Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-18
HOT TALK TO INSURGENTS
CABINET MEMBER CLASSES
THEM WITH DEMOCRATS
Fierce Political Turmoil Predicted,
With Former President Roose-
welt as Storm Center.

The House is now democratic was
the terse statement OF a cabinet officer to
day. For publication he would not permit
the use of his name: privately he did not
mind charac terizing the Insurgents as
nothing more than democrats. To be treat
ed in the future such.
This view of the situation in the lower
body OF Congress extends far and wide
among the republican leaders In Wash
ington. and IL II should reach the White
House and become an administration poi
icy the consequence OF the split in the
dominant party I'm the country will be ter
rife.
President Taft has held aloof from
these party divisions in the House ak
cept In so far as they may affect legisla
ton desired by the national administra-
ton. Those most intimate with him are
convinced that he will not apply the
political yardstick to Mr.. Cannons enc
mics in the House. un ess their methods
jeopardixe the passage OF legislation
which he insists the country wants.
Difficult to Keep Tab.
Then, too. the decentralization in the
lower branch OF the lawmaking body
promises to have so many ramifications
from this on that 1t will be difficult for
the President TO determine just where
his duties lie and what he shall do. The
insurgents will ling to him with the
tenacity of brothers and put all the
beam upon him and put the blame upon
the insurgents.
The former will maintain that a fight
over the rules and speakership is not po
lftical and that they will faithfully sup
port all the measures advocated from
the White House. The regulars will de
clare that the insurgents have gone far
beyond the pale of republicanism and
should be classified by the real leader of
the party, the President, as democrats.
Problem a Knotty One.
It Is a nasty situation the chief execu-
tive must confront and handle. 1t. is a
situation for which he is not to blame
and which would have arisen under Presi-
dent Roosevelt or any other man.
Taft Is the victim of that curious
psychological turn in politics that comes
in spite of anything was a cabinet
officers statement few days ago. ITS
shadow could be seen long before Roose-
welt went out of office. and, with his
usual luck. he escaped it the worry and
responsibilities falling upon his sue
cessor."
But the prediction is that Mr.. Roosevelt
will be drawn into 1t before three months
being with the President aud the regular
leaders or against them. II he turns
against the insurgents. as it Is believed he
will, his action will be too late to heal
the breach. His great power will be
wasted, and he will be relentlessly, up
willingly drawn into the maelstrom that
so many predict Is waiting to swallow
the party and many OF it's great men--
temporarily. at least.
Storm Center, Probably.
If Mr.. Roosevelt takes any part in poll
tics between now and November 1t is i'm
possible to see, according to the view to-
day. how he can avoid being arrayed on
one side or the other. The prediction is
that he will see this and will wade I'm.
becoming the real storm center OF the
hottest political fight ever known within
the republican party.
The election Of a democratic House has
been practically ferecasted by republi-
cans for months. The wide-open rupture
now SO plainly shown renews confident
predictions to that effect. There win be
little regret. too. it Is said today, the be-
lief being expressed that the election of
democratic House now will save the
presidency for the republicans two years
from now.