The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-02-16
REFUSE TO b:
BOUND BY CAUCUS
lNDEpGN0 DENT REPUBLICAN, re.
MAIN FIRM IN the STAND
THEY HAVE TAKEN.
REGRET ACTION Of PRESIDENT

Chief Executive 10 Unvv!se In Attempt
Ing to Force Members Of His
Party to Give Support to VI.
worthy Legislation.
Notwithstanding the
frequent declarations Of the Independ
emit Republicans that they will not par
ticipate in a caucus for the purpose
Of considering and agreeing upon q
Legislative program, the president ap
pears determined to force An issue
upon this question. The Independent
Republicans sincerely regret this at
titude upon the part Of the president,
but II tho organization takes this
method Of forcing Republicans ia
swallow ship subsidy and tho kind Of
4 postal savings bank bill which will
Be acceptable to Speaker Cannon and
his friends, the Independents will not
30 along, even If the outcome be an
open rupture with the president.
The device Of the president to have
q Republican caucus to force through
the ship subsidy bill, the postal saw.
ings bank bill and to consider amend
ments to the house rules. was com.
municated to Whip Dwight, who
brought the word to Capitol hill. 1t
was confirmed by Representative
Hayes, who Is believed by the pres
ident to be a representative Progress
sive, but who in fact, is only an in.
surgent upon the question Of the rules
and Speaker Cannon, but is not in
sympathy with some Of the funda-
mental planks in the Progressive pro-
gram.
This word was brought after the
Independent Republicans had declared
in a meeting that they would not en-.
ter a caucus to outline action for the
reformation of the rules unless as q
condition precedent to such a caucus
It was understood that the speaker
would retire from the committee on
rules. The president sent word he
was ready to assist in securing action
upon the rules. His messenger said
the question Of his getting of the com.
mittee on rules had been preached
to Speaker Cannon, and Uncle Joe"
said If he had to leave the commit
tee on rules, he would resign as
speaker.
Sham Reform Not Wanted.
The Independents then sent word
70 the president that it was useless
70 waste the time of this session IN
. tight to reform the rules which
could not accomplish real reform
They saw nothing to be gained and
made it plain that much might be lost
by adopting seeming reform which
did not go to the heart of the rules
problem by striking down the power
Of the speaker. Rather than engage
in such business, they preferred to
wait a more propitious time. They
sent word to the president that they
stood ready to aid in the enactment
Of legislation promised the people.
They did not mean by this declara.
ton they were willing to accept any
legislation that might be offered, but
that they would cooperate to secure
the passage Of bills to carry into eff.
feet the party promises.
The reply of the president to this
was made when three days later Whip
Dwight was told at the White House
ton of the rules, to unite the Repub-
licans for ship subsidy and postal
savings banks, other legislative mat.
tiers to be taken up later.
The Independent Republicans will
not go into caucus upon the ship sub
sidy bill or upon the postal savings
bank measure. A few who are Insur-
gents upon the question OF the rules,
but are not in step with the Progress.
sive legislative program may go into
such caucus. but the real Progressives
will maintain their independence and
will not permit party caucus to bind
them to a legislative program. part
Of which may be good, part of 1t Who'll
ly bad, and part Of It having so much
Of evil mixed with the good which it
may contain as to make conscientious
men hesitate to accept 1t under any
circumstances and certainly not until
they shall have exhausted every
means within their power to better It.
illustration In Point.
A good illustration Of what the eau.
Gus method Of considering legislation
may do Is found in the way in which
the Humphrey ship subsidy bill was
railroaded through the committee on
merchant marine of the house. To
q complete understanding 1t is neces
sary to have in mind that this com
mittee was arranged by Speaker Can
non with q view to pulling through II
a ship subsidy bill. For weeks in
terests opposed to the granting Of &
ship subsidy were clamoring to know
when they would be permitted to b
heard upon the bill. 1t was finally
announced that the bill would be TAX
en- up for consideration February
and hearings would begin that day
They began and they ended upon tina