Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-19
HOUSE RULES CUT BIG FIGURE
IN THE TARIFF LEe,s.
LATioN.
CLAIM SPEAKER HELPED
TO BLOCK THE MEASURE
Charge is Made That No Proper Re-
vision of the Tariff viii Ever Be
Accomplished So Long AS a Man
Like Cannon Has the Power to Con-
troll House Affairs.
Especial correspondence.1


washington, Aug. 19-That the pres
ent house rules and the failure to ov-
erhaul them and the lack Of success OF
the downward revisionlsts in their ef-
forts to get tariff rates reduced, are
all closely connected, Is the argument
made with much show OF force by
many members of the house who are
opposed to the existing rules
They are talking doctrine OF this
sort plainly and there Is not much
doubt they are strengthening the op-
position to the house rules in those
parts of the country where there is
dissatisfaction with the new tariff
measure.
No Tariff Revision Possible.
Many republicans, and democrats
too. for that matter, so so far as to
say that the tariff will never be right
ly revised so long as the house rules
give into the hands of a man like
Speaker Cannon the power to control
things; to make up the committees:
and to reward or punish those that
follow his bidding or refuse obedience.
They say, too, that what is true of the
tariff is true Of other legislation. How,
they ask, can the country look for the
right sort Of legislation as to corpora
tions and railroads, il the rules con-
tinue to put II into the hands of the
speaker to dictate the course Of things
in the house?
Rules and Revision Bound Up.
An instance of the arguments made
that the rules question and tariff re-
vision were in%xtricahly bound up to-
gether Is seen in the speech which
Representatives Haugen of Iowa has
just had inserted in the Record. Mr.
Haugen is a staunch republican, tho
an insurgent. He says the tariff meas
ure can not be called republican and
that he knows 1t is merely the result
Of trading and combination.
KNOWING, as we all know" says Mr.
Haugen, "that tl1e present rules Of tho
house. as we'll as the most damaging
amendments to the bill are the results
of democratic and republican COM
ibination, naturally I am somewhat
skeptical."
IL need say nothing now" says Mr..
Haugen further, "of the dickering,
trading and combinations referred to
from time to time in the magazines and
press of this country 1t is enough to
say that by the aid of twenty-three
democratic votes. as shown In the Con-
gressional Record, members of this
house have been deprived by the rules,
forced on to us by democratic votes.
of the opportunity to vote their convic-
tions and judgment, except in cases
whore 1t was provided by a special rule
by which we Were allowed to partici-
pate in fixing the duty on about half
dozen out Of the 1000 items in the
bill"
Old Rules Hampered.
Mr. Haugen emphasized the fact not
only that the saddling Of the old rulss
hampered the downward revisionists
but he showed how the west had failed
to get free lumber on account of DEM
ocratic votes and how it has been giver
free hides blythe votes Of democrats
He concluded that the measure was sc
largely made up by the cooperation o
democrats with republicans that he
could not consider himself bound to 1,
as a republican measure.
Other republicans who are opposed Il
the rules are taking the same stand a.
Mr.. Haugen and making the existini
rules largely bear the onus of the fail
ure to accomplish downward revision
1t is not difficult to see that If the cam
paign against the rules goes on alonl
these lines, there Is likely to be an up
rising against the rules when the mex
house is organized, which will either
shake the power to name committees
or will come much closer to tha
achievement than the rules fight Ill,
Iae.