The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
CAUCUS UNITES
MINORITY PARTY
Republican, rosressives Come
Back Into Regular Fold,
Receiving Glad Hand.
BULL MOOSE HERDS ALONE
Good Committee Assignments Will Be
Given Prodigal Sons by
Leader Mann.

AS q result of a party caucus held last
night, following the formation OF an or
ganization of Bull Moose members Fri
day, the Republicans Of the House are
now more nearly united than they have
been since the uprising against Cannon
ism a few years ago.
Last night seventy-f1ve simon-pure Re-
publicans and twenty Progressive Re-
publicans met and indulged>> in what
practically amounted to love feast.
Representative James r. Mann of ILL
nois. was named as the party's candi-
date for Speaker by a unanimous vote,
and other business was transacted with
out word Of protest. Regulars and In
surgents stood shoulder to shoulder. and
when the meeting broke everybody wore
broad smile.
Yesterday afternoon the Progressive
Republicans met in conference to decide
upon a course Of action in the new
House. They had been invited to round
up with the Bull Moose and declined
They were told that they would be well
coined to the Republican caucus. but
that il they attended they must do so
with the understanding that they would
be expected to stand by the dictates of
the organization. The Progressives as
scented to this conditional invitation by
answering present when the secretary
called the roll at the caucus.
Practically all the Progressives who
have not aligned themselves with the
Bull Moose organization have gone back
into the Republican party fold. Most of
them have been identified for years with
what Is known as the La Toilette group
in Congress. and the harmony programme
put through was effected largely through
the good offices of Representative Len
root of Wisconsin, a La Toilette lieu
tenant. Mr.. Lenroot was present at the
Progressive conference. He strongly
urged his colleagues to attend last
nights caucus and to vote for Mr.. Mann
for Speaker.
PrOgressives Not Overlooked.
In perfecting the organization the regu-
lars did not overlook the Progressives.
They named Representative Clarence r.
Miller of Minnesota, formerly prominent
as an anti-Cannon Republican, asssecre-
tary of the caucus. Representative w.
S. Greene of Massachusetts, was named
chairman. while Representative Charles
II. Burke of South Dakota was elected
the party whip the place vacated by
the retirement from Congress Of John
Dwight, of New York.
An effort was made by some of the
Progressives to commit the party to the
plan of selecting committees by a COM
oH d icloEHu duopttu
by the Democrats in the last Congress.
This proposition was debated at some
length, but it finally was decided that the
duty of nominating Republicans to House
committees should again be intrusted to
Leader Mann.
Action was deferred on a resolution
providing that at all future caucuses or
conferences the press and the public
should be admitted. This measure is
quite generally approved, and it is ex-
pected that the Republicans will here
after hold their meetings in the open.
AS a result of the merging of the two
factions some important changes are to
be made i'm the Republican organiza-
ton. Progressives who heretofore have
been assigned to obscure committees are
to be brought to the front. For example.
it is understood that Representative Sgd
ney Anderson, the young Minnesota Pro-
gressive who defeated James A. Taw
ney is to be given a place on the Com
mittee on Ways and Means. Representa-
tive Charles r. Davis, also of Mime
sofa, who was an insurgent long before
Victor Murdoch ever thought of it, is
to be rewarded with a position on the
Committee on Appropriations, one Of the
prize committees of the House.
Two years ago about twenty Progress
sives jumped the party reservation and
refused to vote for Mr. Mann for Speak
err. Only a few Republicans will vote
against him when the House Is organ
lied next week.