoted the postmaster general
as saying in substance: "A great deal Of
pressure is being brought to bear upon me
to withhold from the i%nsurgent republican
congressman the patronage in their dis
tricts. 1 am very loath to do this, and the
matter is still under consideration"
Mr.. Miller said he told the postmaster
general he intended to carry the thing to
the open floor of the house; but that Mr..
Hitchcock urged him to defer any such ac-
ton until the subject could be further con-
sidered. Whereupon Mr.. Miller agreed to
avail full developments before precipitat-
ing an open fight
Denies Violating Confidence.
AS soon as the congressman's statement
became known the postmaster general
called him on the telephone and took him
to task for not having regarded the con-
versation as confidential; to which Mr..
Miller replied that he had not so under
stood It and felt that he had violated no
confidence. Representative Miller said to-
night that a month or more ago he COM
piled with a request from the Postofflce de-
partment to forward his recommendations
upon several presidential postmasterships
in Minnesota. After a wait of several
weeks he called at the department, he
says, but could get no satisfactory infor-
nation and was for a long time unable to
see the postmaster general. He succeeded
in gaining an audience yesterday afternoon
and it was during that conversation, ac'
cording to Mr.. Miller, that Mr.. Hitchcock
informed him of the existence of a situation
which made it impossible for him to act as
yet upon his recommendations.
Mr.. Miller insists that he had no idea
that the interview was to be considered
private, as there were three other caller.
in Mr.. Hltchcock's office at the time whC
might have heard the conversation. Rep
resentatve Humphrey CWash,) was one o.
! tba thraa prpgapf and one nr both pf thu
others were congressman, Before making
the matter public he had conferred will
Senator Clapp from his own state, also al
insurgent. He did not desire, he said, t
precipitate any final break, but he haC
merely repeated remarks which he consid
cred were official and authoritative
Postmaster General Hitchcock was sllen
on the whole subject tonight, nor would an
other official representing the administra
tion say a word about 1t.
Opposition Il Home.
Another feature OF the attitude of tn
party leaders toward insurgent members o
the house was limited at in disclosures TO
day. 1t was currently reported that tn
"rebellious" republican member Of con
gress were soon to feel the hand Of tn
national party organization against then
in their home districts. The plan, accord
ing to the statement OF one of the In
surgents, who also is said to be marke
as a victim, was for the organization a
Washington to stimulate opposition to re
nomination Of these congressman by diver
local activities. Local republican aspirant
for their places were to be encouraged an
II the opposition was unsuccessful at tn
primaries the fight was TO be carried eve
to the polls.
1t was pointed out that In Congressma
Cooper's district in Wisconsin already
rival republican candidate was In the fielC
although the primaries there do not occu
until September. Large sums OF money ar
available for the purpose, II Is claimed b
those who tell this story, and considerabl
has already been expended. In the distriC
represented by Mr., Norris Of Nebrask
early republican opposition has develops