Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-29
PRESIDENT ON RACK
Republicans See Democratic
Plan to Worry Mr.. Taft.
HELPED BY INSURGENTS
Purpose to Keep Congress Busy Pro-
viding Campaign Material.
AN OLD TRICK IN POLITICS
Friends Of the Administration Con-
cerned About Apparent Minority
and Anti-Cannon Program.
HELPED BY INSURGENTS
AN OLD TRICK IN POLITICS


rack with a dozen Investigations by
| congressional committees. Keep Congress
SO busy digging up campaign material for
| the democrats in the next election that
opportunity for legislation and carrying
out republican pledges will be mini
mized.'
Republican leaders in Congress say this
appears to be the democratic program for
the immediate future to be carried out if
possible Moreover, there are Indications
1t is claimed, that the contemplated
course of some of the republican insur-
gents bids fair to play into the demo-
Gratis hands In this game.
President Taft's friends in Congress,
notably the members Of the Ohio delega-
tion. are very much concerned over the
situation. The effort to get the aid of
the Ohio delegation In the proposed in
surgent-democratic raid on the commit
tee on rules is being viewed with sus-
pfcion by the OHIO republicans.
| The Ohioans are proceeding warly In
| this connection. AT a conference held no
| later than this forenoon of Ohio republic
| cans the note of warning was sounded.
| The members of that delegation feeling
their first duty to be to protect the Presi-
| dents program for effective legislation
at this session are hesitating before join
ing the insurgent-democratic foray.
To Eliminate Speaker.
The proposition of the insurgents is to
combine with the democrats. ring in the
anti-Cannon republicans from every
quarter and pass the Fowler resolution
to increase the membership of the COM
mittee on rules to nine, by election by
the House. and eliminate Speaker Can
non from the committee.
1t is not denied that 1t hight be possible
| to secure enough votes to pass such res
olution were other and some very vital
considerations not NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
lions which are challenging the attention
of the republicans who are with the Pres
ident on his program of legislation.
In the first place it is recalled that the
present committee on rules is not a
creature of Speaker Cannon. 1t is the
handiwork of the republican caucus held
at the beginning of this Congress. The
Speaker did not fix the limit of member
ship, nor appoint the members. That
was done by the republican caucus, which
named the members by name and invited
the democratic caucus to suggest the
democratic membership. The democrats
declined, and the republicans had to
choose IT, democrats.
1t is declared that If the committee on
rules should be expanded in the way con-
templated in the Fowler resolution. the
the situation and passes it on to the
democrats and a small minority of the
| republican party.
| The inevitable effect OF that course, 1t
| is claimed by republicans of prominence
/ in the House, including Mr. Taft's we'll
wishers. will be to put into the hands
| of unfriendly interests for the rest of
| this session the procedure in the House.
Open to Suspicion.
| Republican leaders point ont that while
the republican insurgents loudly proclaim
/ their intense loyalty to President Taft and
his policies I'm theory, the practice, the
proof of the pudding in the eating, will
/ be 10 give increased power, IL not control.
to the party and interests that are not in
harmony with the President.
/ In this connection it is pointed out that
while the House insurgents protest their
absolute loyalty they make no conceal
ment of their friendliness with the Senate
| insurgents. and it takes a great deal Of
| creduiry IL is said. to believe that Sen
ator La Toilette, Senator Cummins, Sen
ator Clapp. Senator Bristow and the lead
ers of the insurgent movement in the
Senate are in harmony with the Pres
tdent
The Taft republicans in the House are
unable to see how the House insurgents
| can be with Taft in the House and with
La Toilette and Cumnins i'll the Senate
| at one and the same time. The two
I are ueCIaFeu 10 De uHteHdDie
The democratic program is said to be
| as plain as the nose on mans face
They are trying every possible means, il
is declared, to muddy the Legislative
waters. retard their smooth flow and
| make political capital at the expense OF
| the Taft national administration and the
republican party In the House.
The committee on rules has been flooded
with resolutions OF investigation emanat-
ing from democrats. the passage of which
and the subsequent work Hereunder
would keep Congress tied up all summer
and detract public attention from the
important recommendations he has made
to Congress. and upon which he has the
right. in behalf of the party. to expect
| action prior TO the fall campaign.
Some Pending Resolutions.
There are four resolutons-all intro
duced by democrats-pending before the
committee on rules for an investigation
OF the sugar trust. President Taft and
Attorney General Wickersham have an.
nounced that the administration does not
deem II necessary or wise to have pub
lie investigation of the sugar trust at thi:
time, for the very plain reason that the
trust is now under prosecution by the
government and II is not common sense
to disclose in an investigation the line OF
the prosecution, and especially unwise tc
run the risk of supplying an immunity
| bath to the trust. as was done In the ia
tai blunder with the beef trust investi
cation.
There are pending resolutions ostensibly
for the investigation of the cost of living
but VIGOROUSLY with the ayoWed object O.