New-York tribune., 1910-01-12
FIGHT In HOUSE )
SOURCE OF FEAR
REFORM PROGRAMME
OBSCURED BY 1T.
Norris Says Insurgents VII
Follozo President-Speaker
Issues Denial.
from The Tribune Bureau. I

From The Tribune Bureau.I
Washington. JAN 11.-Thoughtfui MEN,
bers Of Congress are somewhat appre-
hensive at the bitterness which is being
developed in the fight between the regu-
lar Republicans and the insurgents in the
House They feel that in the end the
level headed men in both factions will get
together on a definite legislative pro-
gramme. but they point out that the
controversy is now obscuring in the pub
lie mind the real reforms of the Taft ad-
ministration and that much valuable
time is being frittered away in unseemly
quarrelling. The regulars in Congress
take the position that as the question
who is to be Speaker during the sgd
Congress will not arise until year from
next December. it is idle TO spend any
time on this subject now
The anti-Cannon men, on the other
hand. believe they see a psychological
moment to gain support in Congress and
in the country at large. and so they are
delivering their preachments with re-
newed vigor.
1t was learned Tonight that Represen-
tative Norris. of Nebraska. one OF the
leaders Of the insurgents. had written
several letters to President Taft in which
he insisted that all Of the insurgents were
ready and willing to accept Mr.. Taft az
leader of the party and to assist him in
carrying through his legislative pro-
gramme.
DELAYS PINCHOT MATTER.
So bitter is the warfare and so uncer-
tain the outcome of the conflict that
even the BallinEer-Pinchot investiga-
ton. so keenly desired by the President.
is being obstructed. The Jones resolu-
ton. which has passed the Senate, still
lies on the Speakers table. No Repub-
Gcan caucus has been called for the
purpose of electing members of the
investigating committee and no other
plans have been made which promise
an immediate consideration of one of
the most important matters before Con-
gress.
The days are being spent in skirmish-
ing, in testing strength. in gathering
recruits and in waiting for some new
development in the struggle for party
control The effect on the country is
being studied by both sides, the in
surgents thinking mainly of themselves.
while the organization pretends to think
not so much of its own predicament as
of the Republican party
An effort TO take away from Speaker
Cannon the power to determine what
part of the recent message of the Pres
ident should go TO the House Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce
and what part to the Judiciary Com
to-day.
rule providing for the reference was
reported early in the proceedings by
Chairman Payne of the Committee on
Ways and Means, and after lying on the
table for a time was called up for con-
sideration. A vigorous protest against
the resolution was made by Ny. Under
wood. of Alabama, acting as minority
floor leader.
THE ISSUE INVOLVED.
THE day has come when membersfof
the House must stand responsible fer
legislation in this House. declared th.s
Alabama member. THE whole issue
for which We have been fighting for the :
last month is involved 1t Is whether
the Speaker shall control the House or
the House shall control the Speaker
Mr. Underwood asserted that the
House itself should have some voice in
selecting the committees to which bust
ness should be referred He said the
country expected the members to be re-
sponsible and did not want the Speaker
to direct their legislation
Representative Gaines of West Vir-
ginia, in reply declared that the House
already had the power in the daily regu-
lar order of business TO seek a change
of reference.
The resolution as passed carried a
committee amendment providing that
so much of the message as relates to
the judiciary be referred TO the Ju-
dietary Committee and so much OF the
message as relates TO interstate COM
merce'' be referred to the Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Thus
the Speaker would have the power to
determine to which committee should
go the part of the message relating TO
the proposed United States court Of
commerce and the section relating to
the federal incorporation OF corporations
doing an interstate business.
Representative Garrett. OF Tennessee.
offered an amendment specifically re-
ferring the section relating TO federal
charters to the Committee on Judiciary.
Mr. Payne said provision for such ref
erence already was made by the resolu-
tion.
The Garrett amendment was lost. and
then the resolution itself was agreed to
nv a Iiya vOce vote.
MIR. CANNON'S DENIAL.
Those timid Republican regulars and
cautious insurgents who hoped that the
internecine warfare might be closed by
an announcement from Mr.. Cannon that
he would not again aspire to the Speak
ership were thrust back into the battle
ranks to-day. when the Speaker uttered
a positive denial that he contemplated
such an announcement.
The regular recurrence OF thi; imagi-
native story that am to withdraw from
the Speakership and retire from Con-
gress does not demand daily denials from
me. III l denied every hot air story
that is printed / would have time for
little else. However. I will say positively
that i will not retire from Congress until
Sap