The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-03-19
CANNON REELECTED,
HOUSE RULES ARE
MODIFIED SLIGHTLY
AFTER STORMY SESSION FlTZ-
GERALD RESOLUTION GOES
GLIMMERiNG THROUGH.
CLARK IN SPIRITED COLLOQUY
Calendar For Unanimous Consent
EstabIished.-Oon't Have to go to
Speaker For Reeosnition.-some
other Changes


history, the House Of Representatives
Monday, regardless Of party align.
ment, adopted, 211 to 172, a resolution
by Mr.. Fitzgerald, Democrat. of New
York, whereby the rules were amend
ed in several important particulars.
The resolution was substitute for
one offered by Mr.. Clark of Missouri.
Its adoption was accomplished only
after the insurgents" with the aid OF
Democrats, with one or two excep-
lions, had won a decided preliminary
victory by voting down a resolution
by Mr.. Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, max
ing the unamended rules of the Six
tieth Congress applicable to those OF
the present Congress.
The call of the roll on the resolu.
lions was followed with intense in.
terest.
Such was the fever heat of the meas
ure that Mr. Clark, of Missouri, got
into a spirited colloquy with Mr.. Dial.
yell, who had mounted the rostrum TO
read the resolution of the minority |
leader Mr.. Clark wanted him or /
dered away from the desk, to which
proceeding Mr.. Dalzell objected say. |
ing he had right to know what the !
measure contained. This incident led I
to a controversy with the Speaker,
which laste3 long enough for Mr.. Dial
cell to &c the information he desired
and he stepped from the platform and
returned to his seat.
Shortly afterward when Mr.. Fitz-
geralds resolution was up, Mr. Fftz-
gerald was drawn into a colloquy with
Mr.. Clark, who desired him to yield
for question. Much bitterness was
displayed by the two men. Mr.. Fftz-
gerald at first refused to yield. He /
later did so, but Mr.. Clark declined
his proffer of time, remarking that the
New York member would live to re- i
gret his action, which called forth the
retort from Mr. Fitzgerald that he was +
not to be scared" by any threats. .
AS analysed by parliamntarians the :
Fitzgerald amendment makes three +
important changes
/. 1t establishes q calendar for :
unanimous consents, the erect of {
which is to enable a member to have !
a proposition brought before the c
House without having to go to the !,
Speaker for recognition. :
2. w cr consideration of a bill Is
concluded and the previous question
is ordered the rules heretofore nave ;
provided for a motion TO commit with g
or without instructions. 1t has been =
the practice to recognize a member of !,
the majority party to make this mo-
ton and thus prevent the minority q
from offering such instructions as it q
may desire The new rule gives the y
the preference in making :,
such a motion and thus enables 1t to -
get a record vote on propositions !,
which would otherwise be settled in
committee of the whole House, where =,
record votes are not possible. i,
8. 1t protects the calendar by re- =
luiring a two-thirds instead of ma a.
ority vote to set it aside.
4. 1t is also claimed that the
amendment will have the effect of +
favoritism by the action of
he Committee on Rules In special
Eases.
A prominent feature of the Clark
resolution was an amendment provid- !"
ng for a committee of fifteen men, VI
,ers to revise, amend and codify the "
'ules, and much of the opposition to ~
t was because of this fact. AS adop- d.
ed the Fitzgerald amendment makes u
10 change in the present method of ~
he selection of the Committee on III
Rules, which is made by the Speaker q
or is there any change in the method vi
u selecting committees. r.
Speaker Cannon is inclined to regard
he amendment as a slight improve
nent on the party rules, in that In I'll
tead of throwing the responsibility III
or recognition on him, It sets aside OF
ertain days for the consideration of at
measures under unanimous consents er
ut he says under the new rules mem IA
ers will have to wait for those days. Is
In conversation soon after the ac- 10
ion of the House he commented freely SC
pom the fact that Mr.. Bryan had In pU
erfered in the interest OF the changes pr
ubmitted by Mr.. Clark and spoke of Al
he adoption of the Fitzgerald substi- IN
ute as triumph over the Bryan us
orces, saying that the conservative gu
democrats. who really want legisla- re-
lon, had practically stood for the old mi
,Ins x,tth thn n,onndn,npA. nNraraA ~, MI