Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-17
SENATE REPUBLICANS CASTING
ABOUT FOR MAN WHOM
THEY MAY FOLLOW.
cuMMINs BEING CONSIDERED
AS TAFT's SUGGESTION
Possible That Group Of Strong Senate
Men Will Get Together and Attempt
to Shape Senate LegisIation-Would
Be Made Up Of Both Insurgents and
Regulars.
Especial correspondence

Washington, Nov. 17.-The question
of the leadership in the senate and the
minority leadership in the house in the
sixty second congress is going to oc-
cupy much consideration when the re-
publican leaders congregate in WASH
ington for the beginning of the coming
short session of congress.
Talk is now that President Taft will
take a hand in this matter, on the
ground that if there is to be anything
like harmony in the republican party
there must De ali adjustment of the
leaderships in congress which Will tend
to minimize factionalism.
To some extent, the matter will be
made easier in the senate for the rea-
step down and out after March 3 next
For time, there was a prospect that
Senator Aldrich might be sent back by
the state of Rhode Island but this pros
pect now is slight With Aldrich and
Hale gone, some new republican leader
will have to be centered on.
While the elimination of Aldrich and
Hale will make the path clear in one
respect, many difficulties are left The
man to take the leadership does not
loom up conspicuously. 1t will not be
easy to find him. Some of Senator
Lodges friends have talked of him but
he will not be acceptable at all to the
insurgents. Most Of them would prefer
Senator Crane to Senator Lodge and
yet they would not consent to leader
ship by Mr.. Crane, tho the latter as
chairman Of the rules committee is
bound to have much influence.
Frye and Root Out Of It.
Were Senator Frye, of Maine, a
younger man, he could probably come
as near making a leader who would be
generally followed as any man in the
senate. But his age Is against him.
He is held in great respect and esteem
but his years make him impossible OF
consideration. Senator Root is out of
the question as leader, for the radi-
cal wing of the senate republicans is
not pleased with the New York sem
ator for having lined up pretty con-
sistently under the Aldrich leadership
Many Of the insurgents hoped that Mr..
Root would not do this when he got
into the senate and they have been
disappointed. man who has some
qualifications for leadership is Senator
Burton, Of Ohio, but latterly Senator
Burton has been SO pronounced against
the progressives or insurgents that he
has incurred their enmity. He would
not be a harmonizer.
Taft Considers Cummins.
one suggestion is that q leader be
selected from the insurgent group,
With the object of promoting harmony.
PRESIDENT raft is said to be giving ser
ious consideration to the idea of maxi
ing Senator Cummins the senate Lead
er. senator Cumnins in his recers
Chicago speech pleaded for party har-
moiiy to the extent that he wanted re-
publicans to fight out their differences
among themselves and present a sold
front to the democrats But it is hard
~ TO be expected the old-tin,e regulars
OF the senate would accept Cumnins as
reader, or any other man among the in
surgentS.
Senator knute Nelson Of Minnesota
would have considerable following ~
a leader who would win support fro.m
both republican factions Senator
Nelson's course in the Ballinger- Pin
chot investigation. as chairman of the
specla! committee. has, however. alien
ated him from q number of progress
sives.
Group Of Leaders Possible.
What looks much more likely jus:
now than the choice of any one man as
senate republican leader is the forma-
ton of group of leaders. Something
In the direction of harmony between
regulars and insurgents might be done
by forming a group on which both ele-
Tlents would be represented. Group
leadership OF the senate is by no means
a new thing. 1t was obtained, for in
stance. in the days when Aldrich. Alli-
son. Hale and Orville Platt ran the up-
per house. Now, q group composed
of Crane or Lodge or both, Root, Nell
son. and Cummins might run things
with fair degree OF smoothness in
most matters. Another man we'll quail
flied to get into the group is Borah OF
Idaho. Warren Of Wyoming or Carter
Of Montana IL the latter is returned
would each be considered il a Rroup
were made up.
When 1t comes to the selection Of a
leader In the house, this task
promises to be extremely difficult. IL
like republican peace is to be
preserved. The insurgents will have
none Of Mr.. Cannon. Some talk is
heard Of Walter l. Smith Of Iowa.
Mann OF Illinois. and Olmsted of Penn
sylvania. Mr.. Olmsted on many grounds
would be acceptable alike to regulars
and insurgents. Representative Smith
Of Iowa Is said to be the man whom
President Taft would have urged for
speaker had the republicans carried
the house. But Judge Smith Is looked
on as too good Cannon man to be
acceptable to the insurgents The Iowa
Insurgents might vote for him as a
matter OF state pride.
Insurgents Would Support Payne.
Strangely enough, one OF the men
who would find much favor in insur-
gent quarters for minority Leader 10