The Sentinel=record., 1910-01-05
OPEN POSSIBILITIES AT WASHING. TON BETWEEN TAFT AND
 INSURGENT FORCES.
Big Stick, Which Had Given Over to the Taft Smile, Has Been Brought Into Effect and Rupture
 Is Open.

Washington, Jan 4.--War without quarter will be waged waged between the Taft administration and such Re. publican insurgents in congress as are now opposing and who oppose in the future the Taft legislative program.
 The battel is not with those tariff insurgents who quietly sheathed their blades after defeat but with those who have nursed disappointment and are whetting their knives publicly in anticipation of continued conflict.
 The battle broke suddenly today and tonight it has taken on the aspects of a general engagement, the oonse- quences of which cannot be foretold.
 The substance of it is that the sen. ators and congressman who have talk en a stand against the present admin istnation who continue to align them selves with the opposition to the presi- dents policies, are to receive no con. sideration in matters of patronage.
 Utterances such as that made by Senator Cumnlins at recent dinner in Des Moines, by Senator Bristow in previous speeches, anti-Taft articles in Senator LaFollettels magazine, are said to have stirred the president to action.
 II has been reported further that some of the insurgents in the house have tried to secure appointments un- der the administration of men more or less openly out of harmony with the Taft regime.
 MT. Taftls closest friends advised him that it would be impolitic for him to afford sinews of war to those who they warned him. might even coop crate with the Democrats in congress against the Taft legislative program, and in the country at large by creat. ing anti-Taft sentiment in advance of the 1912 convention.
 It is stated without reserve tonight that the president has listened to such advice and has decided to follow it.
 In support of the position taken by certain administration leaders that the battle is not with the tariff in. surgents, it was pointed out tonight that Senators Nelson, Brown, Burkett and Borah, all of whom voted against the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill, appeared to be persona non-grata at the White House, postoffee department, ianc of flee and internal revenue bureau, where federal pie is served.
 No politicians who would discuss the situation tonight, dared to hazard an opinion as to the political outcome of the contest
 Some insisted it would arouse pit ter opposition to President Taft, while others declared the effect would be to make all Republicans line up for or against the president and smoke out" those who have carefully kept neu. tral position.
 ! Repr@ sentative Miller of the eighth Minnesota district was the man chief ly instrumental in blowing the lid off the situation today He did it by statement to the effect that Post master General Hitchcock had inform. ed him yesterday that his (Miller's recommendations for presidential post mastenships were being held up be- cause of his jnsurgent activities
 lie quoted the postmaster general as saying in substance:
 "A great deal of pressure is being brought to bear upon me to withhold from the insurgent Republican con. gressmen the patronage in their dis. tricts. am very loathe to do this. sni the matter Is still under consid. eration."
 Mir. Miller said he told the ppstmas- ter general he intended to carry tbe thing to the open floor of the house hut that Mir Hitchcock urged him ic defer any such action until the sub