New-York tribune., 1910-04-12
IFrom The Tribune Ruresu.l

Washington. April II.
CANNON OBSTREPEROUs. - Speaker
Cannon's outburst on the floor OF the House
to-day proved an occasion OF regret TO
many Of his friends. The extreme Can
nonites appiauded his remarks vigorously.
but there were many who remained silent.
deploring the vindictiveness Of a defeated
old man. whose inability TO accept hts de-
feat ana reconcile himself 20 his curtaiie6
power constantly threatens 20 precipitate
conflict in the House. Thus far the In
surEents have remained stesdfsst in their
determination not TO be gosded into q con-
iiCt which would menace the Legislative
programme Of the President but Mr.. Can
mons course gives color 20 the oft-repeated
assertion that Mr.. Cannon's resentment
against the President because Mr.. Taft
would not come 90 his support in the rules
fight is so intense that he Is entirely reck-
less OF the effect Of HIS words on the sue
cess OF the Taft programme or the ful-
flment Of party pledges. Since Mr.. Can
non broke all precedents by taking into his
own hands the selection OF the conferrees
on the tsrif bill, seeking even 20 defeat
the wishes and policy OF Chairman Payne,
Mr.. Taft has not regarded him with espe-
cisl favor. and il was with no keen regret
Cannons power. OF course. q may be
argued that Mr.. Cannon has grown desper-
ate and that he has no regard for the evil
he may work by his tsunts OF the in
surgents, whom he holds responsible for
his defeat. but many OF HIS sincerest and
most loyal friends are chsgrined that IL is
or the magnanimity Of the insurgents that
they must depend for the success Of this
session OF Congress and the reelection OF
the next House.
PROBLEM FOR Mr. TAFT-when
President Roosevelt vetoed the Rainey
River dam bin he laid down principle OF
conservation. II was his contention that
the power resulting from the creation OF
dam belonged TO the whole people. that
title thereto should never be wholly alien
ated and that, while IL was eNpedient TO
permit private enterprise 20 construct dams
and develop power, the principle for which
he stood should be maintained by retaining
to the government the power TO regulate
and control the rates which should be
charged the consumer for such power
Representative Stevens introduced this
session a general dam bill with the ap-
parent purpose Of meeting the proposition
laid down by Mr.. Roosevelt but which
demanded by the former President. Rep
resentative Mann. however. presented an
amendment providing that the government
should have power Ito regulate the charges
which may be made FOR the use Of the
power wholly or in part generated or ere
ated by or IN accordance With the said
dam and 10 otherwise regulate the use os
said dam. either by special or general act
OF Congress" This amendment the Com
mittee on Interstate Commerce rejected.
and the House to-day passed the Stevens
bin without H. II the measure passes the
Senate without that provision President
Taft will be confronted by the alternative
OF vejoing II or rejecting one or the fun
damental principles OF conservation. and
one which was clearly laid down by his
predecessor. Nor Is It likely that the Sen
ate will relieve the President Of this diem
ma. as that body IS at heart far from
sympathetic with the conservation policy.
PARSONS DEFENDS wICKERSHAM-|
Senator Curnmius has asserted that the Re
publicanism Of Attorney General Wicker
sham is open 20 question and that It is not
known whether Mr.. Wickersham voted for
Taft or Bryan a; the last election Mr.
Parsons says this IS sheer nonsense. Mr..
Wickersham was always an active Repub-
lcan in New York" says Mr.. Parsons
and one hundred thousand Republicans
can bear witness to that fact. He was
president OF the Republican Club Of the
9TH Assembly District, and the Republican
leaders knew they could depend on him IN
every campaign. He was an active ard ef-
fective opponent Of the old Platt-Odell or