Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-18
insurgents Fear Trap by
Democratic Allies.
IN BALLINGER COMMITTEE
Party Members Selected to Make
Political Capital.
ALARM FELT IN CAMP
Leaders Hasten to Acquaint Presi-
dent of Their Fears-Issues
Statement After Conference.

| The insurgents of the House are racke6
| with a suspicion that they have beehl
played by the democrats, their allies in
the matter of committee of investiga.
| ton for the Ballinger- Pinchot contro-
versy. 1t looks. too, according to some of
them today that their suspicious, are
woefully near being correct.
| Altogether it is a sad story, one that
tongue or pen approaches with utmost
caution. These House insurgents, having
asserted their independence, depart to
some extent from the home of their
fathers
On the wayside they meet the pro-
verbal fox processing good intentions, the
said fox being the democratic party as
represented by the meek and gentle
Champ Clark. Alas, alack, the fox in
Veigles them into camp, lays fore them
the best things in store, promises to be
ever faithful and then lures them into
the inevitable ritfall, which is the placing
OF Representatives James and Rainey.
the two most partisan democrats in Con-
Sress, on the committee that is to do
business not only with officials of the ad-
ministration. but men outside the adj
ministration, and probably the very flu.
ture of the republican party itself
1t has dawned upon some of the in
surgents that the aforementioned James
and Rainey. alert. as they will be to
advance democratic interests. will bring
into the investigation every little scrap
OF information that will make campaign
material--that they will bespatter politi-
cal mud from head TO foot over Presi-
dent Taft and everything else that is re-
nlh1trqn for fIn :,
OF the Ballinger- Pinchot game. And.
after making the discovery. some of the
insurgents are sore. Have the demo
Gratis played the game in bad faith? VIII
the insurgents stand by the agreement
that has brought them to the point where
they will be blamed for whatever troubles
the democrats get the republicans into?
President Is Told.
President Taft heard the tale of woe
today from the lips OF some of the in
surgent leaders, but he decided that it
was no mess of his and that the insur
gents should get out as they see fit.
That, at least, was the purport of his
decision. Literally speaking. he was gen.
blame in his voice. Personally he did not
care who the democrats named on the
committee. So far he was concerned
everything was open and aboveboard
di0 lItTe was nOtUluS connected WIFI!
his administration of which he was aware
that he cared snap whether the demo-
Gratis brought it out or not. If there
was anything rotten that he did not know
of he wanted it brought out and he
would promptly administer the antidote
or use the AK. If there was nothing. let
the country know it.
The insurgents. of course, knew that
the President felt that way. lie had
told them SO before, when the question
involved to whether thav would
continue their unholy alliance with the
democrats. 1t was not that which they
cared to have repeated To them. 1t was
that they wanted the President to know
that they would not be a party to any
democratic game to sling mud at the
President and the republican party gem
orally. But how are they to help them
selves? That was the question plastered
over the political horizon OF the House
today.
The President was in conference with
Representative Hayes of California
early this morning and Mr.. Hayes
went away full of silence and dis
turbed thought. Shortly afterward
Murdoch, recognized leaders of the in
surgents. They talked long with the
President. Walking out of his Office
they agreed that the situation was
regarded it best that they should not
talk in broken doses, but that they
would hand it out in one batch and
then decline to say any more.
Issue Statement
Going into solemn conclave in the
room used for Congressional visitors
they talked it over and prepared this
little diplomatic statement
I'VE called on the President and spoke
10 him about the personnel OF the in
vestigating committee, but nothing def
mite was arrived at. The President felt
that it is not for him to indicate his
choice as to the future action OF the
House in this respect but urged that it
was of the utmost Importance that the
members of the committee should be men
recognized by both sides of the House
as fair and impartial in the investiga-
ton
Having done this they stuck by their
further. They did aver that they repre-
scented only themselves and knew nothing
of the sentiment of the other insurgents.
They could not speak for others and did
not propose to do SO. Every man could
talk for himself.
right, too, according to others familiar
with the situation. Whatever the out
come they know that they may be ac-
cused of bad faith. They do not want to
break with the democrats right now.
Neither do they wish to create a split
within their own ranks.
They may need the democrats later to
wallop the House organization. and they
cannot afford to split up among them
selves.
The President did not get to the cabinet
meeting, which should have begun at IL
o'clock. until 11:45. He found all his cab
tnet officers working upon departmental
nr0hIRmS. TPAdv before