The Detroit times., 1910-09-19
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 19.-The his
tory of political parties In the United
States does not show any parallel 10
the rapidity OF the growth OF the In
surgent movement.
The term "insurgent" was first used
as the name OF political faction In
February, f909-less than twenty
months ago. The faction was very
small-less than twenty men In the
lower house OF congress.
The first day on which any body OF
men voted as unit In contest
where the Issue was between stand
patters and insurgents was March 10,
1909, exactly eighteen months ago.
That was the first fight on rules, when
thirty-one members OF the lower house
of congress attempted TO reduce
Speaker Cannon's autocratic power
over legislation. They were only par
TALLY successful on that occasion;
they were not completely successful
until almost exactly a year later
March 10. 1910-in the famous con-
test over the Norris resolution which
deposed Cannon from the committee
on rules and otherwise restored con-
gress to the status of a genuinely
Democratic body.
The second occasion when any body
OF men voted as a unit under the
commonly accepted name "insur-
gents" was In August. 1909, when
seven Republican United States SEN
ators voted against the Payne-Aldrich
tariff bill.
Were Treated With Contempt.
At that time and up to six months
ago. the insurgents we're treated with
sneers and contempt by standpat Re-
oublicans Various member OF Pres
dent Taft's cabinet, and even Taft
himself, again and again read them
out of the party. Cannon, less than
eight months ago, said that hanging
was too good for them" II was an
bounced on behalf of the Republican
congressional committee, that no help
would be given to insurgents when
hey came up in their districts for re-
iomnation and election.
II was freely predicted that as soon
as the primaries and elections of the
present summer came on insurgents
would be retired from public life.
AS a matter OF fact, 1t would be
hard to duplicate in history the rapid
ity of the growth of the. insurgent
movement 1t is a striking example OF
the power OF ideas. must as soon as
the people had chance TO vote In
primaries where the issue was square
ly one between standpat and insur-
gent, the insurgents began to win.
In Iowa the primaries came In
une. In those primaries insurgents
not only renominated all their mem.
bers of the present congress, but de-
feated one OF the most prominent OF
the standpatters. =
ohio and Pennsylvania Situation.
Two Of the early primaries were
disappointing-Ohio In May, and
PENNSYLVANIA in June. Neither OF
those states has In the present con
gress any single member who is recog
nized by the insurgents In congress
as one OF them. And In the nomina
lions OF new members the insurgents
did not gain a single member In Penn
sylvania.
Similarly I'm Ohio, the gain of the
insurgents was only vague and indef
mate. Several standpatters who were
asking for denomination, under pres
sure from their constituents at home
announced that they would vote
against Cannon for speaker. One
standpatter, Ralph Cole, was defeated
for denomination In a Contest where
the issue was clear. insufgent against
standpatter. But on the whole, the
insurgents got very little encourage
ment out of the primaries In Ohio and
Pennsylvania.
In August, however, insurgents be
gan to make remarkable gains. Call
fornia, for example. had Its frs
direct primaries. Direct primaries
are the touch-stone Of insurgents