The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-23
BITTER DEFEAT
FOR REGULARS
Party Leaders Do Not Yet
Realize Their Position
CALL FOR A CAUCUS
Committee ON Rules win Have Some
Old Members on 1t If the Regu-
lar Republicans Can Have
Their own Way
BY wArrERsoN sTEALEY

Washington, March q. Especial )-Spurn-
'ng the judgment of its most conserva-
I've leaders In the House and treating
gith contempt the countrywide criticism
II Cannonism the republicans of the
louise will go into caucus tomorrow night
nd regardless of the vote on the Norris
esolutien will elect it's members of the
ules committee in open defiance OF pub
ic sentiment. John Dalzell of Pennsyl-
ania and Walter /. Smith of Iowa, the
present members of the rules committee
.uled by a wink from the speaker, are TO
DC on tie reorganized committee and the
ither members may be DENLY OF Mchi-
san. Mann of Illinois, Ksiln of California
md Mccall of Massachusetts, W.
throughout the struggle have been sub
iervient to the will of the speaker.
The proposed plan OF the republicans IS
Meeting with pronounced opposition ir
heir own ranks, but It is OF good ad-
Ice nature rather than a show OF votes
L is claimed by these advisers that the
epublicans have 1t completely in their
power to prevent the cry of Cannonism
4 the forthcoming election on the part
4 democrats
"'There is to be new committee on
-ules," they say. "and all you nave to
10 is to name committee on rules which
viii show on its face that 1t cannot he
nntrolled by the speaker. II you 90
his the cry OF Cannonism VIII have to
,iop. If, on the other hand. you name
men readily recognized as being closely
IDENTIFIED with the Cannon faction the
ountry will not take long to come to
realization of the fact that, instead of
aving three Canaonites on the commit
ee, you have six and then" Here the
sivers of good advice are left out OF car
shot by the republican regulars and the
all for the caucus for tomorrow night
proceeds forthwith.
Plan to Go Into Caucus
I'VE expect to go into the regulars
caucus, II for no other reason than to
see what happens one Of the leading
nsurgent republicans gave the above to-
night in explanation q. lis. purpose 10
tttend. the meetips toqsArow night lie
,dded that II things did not go to suit
him he could withdraw, and in any event
he would not necessarily feel bound by 1t.
The insurgents generally appear to he
ess anxious about the representation on
/ q committees today than yesterday. On
Sunday there was considerable sentiment
representation of two upon the commit
tee Few appear to hold that opinion
low II they do the fact is being clever
" concealed. A few insurgents are not
talking for publication or otherwise,
among them Cooper of Wisconsin and
Norris of Nebraska.
Lenroot is another out-and-out insur-
gent who is restraining expressions. But
Victor Murdock, who is about as real an
ax,f lie noaSihla IN discover
in the broken ranks of republicanism,
said this afternoon he was interested in
..principIesn rather than in PERSONAL
ties" and was willing to trust to the good
sense of the republicans. after the blow
that the machine received on Satur-
day, to do the right thing Mr.. Muir
dock takes the position that for the in
surgents themselves to seek representa-
ton upon the rules committee at this
stage of the game would weaken their
position. He says he thinks they should
not jeopardize themselves by inviting the
charge that they were seeking personal
promotion or aggrandizement. He is
frank to say, however, that If republican
regulars are sensible they will do the
fright thing"
Democrats JubiIant
The democratic side continues jubilant
and buoyant. They anticipate a thor
oughly harmonious caucus, and believe
they will be able to maintain the solidar-
ity OF their ranks throughout the ses-
sion There is naturally some opposition
to the suggestion for the retention OF
Republican Fitzgerald of New York on
the rules committee, as it has been diff
cult for some of the minority members
to forget the bolt which was led by Mr..
Fitzgerald when the first skirmish on
tho fight upon the rules occurred at the
beeinning of the session. 1t was the
Fitzgerald resolution embracing num-
ber of rules amendments which was then
adopted making possible the new-fangled
calendar Wednesday" but for the Fftz-
gerald resolution and the attitude of Mr..
Fitzgerald on that occasion some demo-
cratic members contend the battle which
was not won until last Saturday would
have been fought out to finish and
would have received a solar
nlexus blow at the very outset of the
session instead OF being postponed.
There were hints this afternoon that
:, fierce aght would be made against MIR.
in the democratic caucus on
Thursday night. Few democrats seen
today expressed any sympathy with this
Most of them take the posi-
tion that nothing like fight upon Mr..
Fitzeerald should be allowed to occur
at this tuncture to ruffle the present har-
relations existing among the
minority
Most democrats seen said they would
regret a fight being made on Mr.. F'itz-
gerald. The consensus of opinion among
them appears to be that Mr.. Fitzgerald
will be elected and that any movement
against him will be defeated. 1t is ad-
mitted on all sides that he is cleve-
parliamentarian and generally asserted
that his attitude in the former skirmish
should be forgotten along with the claim
that he was rewarded for that fight with
promotion by Speaker Cannon to the old
rules committee.