New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-03
Republicans Determine TO
Treat Defence Question
as NOn-PartiSan.
CANNON STRONG
ON ECONOMY ISSUE
"Uncle Joe" Will Receive Rec"
ognition, as Precedent viii
Be Ignored in Selections.
Iron The Tribune Bureau


the House met in conference tonight,
elected Representative James Z. Mann
OF Illinois, as their floor leader for the
session, and heard Mr.. Mann deliver q
"get together" speech and warn all Re
publicans that they were expected TO De
Johnny -the-spot during this Con
gress."
The minority leader reiterated MS
declaration that if the administration
would treat the question Of national
defence i'm a n-partisan manner the
minority would so accept the proposed
legislation, but that II would not re
gard as non-partisan "a programme
sent down here b. the President TO
the Democrats to swallow
"Uncle Joe" Cannon, returning 10
his legislative labors after a two-year
rest. received great ovation as he
entered the conference, which was hello
in the House Chamber. Mr. Cannon
placed Mr.. Mann's name in nomination
for the speakership, which c2--.es with
IL the minority leadership, and asserted
that two years hence he hoped to nomi-
nate Mr.. Mann for Speaker when the
nomination would carry with 1t cleo
tion.
Mann to Name Committees.
By a practically unanimous vote the
conference delegated the minority
leader 20 make the committee assign
ments of Republican members. For
the last two sessions Mr.. Mann mas
made. subject to the approval OIL inc
Democrats of the Ways and Means
Committee, all Republican assign
ments.
.J;nele Joe" Cannon. before nomi-
Mating Mr. Mann. said 10 the new and
After our term of political adver,,
sitv | am Glad to look around me anu
say. Behold. how pleasant It Is LOT
brethren to dwell together in unity
We are all agreed here tonight ~ o.
the one great economy issue. me
country has learned that the IaI-A
principles for which We were respohI
sible are good and proper and al! Oh
US will be here later to enact Oe''ei
economic legislation 49,
Republicans that the Democratic ma
ior;;y in the House was small
'a;WN; o will have a great deal Of re-
tponsibilitv during this session. ne
Seciored, "and there will be times when
90 vr;u have TO decide between what
NAV seem to be q question OF party
advantare and a question OF what ~
best for the country. | know kepuoIi-
cans well enough to say that believe
the interests of the country VIII al
WAYS be uppermost with them.
Defence Subject Non-Partisan.
az have been asked by the President
IN confer with him on certain matters
considered non partisan, and parucu-
lorlv on the matter of national de1ehce'
! think that the subject OF natonal oe-
fence should De considered from non,
PARTISAN standpoint in the military anu
naval committees, II the Democrats a,e
willing 70 work on even terms with the
Republicans. calling in experts on the
subject. But if the President should
rnate nm a programme in advance and
send il down here 70 be swallowed by
the Democrats. ] do not see how any
one could REGARD that as non partisan
The conference elected Representa-
tive Charles NJ Hamilton, Of New York
as the Republican whip. Aiken ). Tall
man, Of Duchess County, y. \, was
nominated by Representative Chandler
as candidate for doorkeeper, ana tne
conference bestowed the honorary nom
ination.
Precedent. the big tin god before
whom all good" Congressman have
bowed down thrice daily for many
wears, will get the hardest jolt of dec
AIDES when the Republican committee
assignments are announced, 1t was
learned tonight. No more will his good
old rules of Seniority" and continuous
"a
leaders, the very men who IN other
sessions received blessings at his
hands. are the ones who have decided
20 turn and rend him, rather than re-
signedly to accept the kind OF medicine
thew helped him hand out to others.
Cannon Not at Bottom.
So Cannon, Mckinley. Loud, Hill anC
others who were well toward the toI
nbsr thew were defeated in 1912 viii
he assigned TO places BETTING their ex'
perience and knowledge, instead o.
Having 70 20 in at the bottom, as Prece
dent demands. -
aContjnuous service" has been the
Law Of precedent. No man could be
iudged according 20 any other merit
;baS seniority. Industry, knowledge,
sYberience. patriotism, intellectual
these were as dross. If the member
once slipped at the polls, back ne went
70 the bottom and again began the long
upward climb. And to-day there are
gathering for the opening OF Congress
not less than a half-score OF men VINO
reached high place through seniority
who lost Just once, but now must re-
turn, II the big tin gods laws still hold
with no more prominent place IN Con-
rress than belongs 70 the youngest and
greenest country lawyer IN the lot.
Consider Joseph g. Cannon, ne"
member" from an Illinois district He
was long a worshipper Of precedent,
but he slipped, and to-day he stands
without honor before his tin god He
IN "green," he is without the saving
grace Of seniority, he is an untried
and unknown member. and the tin god,
precedent, says he must 90 TO the foot
Of the class.
Then there Is William b. Mckinley,
once power in the House, chairman Of
tne Committee on Coinage and well
toward the top OF the Foreign Affairs
committee. There - EbeneZer Hill.
quondam chairman Of the Committee on
treasury Expenditures and member
OF the all powerful Ways and Means
Committee. There was William A. Ko-
dsnbeTg, chairman Of Industrial Arts
and Expeditions and one Of the guard
ians or dispensers OF the Rivers and
Harbors pie. There were William s
Bennett, Gorge A. Loul and Nicholas
Longwortb, and so on down the list
Once all these men doomed large in the
land. To-day they are back at their old
task, but precedent refuses them then