The Washington times., 1911-05-15
PROGRESSNES SAY
GALL|NGER BROKE
FAITH WITH THEN
Charge Senator Ignored
Written Agreement on
Committee Places.

Underlying the opposition of pro.
gressive Republicans to the election OF
| Senator GaIlinger as President pro tenn
pore of the Senate, is the charge that
Senator Gallinger violated his agree
| ment with the progressives, after IL
had been put into writing, in the mat
| ter of apportioning committee positions
| to the two factions of the Republicans.
Because of this alleged breach OF
faith, the progressives have been par
ticular1y opposed to Senator Gallinger.
The story of just exactly what he did
has just become public. 1t begins with
the conferences between the represent
atives of the regulars and insurgents to
consider the insurgent proposition that
the insurgents should be given one
! fourth of the committee assignments.
Written Agreement Suggested.
The story goes that at certain con-
ference the regulars were represented
by Senators Gallinger and Penrose, the
progressives. by La Toilette. Cummins,
Bourne. and Brisrow. The plan of CIV
fng the insurgents one-fourth the places
and letting them choose their own as
signments was finally agreed to. Some
body suggested that it be written down,
and Senator Bourne, seating himself at
a table, drew up a sheet of paper and
wrote down a memorandum of the
agreement.
Subsequently there was a suggestion
that this should be signed. but this was
not done because it was agreed that
everybody understood the terms, and
that among gentlemen there was no oc-
casion for a signature to such an agree
ment
Senator Gallinger took the sheet OF
paper written by Senator Bourne, put
ii in his pocket and went away. Later
the proGreSSiVes learned that he had dc
Clined to stand by the agreement. and
protested that faith had been broken.
Senator GallinEer iCtOrted that there
had been no agreement. He, is quoted
as having said that something was writ
ten, but hat he didn't read II and paid
no attention to it.
On the other hand, the prOgressives
declare that Senator Gallinger read the
paper twice and that when he went
away from the conference It was under
stood that he was in agreement with
the condition, having so indicated.
Despite all this. when Senator CAL
linger had to act in the matter of ap-
pointing the Committee on Committees
and of making up the committee roll
of the Senate, no attention was paid to
the alleged agreement. and the pro-
gressIves were not given the proportion
of places which they claimed were
promised.
Further than that II is stated that
al a later period, Senator Bourne de-
sired to recover possession of the paper
he had written, and requested it from
Senator Gallinger, he was given. not
the original copy, but a typewriter
copy.
Situation Unchanged.
Such, in brief. is the story Of alleged
broken agreement which explains the
particular animosity of the progressive
leaders against Senator Gallinger.
When the Senate met today the ind-
cations We're that no change had taken
place in the situation. 1t was reported
that the whole fight might be dropped
by reason of an agreement that Senator
Frye would continue to serve as Presi-
dent pro tenn. AS stated in The Times
yesterday. it is now accepted that he is
still actually President pro TEN.
Conferences have been held with ref
erenCe to an agreement to allow TIE
status quo to continue. In any case. 1t
was expected this afternoon that If bal
loting should be resumed no choice
would be possible.