Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-25
Taft's Waning influence.

That President Taft's position as
leader of the republican party was
considerably undermined in the re-
cent fight upon the house rules, is
realized in many quarters. Now that
sufficient time has passed to esti-
mate the damage done the G. o. P.
as result of the introduction of the
Norris resolution, it is fully realized
in political circles that the Taft adj
ministration was revealed squarely
supporting the Cannon side of the
controversy.
1t is being recalled, for instance,
that in the very midst of the battle
which ragged throughout an entire
night, Representative Serene Payne
of New. York, the republican floor
leader, arose and appealed to the
progressives to desert their cause
out of respect for the president.
There could be no misunderstanding
of Mr.. Payne's meaning. His init
nation was that the president would
was allowed to remain a member of
the rules committee. AS the repub-
lican floor leader used the presidents
name in his attempt to dissuade the
progressives from their attempt to
improve the acknowledgements
house rules, there could be no other
inference than that Mr. Payne con-
sidered the insurgents movement to
be one hostile to the wishes of the
president.
No injustice is being done Mr..
Taft when it is said that the present
rules would have been improved at
the opening Of the present session
had not he sided against the pro-
gressives. Soon after the house con-
vened following Mr.. Taft's inaugur-
alton an attempt was made by the
progressives and democrats to I'M
seat Speaker Cannon and improve
the house rules as provided for in
the Norris resolution. The allies
would have been successful but for
the action of the president, who
used every source of power at his
command to defeat the object of the
coalition of progressives and demo-
Gratis The presidents reason for
protecting uncle Joe" and the old
rules, as given to visitors at the
White house, was that he president
Taft believed that a change of
speakers together with new rules
would operate against the passage of
a tariff bill such as was promised in
the republican platform.
Ever since that time it has been
we'll known in Washington that
President Taft would disapprove of
any attempt to change either rules
or speaker. Republican members of
congress were led to believe that
should they attempt to do either of
these things, they would Immediately
fall into disrepute at the White
house. The presidents attitude un-
doubtedly caused many republican
who disapproved Of the speaker and
rules to keep his own counsel and to
a condition that in his own
heart he felt to be little short of in
famous.
Viewing the recent fight in the
light of these facts, it becomes APP
parent that those republicans who
voted with the democrats in support
Of the Norris resolution did so ire
spective of the position of President
Taft. This indicates that the presi- |
dents control of republican members
Of congress is on the wane.
That the administration was back |
ing the old rules side of the argu-
ment was made plain by the fact that I
The so-called regulars" or those
who accept the leadership of the
opposed the Norris resolu-
ion providing for the improvement
Of the rules
In the approaching congressional
elections, therefore, the regulars will
nave to defend their antagonism to
he fair and much needed reform OF
he house rules, along with the