Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-04-15
DRASTIC RULES
Guido DOUMA
House Makes Motion to Adjourn;
Take Second Place

WASHINGTON, April IL. - (Spe-
ciaI Correspondence. )--The stand-pat
congressional program OF the repub-
Leans has been brought up with a
round turn by the democratic mem
beTs of congress under the leadership
OF Hon. John Sharp Williams, and the
republican leaders are now working
overtime to do business without de-
bate. They accuse Mr.. Williams of
flibustering, but he defined the fili-
buster as the man engaged In pre-
venting legislation, while we" he
said, are engaged In the business of
trying to force legislation" In
speech last week Mr.. Williams indi-
Gated the democratic position and
showed they were determined to pre-
vent any bill from passing by unan-
imous consent and not to allow any
departure from what the rules re-
quired, until the republican leaders
would allow some OF the legislation,
which he named, and which had been
recommended by President Roose-
welt. to be considered.
The republican leaders. finding
themselves helpless, have been forced
to bring In a new special rule to pre-
vent the democrats from having their
way; and this new rule Is 50 drastic
that even limited debate Is prohibited
on house bills which the senate has
amended. which In future will be sent
to conference, or the amendments
agreed to. without any intervening
motion OF any kind being allowed.
So the senate can tack on any amend
ment It pleases, and the representa-
tives OF the people viii have no voice
for or against such amendments.
This would appear TO be unconstitu-
tlonal The rule also provides that
for the remainder OF the session a
motion 70 take recess shall be priv
LEGGED, and have precedence over
motion to adjourn; and that the
question shall be decided without de-
bate or amendment. That Is the first
time that the rule that a motion TO
adjourn Is always IN order, has been
oYerridden and virtually reseinded.
A further provision OF the order was
that during the remainder of the SEES
sion II shall be In order to close de-
bate BY motion In the house before
going into committee of the whole,
which motion shall not be subject to
either amendment or debate.
When this rule had been read, Mr..
Williams inquired II the minority
would have the usual 20 minutes to
discuss this rule. They will not"
curtly replied Mr.. Dalzell. II just
wanted the house and the country to
know that fact" replied MIR, Will
lRms.
The president, It Is said, has al
ready threatened to veto the public
buildings bin unless congress agrees
70 increase the number Of battleships.
The New York World Is authority for
the statement that many republican
congressman have called on the presl-
dent and besought him to issue
statement repudiating the proffered
assistance of the democrats to pass
some of the legislation he has recon-
mended, but he has declined abso-
lutely to do 80" His friends say he
still hopes that enough republicans
will break away from Cannon to en-
able the democrats to put through
those sections OF his message for
which they are fighting, 1t has long
been considered that the lower house
of congress has not been delibera-
tive body; but now. under this new
rule. the republicans. for partisan
purposes, have reduced Il to lower
level than any of the popular assem-
blles of Europe, not excepting the
douma Of Russia.
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