New-York tribune., 1910-11-25
CANNON IN NEXT HOUSE
Possibility of His denomination
for Speaker Discussed.
MAY BE MINORITY LEADER
Questions Republican Represent
atives in Washington Are Con
sidering-Insurgent Action.
from The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington. Nov 24-Win Joseph g.
| Cannon receive the complimentary vote Of
| his party for the Speakership of the House
| in the SD Congress? And if M Cannon is
so complimented. will ii make him the
leader Of the minority? Despite the fact
that the organization Of the SD Congress
/ is still year away. these two questions
are causing as much and as earnest de-
bate among the Republican Representatives
now gathering in Washington as the choice
Of Speaker and the limitation of his pow
ers are making among the Democrats
These questions. together with the cor
related one of vino will make the ablest
minority leader. are giving the Repub-
licans as much fun as If they were again
to possess the responsibilities Of majority.
But these are the only serious problems
with which the Republicans will have to
w-restle besides, of course the ever pres
ent necessity. wnen the Democrats are IN
power. of seeking TO prevent them from
making patchwork of the statute books.
The part which will be PLAYED by Speaker
Cannon when he descends from the chair
is the subject Of eager inquiry. Should he
receive the complimentary vote OF the Re
publicans for the Speakership. would that
vote carry with IT the minority leadership
VIII another receive this vote? VIII Mr.
Cannon be made ranking member Of the
Appropriations Committee in place of the
venerable General Bingham, or Repre-
sentative G1llett. Of Massachusetts. What
effect would the deliverance of the vote TO
Mr.. Cannon have on the Speakership fight
in the SD Congress assuming, OF course,
that the House will be Republican? VIII
Mr.. Payne's friends welcome any one but
IT. Ein
New Yorker has served so long as the
leader of the majority? VIII Represent
ative Mann. of Illinois, have both the vote
and the leadership? Or will Representative
Smith. Of Iowa. obtain the honors? All
these queries and a hundred others are fly
ing about in Washington.
There is no consensus of opinion as Yet.
hut speculation is far from Idle. Those OF
Speaker CannOn's friends who are now in
Washington insist that ne viii have the
complimentary vote of his party in the
Speakership election. They reason that as
he has been the head of the party in the
House for eight years and has been upheld
by his constituents. he should at least ne
spared from the humiliation OF seeing him
self superseded by one Of his lieutenants
for an honor which is all but empty. That !
Mr. Cannon desires the minority leadership !
his friends are not prepared TO say. but |
they declare that no other man. with the /
possible exception Of Representative Mann. |
is so well qualified TO harass the majority /
as the veteran from Dsnvlile, who has !
served IN The House under all circUm- /
stances. These friends Of the Speaker point
out too that if AEr. Cannon desires either /
the vote for Speaker or the place of minor
ty leader Representative Mann will not
stand in his way. In the last election Mr..
Mann was practically the only Representa-
tive in Illinois who made no apology for
his support of Speaker Cannon. In a
signed statement he informed his constitu-
ents that he was for Nj Cannon first,
asst and all the time
That AIr. Cannon. with Mr.. Mann behind
lirn can control the Republican caucus is
title doubted. It is probable that the thir-
y-six House insurgents OF what remains
# them will oppose him no matter how
lis name comes I'D, but there are many
VINO while they expressed
themselves as opposed to -'Cannouism.'
lave professed such feelings of personal
admiration for the veteran that they can
ardy withhold a complimentary vote from
lin. II would not necessarily follow that
heir votes would give Speaker Cannon the
minority leadership, and it is not at all
that. having received this vote,
dr, Cannon would be pleased TO see the
rduous floor duties fall to his friend Mann.
here is. however, an unbroken line Of
recedent that the member Of the minority
eceiving the complimentary vote shall be
ecognized as the minority leader. It viii
robably be understood, tacitly at least, in
he Republican caucus that the vote for
he Speakership in the SD Congress shall
OF bind the members 10 support the nom
lee for Speaker in case the Republicans
0ntroI the SD Congress