The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-06
HOUSE RULES DO NOT
SATISFY MEMBERS
Representatives After Adopting
Committees Report Threaten
to BaIk


to BaIk
The house Of representatives yester
day accepted without amendment the
report of its committee on rules, but
not until the members had displayed a
disposition to rebel at the iron-clad
new provisions presented by the COM
mittee
The debate covering the presenta-
ton and adoption of the new rules con-
tinued over a period of two hours. and
on the question of the adoption of the
rule excluding all but members from
the floor of the house chamber the
vote was close. BY vote of 48 to 40
a substitute motion was laid on the
table and the committee sustained.
Every other substitute was laid on the
table, but by more decisive vote.
There was strong talk after the adj
1ournment yesterday of the necessity
of some changes in the adopted rules
Members who voted for the commit
tees report declared their intention to
move amendments to the rules relat-
ing to the exclusion of wives of mem
bers of the legislature, distinguished
visitors from other states and accred-
tied representatives of the press, and
excused their votes in the session yes
terday by saying that they would not
vote precedent OF turning down the
committee almost on the opening day
of the session. There was widespread
dissatisfaction with some of the rules
and open talk of revolution. 1t Is all
| most certain that changes will be made
in the rules early in the session.
Row Over Patronage
Another point that engendered feei-
| Ing was the adoption of a recommen-
dation in the new rules which makes
the rules committee the judge of the
necessity of the employment of house
| members of the house that the proper
committee to have jurisdiction of this
| question is the committee on legisla-
| tive expenses, and that the adoption
(! of the report of the committee estab-
\ fishes precedent in putting the house
I employees under the committee on rules.
Either Chairman J. A. Rockne, w. B.
| Anderson or James r. Hickey, of the
committee was on his feet during the
| greater part of the session defending
| the new rules from attack, while George
| w. Armstrong, M. d. Flower, w. A.
/ Nolan and Others vainly proposed
amendments to different sections of the
/ report When substitute after substi-
| tute had been laid on the table, the
report as q whole was adopted with i
| out division. Ass
The spectacle Of q member volup-
tarfly suggesting reduction in his
mileage was presented when M. IA.
Fosseen, of Hennepin, moved that the
record show that A. j. Rockne had re-
ceived mileage for 152 miles instead of
| 200 miles. He said he made the mo-
ton at the request of Rockne, who had
been given the extra mileage two years
| ago.
| "a report.'of the state forestry board
was received and ordered printed, and
then the report of the special commit
tee on rules was presented and occu-
pied the time of the house until the
adjournment at IL o'clock. Nearly all
! the old rules were presented for adop-
| ton without amendment, but an
amendment to rule 20 provided that
1 all bills and resolutions be introduced
l in duplicate
NJ D. Flower, of Ramsey. opposed
the amendment as involving unneces-
4 sary labor and expense.
4 Flower Would Help Press
II understand that it is the purpose
of the rule to furnish the press with
the extra copies," he said, and / be-
i lieve that an easier way is to give the
! press facilities for doing it's work on
the floor of the house"
J. r.. Hickey, of Ramsey, said that
the rule was drafted to meet existing
1 conditions, inasmuch as the represents
/ atives of the press were placed in a
/ far-away gallery, where they could
4 neither see nor hear the proceedings OF
4 the house. J. T. Mannix, of Henne-
pin, insisted that the facilities for
the press were wholly inadequate and
Z it was only question of time when
4 the newspaper representatives would
have to be brought to the floor of the
i chamber. x
LAS one who realizes the value of in
/ telligent comprehensive reports in the
/ daily papers, hope that the amends
I ment will not prevail, and that the re-
! porters will be given the privileges OF
the house" said the veteran newspaper
man.
M. ]. O'Laughlin. of Wabasha, insist
4 ed that the. proposal involved some
! thing new in the state.
1T iss-the first time in the history
q of the state that newspaper reporters
s have been denied admission to the
4 floor of the house" he said, "and
hope the amendment will not pass.
+ Gen. Flower offered substitute mo-
IL l1OI1, OiIiltlluS1 pfOtfSlOI It'd LIE
bills andssresolutions be introduced in
duplicate, but withdrew it. to offer q
resolution that the old rule covering
+ the Introduction of bills be substituted
for the new rule.
Il Chairman Rockne, of the committee
j spoke for the new rule, saying that il
would not work hardship on mem
bers IN these days of typewriters and
+ carbon paper. The making of bills in
duplicate would further tend to revea
woodehucks, and he moved to lay the
81 Flower substitute on the table. On {
8 sviva voce vote the committee was sus-
tanned.
Committees Are Changed
The committees report, indicating
the number and proportions of the va
rious committees. met with some OBJ
lection. Chairman Rockne explained
that the committees report did no.
warrant new committees, but simply
added members to- some of the old
Z Armstrong, of Hennepin. wanted tt
eliminate the committee ON illuminat-
ing oils, because, he said, the commit
a tee never met, but member of the
II committee two years ago silenced OPP
r position by declaring that the commit
b tee had had two meetings.. Among the
committees increased We're:
Public accounts and expenditures
from IL to Is; state prison and reform