The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-21
GEORGIA MEMBERS
 EXPLAIN ACTION
Congressman Tell Why They Voted Against New Rules
WILL UPHOLD DEMOCRACY
The Georgians Declare That They Would Not Vote for a Measure That Gave Republicans
 Control of Rules.

Washington, March 2O.-For the first time since their democratic brethren in the House began to eriticise them for voting in opposition to Minority Leader Clark during the consideration of the Fitzgerald amendments to the rules of the House last Monday the six Georgia members tonight made an explanation of their course. They are Livingston, Brant- ly, Edwards, Lee and Griggs.
 These Georgians say they differed from some of the other democrats on ques- tion of policy. not of principle.
 We believe it more in keeping with democracy and the plank of the Dem yer platform, declaring for a revision of the rules,' they say, ito present a dem- ocratic proposal for such revision rather than create committee composed of nine republicans and six democrats to carry out thedemoeratic platform"
 They say they believed that now is the time to revise the rules, not nine months hence, when the republican insurgents and regulars will doubtless have patched up their differences. Their votes were cast, they point out, for amendments pre- pared by a democrat and prepared in strict accordance with the democrauc platform.
 We could not understand how it could be democratic on the one hand" it is stated, flor democrats to vote for a res- olution dictated by republicans creating republican committee to revise the rules and, on the other hand, be undemocratic to vote for specific amendments prepared and proposed by a democrat simply be- cause these amendments met with sup port from some republicans. If it is dem- ocratic for some democrats to affiliate and vote with some republicans it can not be undemocratic to permit the re- maining republicans to follow the lead of the remaining democrats. We not only voted for amendments in strict ac- cord with the Denver platform, but we violated no caucus pledge in doing so'
 For F years, it is claimed no demo- cratic caucus has been binding The statement is made that Representative Howard during the caucus of democrats on Monday just before the House met obtained permission of the minority lead- er Clark, to present and vote for amend ments other than those MT. Clark was to propose.
 w Ille IL IS SldleQ that the GeOrBlaQS are not criticising any one 1t is urged that they were not invited into any of the eaucauses or conferences that led up to the reported agreement between "a few democrats and a few insurgent re- publicans.'
 It is pointed out that the democrats of the Sixty-frst Congress were morgan ized up to within two hours of the time the House convened.
 a say, that caucus on so important d matter as accepting the leadership of republicans on anything could not have been called early enough to have allowed a full and free discussion. It was per- haps inevitable that caucus called for a time just two hours before the House was to meet had to be considered un- der arbitrary rules that denied discus sion and information. It ais probable if the caucus had been held at an earlier period that 8 complete understanding could have been reached. We see no reason now, however, for democrats to fall out with one another, because every one acted according to his best judg- ment. for what he believed was the best interest of the party and the country 
 England manufacturer would pay higher duty than he now pays. More than this the Payne bill reduces the duty of man. ufactured leather goods 40 per cent, so that the New England shoemaker would have to pay an increased price for his raw material and at the same time face a tremendous cut in his protection. This is the argument that is being put forth by the leather interests.
 Efforts were made today to ascertain whether or not the Argentine Republic is already in agreement with any coun- try in such way as to make the max imum feature of the Payne bill opera tive at once but no one could be found who knew anything definite on the sub ject