Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-05
THE INSURGENTS PLANS.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

House, nostotfice department, land OF
flee and internal revenue bureau, where
! federal pie is served.
No politician who would discuss the
situation at all tonight dared hazard
an opinion As to the political outcome
of the contest. Some insisted that 1t
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 "sinoke out" those who
have carefully kept a neutral posi-
ton.
REPRESENTATIVE Miller of the Sth Min
nesota district was the man chiefly m
strumental in blowing off the lld
of the situation today. He did it by a
statement to the effect that Postnas-
ter General Hitchcock had Informed
him yesterday that his (Miller's) rec
concentrations for Presidential post
mastership would be held up because
of his insurgent activities in the
House. He quoted the postmaster gen.
eral as saying, in substance:
"A great deal of pressure is being
brought to bear upon me to withhold
from the insurgent Republican con-
gressmen the patronage in their dis
tricts. [ am very loath to do this and
the matter is still under considera-
ton"
Miller said that he told the postmas-
ter general he intended to carry the
thing to the open floor of the House;
but that Mr.. Hitchcock urged him to
defer any such action until the sub
ject could he further considered
Whereupon NJ. Miller agreed to await
full developments before precipitating
an oron fight
As soon as thc congressman state
mcnt became known the postmaster
general called him on the telephone
and took him to task for not having
regarded tn" conversation as conflden-
tial: to which Mr.. Miller replied that
he had not So understood it and 1elt
that he had violated no confidence
REPRESENTATIVE Miller said tonight
that q month or moro ago he compiled
with a request from the postoftce de-
partp1ent to forward his reccmmenda-
lions upon several Presidential post
lnasterships in Minnesota. After a wall
of several weeks he called at the de-
partn;cnt, he says. but could get no
satisfactory information and was Tor
a long time unable to see the post
master general. He succeeded in gam
ING an audience yesterday afternoon
and it was during that conversation
,cnorlino TO Mr.. Miller that Mir
Hitchcock informed him Of the exist
enco Of situation when had made II
impossible for him to act as yet upon
"a INC CT I
that he had no idea the interview was
TO be considered private. as there Were
three other callers in Mr.. Hitchcock
office at the time who might nave
heard the conversation.
Rep. Humphrey of Washington was
one of the three present and one OF
both of the others We're congressman
Before making the matter public he
had conferred with Senator Clapp from
his own state. also an insurgent. He
did not desire, he said. to precipitate
any final break, but he had merely
repeated remarks which he considered
were official and authoritative.
Reps. Cooper and Lenroot Of Wis
consin are also said to have filed rec
concentrations for patf onage upon
which no action has been taken. Meth
er would discuss the matter tonight
but it is known that their position is
similar to that of Rep. Miller.
Postmaster General Hitchcock was
silent on the whole subject tonight
,or would any other official represent
ing the administration say a WORD
about it.
Another feature of the attitude OF
the party leaders toward insurgent
members of the House was limited al
| ill disclosures today
1t was currently reported that the
"Rebellious" Republican members OF
| Congress We're soon to feel the hand
Of the national party organization
against them in their home districts
The plan. according to the statement
of one of the insurgents. who also is
| said to be marked as a victim, was fol-
the organization at Washington tc
stimulate opposition to nomination
of these congressman by diverse To-
calities. Rival Republican aspirants
for their places were to be encouraged
and if the opposition was unsuccess-
full at the primaries. the fight was tc
be carried even to the polls. It was
pointed out that in CONGRESSMAN