The Washington herald., 1911-04-27
INSURGENTS GIVEN
SOME GOOD PLACES
Senate Committees Will Be
Reported This Noon.

The Republican Senators in party eau
Gus yesterday afternoon ratified the COM
mittee assignments for the members of
their party in the Senate. The Demo-
Gratis will meet in caucus this morning
and perform a like service. and full
list of Senate committees will be report
ed TO the Senate when it meets at noon.
The new organization of the Senate
will begin business Monday morning, and
the new chairman of committees will
assume their respective places on that
day. A large number of committee clerks
and employees who have been drawing
salaries since March 4, without having
to perform any service, will be separat-
ed from the pay roll on May l.
The insurgent Republican Senators car
ried their fight for places through the
caucus Senator La Toilette registered
a protest against the report adopted and
reserved the right to bring the matter up
in the Senate to-day. Senator La Toilette
contended for assignment on the Commit
tee on Interstate Commerce. and refused
to accept the position on the Committee
on Appropriations which was offered to
him. The final disposition of Senator La
Toilette was the real source of the trou-
BILE I'm the caucus yesterday.
The insurgents had other demands, but
they were so we'll cared for generally
that there was little complaint, except
that occasioned by the refusal of the
Senate leaders to put the Senator from
Wisconsin on the Interstate Commerce
Committee. Senator Cummins. of Iowa,
desired to serve on the Finance Commit
tee. and Senator Bristow sought TO get
Il place on the Foreign Relations Com
mittee.
Insurgents Turned Down.
After the Republican members of the
committee on committees met in the
morning and turned down the four in
surgent members upon these three spe-
cific demands, Senator Cummins grace
fully withdrew from the skirmish. But
Senator La Toilette reserved the right TO
carry the matter into the caucus, which
met in the afternoon.
In the caucus Senator Ccmmins drop
ping his aspirations for service on the
Finance Committee. acted as spokesman
for the insurgents and urged the Senate
leaders TO give Mr.. La Toilette the place
On the Interstate Commerce Committee.
He reviewed the long experience the
Senator from Wisconsin lad in dealing
with transportation problems as governor
7,
voted down Mr.. la Follettes aspirations
One of the disappointing features Of the
Caucus to the Senate leaders was the
alignment of Senator Kenyon, of Iowa,
who was recently elected to succeed Sem
ator Dalliver. lie relinquished the office
of assistant to the Attorney General to
become a Senator. His election was
warmly commended by President Taft
and Attorney General Wickersham. but
he made il clear yesterday by his actions
that the insurgent strength on the Re
publican side of the Senate chamber has
beef increased to thirteen by his cleo
tion.
Opposition to Lorimer.
Another interesting incident was the
attempt of the Senate leaders to place
Senator William Lorimer, of Illinois, on
the Interstate Commerce Committee.
Senator Cullom offered to retire from
that committee and permit Mr.. Lorimer
to be named. But so much opposition
developed that the matter was quickly
recalled.
1t is doubtful what action the insur-
gents will take to-day. Senator La Fol-
Iette has been advising them to bolt the
caucus. but he is not being followed. In
fact. the Senator from Wisconsin was
overruled by his insurgent colleagues
number of times in the recent struggle
for committee places. The insurgeut
Senators had a long meeting in Senator
Clapps room after the caucus adjourned,
and most OF the time was devoted to
stroking Mr.. La Follette's pompadour the
smooth way. in an effort to prevent an
outbreak to-day. The meeting adjourned
without any definite conclusion as to
future action. but it looks very much
AS II La Toilette could not be able to
command a majority of the insurgents If
he starts 10 fight.
The truth is the insurgent Senators ad
nit privately that they have been ex-
ceptionally we'll treated by the Senate
leaders in committee assignments For
example, Senator Jonathan Bourne. who
organized the Progressive Republican
League, is made chairman of the Com
mittee on Post-offices and Post Roads
in spite of his announced purpose to make
war on the present policy OF the Post
Office Department and his personal ami
mostly to Postmaster General Hitchcock
Mr. Bourne stood next to Senator Crane
in the line of eligibility for the place, and
Senator Crane did not want the chair
manship.