The Detroit times., 1910-09-19
||NgEHIsC9UlD'
||ETHE NATIONAL
|l.P.C0AvEMTl0h
g --1gAnK SULLIVAN.
~ xasva Political Writer Traces
unaxkalls Progressive Movement
x hat Has Sent Many standpat-
ters 10 Retirement.
Sweep Il Unparalleled and Its
Power Il In the People
A . Whole.

HI WASHINGTON. sepf. 1s.-The his
keorY Of political patties In the United
3 1tn1eo does not show any parallel to
y ~ ropidity Of the growth OF the In
oor6ent movement.
The term ~insurgent" was nrst used
~ the name Of a political faction In
4 Vebruary, 1909--less than twenty
y mooths ago. The faction was very
Z. ounall-less than twenty men In the
& lower house Of congress.
The FIRST day on which any body OF
\ men voted as q unit in contest
/. who're the Issue was between stand
= Dotlers and insurgents Was March 10,
1o0o. exactly eighteen months ago.
That was the FIRST night On rules, when
(hifty-one members OF the lower house
~ congro8s attempted 70 reduce
eposler Cannon's autocratic power
Lower legislation. They were only par
H tally successful on that occasion;
thoy were not completely successful
until almost exactly year later
March IS, l910--in the famous con-
test over the Norris resolution which
I GeDooed Cannon from the committee
( ~ rules and otherwise restored con-
nFons to the status Of . genuinely
X)onocratic body.
The second occasion when any body
10 men voted ~ . unit under the
{ GogHmonly accepted name ''insur-
rents was In August, 1909, when
seven Republican United States SEN
Afofs voted against the Payne-Aldrich
tariff bill
SCI Mere Treated With contempt.
At that time and up to six months
ago, the Insurgents were treated with
Gnoers and contempt by standpat Re-
DuDlicans. Various member OF Prev
1dont Taft's cabinet. and even Taft
biInself. again and again read them
out Of the party Cannon, less than
olnht months ago, said that hanging
Was too good for them" II was an
:nounced on behalf Of the Republican
eoogressional committee, that NO help
wodld be given to insurgents whom
lhey came up In their districts for re-
nomination and election.
4 was freely predicted that NJ soon
~ the primaries and elections OF the
!. Drosent summer came on insurgents
R0aId be retired from public life.
A. matter of fact, It would be
hard to duplicate In history the rapid
~ of the growth Of the insurgent
raoyement. II IL a striking example Of
NJ power Of ideas. Just a. soon -
ne people had . chance TO vote In
3 primaries where the issue was square
N " one between standpat and insur-
cent the insurgents began to win.
n Iowa the primaries came in
June. In those primaries insurgents
not only renominated all their mem
bero Of the present congress, but de-.
eented one Of the most prominent Of
y ne stAndpatters.
Ohio and psnnsyIvanIa Situation.
Two Of the early primaries were
6isarpointing- Ohio In May, ana
Pennsylvania In June. Neither Of
those states has In the present con-
gr<ss any single member who IL recog-
ni4od BY the insurgents In congress
- one Of them. And In the nominar
tiQns Of new members the insurgents
I az not gain single member in Penn
Z oyIynnia.
Similarly in Ohio, the gain OF the
insurgents was only vague and indef-
1n4te. Several standpatters who were
eqk1ne for denomination, under pres
ouro from their constituents at home
announced that they would vote
against Cannon for speaker. One
e(andpatter, Ralph Cole. was defeated
f0D denomination In q contest where
; the Issue was clear. insurgent against
staudpatter. But ON the whole, the
iisurgents got very little encourage
ment out Of the primaries In Ohio and
Pennpyiyania.
n August, however, insurgents be-
Hnn 70 make remarkable gains. Cali
iontA for example. had ito first
qEect pr1maries. Direct primaries
I nv the touchHtOne OF insurgents'
!, enecees. One Indirect but conspicu-