New-York tribune., 1910-01-11

to cooperate With the minority in its
programme regarding the Ballinger-
Finchot committee must he prepared to
accept the consequences of their act
The leaders assert that the Democrats
see in the Ballinger- Pinchot issue an op-
portunity to make important political
capital against the Taft administration
by seeking to have ii appear that the in
ouiry is TO be 'whitewash." They iu-
sist that Republicans who are parties to
this programme will furnish evidence OF
disloyalty TO the administration, and
cannot expect to be regarded as Repub-
licsns in good standing
Representatives Parsons Ames and
Fish. WHO voted with the insurgents to
take from the: Speaker the power of ap-
pointing the Ballinger-Pinchot commit
tee and to vest this power in the House.
Will attend = party caucus if one is
called TO decide on the method of choos-
ing this committee.
Representative Gardner. of Massachu-
setts. who announced early in the ses-
sion that he would not take an active
part in the insurgent fight this year.
his allegiance to his old associates He
denied that the insurgents were opposed
TO President Taft, and said that their
purpose was to free the House from au-
tocracy.
CANNON NOT To RETIRE.
The story goes that Representatives
Smith. of Iowa. and Scott, of Kansas,
,r-f,n or
inclined TO be extremely radical. went
10 the Speaker and told him that the
''ship was sinking" and that they could
not be returned to Congress unless their
constituents were assured tAat Can
ronism'' was at an end. They presse1
on the Speaker the advisability of an
nouneing that he woald not be candi-
date To succeed himself.
To this. according 10 the report. the
Speaker assented and assured them that
he would announce his withdrawal in the
Christmas recess from his home in Dan
willie This he failed TO do, and on re-
turning to Washington he again assured
the fearful regulars that he would make
the announcement within a short time
II is said that he was desirous of retir-
Of IL. and that ne was anxious that he
should be considered the victor by the
country For this reason, Mr.. Gardner.
who knew OF the plan, used his influence
with the other insurgents to restrain
them from active warfare, so that the
Speaker might make his escape in a lull
in the hostiities. Mr.. Cannon's defeat
OF last Friday is said to have changed
his mind. however. and lie is now more
determined than ever not to retire
under fire"
This story Was denied right and left at
the Capitol to- day. For the fiftieth time
the announcement came from the Speak
er's room that he would be candidate
to succeed himself in the next Congress,
that he never crossed bridges until he
rsme to them. and that he would make
no declaration as to his intentions re-
Esrding the next Speakership until the
end of the present Congress.
The regulars stand solidly behind him
and are ready for the fray. They declare
that the insurgents will place themselves
In their true light as enemies of Presi-
dent Taft and allies of the Democrats IL
they voluntarily remain away from
Republican caucus. They assert that
the intention of the insurgents in taking
away from the Speaker the power TO ap-~
. point the investigating committee was
not SO much TO embarrass the Speaker
as to discredit the administration, and to
give aid and comfort to the Democrats.
F. WHIPS REPORTED ACTION.
Representative Tawney. of Minnesota
FORMER whip OF the Republican majority
in the House, and Representative
Dwight, OF New York. the present whip,
had brief conference with President
Taft this afternoon, and the question of
insurgency" was one of the subjects
\ discussed. Mr.. Dwight, il was said in
Informed the President he had dropped all
of the insurgents from his list of Repub-
licans to be informed of caucuses dealing
with party subjects. What effect this
will have on certain held-up patronage
remains to be seen.