The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-06
Observation-Disclosures
. BE DOM { T0'0EATH.
IKE
Plans for Its Execution Arc Con
sidcred at White House
Conference.
.TAf1's FUTURE Re AT STAKE.
He Realizes That 1T Would Be
Suicide to Oppose Cannon
and Aldricll.
TAf1's FUTURE RI. AT STAKE.
[special TO The Times.Dispatch.l

| Especial to The Times. Dispatch.1
| Washington, p. G.. March 5--A con.
ference. the object of which was to lay
the axe to the root of insurgency and
to carry the war against 1t into Iowa,
was held this afternoon at the White
House. The future OF the President
and his party was involved.
II there ever was a conclave in which
the keynote OF action was Carthage
must be destroyed" 1t was this.
Senator Cummins, tho leader OF a
class which tho administration dubs
indictments" instead of insurgents, is
to be taught lesson in hisfown State.
He is to be taught that the principle
OF hostility to the administration will
prevent him OF his friends carrying
any districts In Iowa with anti-Taftism
| as the battle cry.
The personnel OF the conference was:
| The President, W. B. Mc1linlay, chair
man of tho Republican Congressional
| Committee; w. I. Smith, straightout
| administration man from Iowa, and the
Famous Pet Hepburn, lately defeated as
| Congressman from Iowa by a Demo-
crat.
Mckinlay, 1t may be remarked, was.
for tho purpose OF this conference, a
man from Iowa, as. In his capacity as
father OF the faith as eXpounded at
the. White House. he Is practically run
ming in every congressional district
in the United States.
Would Mean the End.
It needs no sort of divination to see
that If the principles Which cummins
is advocating in the Senate are al
lowed to be vindicatcd by the elec-
ton of pro-Cummlns members Of Con-
gross from Iowa. the end Of things
as they exist will be In sight or not
very far below the horizon.
Good practical politics demands,
without any suggestion from Demo-
crats.'that Cumminsism should be cx-
tirpated root and branch. and the pro-,
cess of annihilation began)to-day.
All the elements looking to return
to first principles in Iowa were present
at the White House meeting. Colonel
Hepburn represents, il anybody does
in Iowa. tho old school Of radical Re.
publican thought. He is the father OF
the celebrated railway ratio bill which
Cummins and others are now filling
full of holes big enough for the transit
of the White House automobile. He
owes no love to the Cummins idea, and
he. too. they say, would like to return
to first principles in his seat on the
floor of the House. He would make
good candidate in the district in which
he was beaten, because there is no
ono in that district who would come
nearer beating the lone Democrat.
Acting In Concert.
The whole trend OF Republicanism
ever since tho insurgents showed their
| heads in Congress has hcen to-
| wards Capitalization of non-insurgent
straightout Republican doctrines. This
fact explains the current concert of
action between the heads of the Re-
publican party in Congress and Presl-
dent Taft. Straishtout Republicans
say. and the argument is obvious from
their standpoint, that to fight Cannon
and Aldrich would be to commit
suicide, and most Presidents desire a
second term.
The Impressions which the country
has of the relations between President
Taft and Speaker Cannon and Aldrict
are fairly based on his public utter
ances and his public attitude personal
and otherwise. to the Speaker and the
high priest OF the higher tariff. II
these relations are not what they
arc to the public there have been
no stories to the contrary printed.
So, then, If successful fire Is
blown up by Senator Cummins and his
adherents in Iowa, it will be hard, to
say the least, to stamp 1t out in a
great expanse OF territory, with Iowa
as the centre OF the blaze. q