The Washington times., 1908-12-12
INSURGENTS DOUBT
MINORITY HONESTY
Fear Democrats Are Not
Anxious for Reasonable
Rules Reform.
Confined from First PageO

person desiring the floor should rise
and respectfully address the chair %
Then in the Forty-sIxth, an interpola-
ton was cleYerly worked into this rule
which made it read rise and respect
fully address the chair. and wait for
recognition" AS thCs changed. nobody
was entitled 20 speak until recognized
The idea OF a Speaker. under the old
rules asking For what purpose does
the gentleman rise?" would have been
secuted II would have started young
riot in the house. But under the re-
organized rule the power OF recognition
was vested in the Speaker and its use
has come to be one of the greatest
causes of complaints. Under the old
rule, a member who was manifestly en-
titled TO the floor by reason of first
claiming it. could appeal 10 the House
for his rights, and get them At pres
ent, the Speaker is absolute In the mat
ter Of recognition
His Summary.
Colonel Hepburn's scheme OF reform
in the rules was summarized thus:
There should be return TO this rule
of the Fifty-si0th Congress, in the mat
ter of power of recognition
The power of naming committee chair
men should be left to the committees
after they are named. instead OF having
the Speaker designate the chairman for
each committee. The chairmen would
thus be made responsible TO the COM
nlttees instead OF creatures of the
Speaker, and the Speakers control Of
legislation through the chairmep would
be greatly lessened-
A committee OF, say seven members
on rules, should be elected By the
House. instead OF being named by tho
Speaker, and should be the steering
committee Of the body.
This was the substance Of Colonel
Hepburn's scheme. other suggestiOGs
were made by members present There
was g strong element IN favor OF
taking the entire power OF committee
appointment away from the Speaker
and reducing him to the status OF 3
mere presiding officer
Other members. unwilling 20 under
take anything so nearly revolutionary
proDosed a compromise under whicl
the Rules Committee should name one
third the members Of each committee,
the Speaker one-third. ana the minority
one-thlrd.
No Conclusion.
no conclusion was reached as 70 a
plan. because the discussion was gen
orally OF a preliminary character
Among those who took prominent partz
in it were Representatives Hepburn
Townsend. Scott. Pollard AIurdocl1.
Foster of Vermont, Hay eG. Nelson OF
wisconsin It was agreed 20 have an
other meeting next Tuesday evening
and meanwhile Mr. Hepburn iE 70 name
a committee, OF which he shall o,
chairman, 70 report a more definite
series Of proposals 20 that meeting
The question Of pressing the rules
contest during the present session was
discussed. and IL was agreed that an
educational campaign must be kept up
throughout the winter At every occa-
sion the rules viii be discussed and the
demand for reform forced home, in
order to arouse public opinion and Sc
cure a backing for TIE project This
was agreed 10 be a most important as
pect. There will be a constant running
fire Of speeches on the rules during the
winter. and In every way possible the
movement viii be placed before the
country with appeal for support.
II IS conceded today that the case Of
the insurgents is stronger amoug Re
pubhcans than could have been ex-
pected few months ago, and prob
ably weaker among the Democrats II
Is feared that the latter will demand
such rigorous reform that the Repub-
hcans viii not be able 20 Cooperate
with them.