Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21
DEALT A HARD BLOW
Detection From the House In
surgents.
TALK WITH THE LEADERS
CONSERVATIVES" Gain Important
Concession.
CALENDAR DAY" ESTABLISHED
New Order to Take Precedence of
All Other Business, Even the
Appropriation Bills.
"CALENDAR DAY" ESTABLISHED

AS result Of an understanding which
was reached yesterday between an erst-
while faction of the insurgents in the
House and thhe republican leaders in that
body the insurgent movement against the
House organization has probably been
dealt a smashing blow-so smashing in
fact as to eventually prove demoliishing.
The insurgents have lost an effective por-
ton of their following, and the whole in
sursent undertaking will probably go to
pieces for lack of following
A conference was held Yesterday be-
tween the leaders of the House and a
group of what is termed conservative"
insurgents; that is, those men who, al
though unwilling to go to the extreme
length of all the so-called reforms advo-
Gated by the radicals, amounting to revo-
luton in the existing system, yet sought
some relaxation of the rules so as to per-
init more freedom of initiative in calling
up legislation for consideration.
The conservatives included such men as
Foster of Vermont, Townsend and Nc
Laughlin of Michigan, Scott and Campbell
OF Kansas and others. They told the
leaders that they We're unwilling to follow
the radicals, but that they and others,
whom they represented, would like to have
at least one change made in the House
procedure which enables members to Sc
cure consideration for bills on the calendar
in rotation, according to position of the
measures as reported. They pointed out
that there was a widespread feeling that
the system might be broadened little
and that members might be allowed to
advocate such broadening without being
In the attitude of rebels against the lead
ership or disloyal to the organization.
calendar Day" Conceded.
The result of The conference was an
agreement that there shall be one day a
week, probably Tuesday, set apart to be
known as calendar day upon which day
the order of business shall be the consid-
Grafton of bills on the calendar as thev
are reached. This order shall take prec-
edence over all other business and can
be displaced only by majority vote
Even appropriation bills will have to give
way to 1t unless majority decide other
wise
The conference was free and friendly.
The disadvantages of loading up the cal
endar with bills which would have prec-
edence by the order of their reporting
over others more important was discussed.
and ways will be found to overcome this
difnculty as the scheme Is worked out in
detail
The essential fact is that there is to be
calendar day in which ordinary legisla-
tion will have vested right, not de-
pendent upon favor of the committee on
rules. and to be divested only by a ma
jority vote. 1t will devolve upon COM
mittees to see to it that the calendar
order is not cluttered up with dead
wood but that live bills are reported
Another essential fact is that a section
of republicans threatening trouble to the
leaders has been placated and will no
longer be found among the insurgents
There is to be no general revolt and no
of party ties. since the align
ment of this group with the leaders will
reduce the numerical strength of the radi-
calls to the point where they can not go
to the threatened last extremity of unit
ing with the democrats and spilinS all
the tpt in the fire.
New Members Keep Aloof.
The insurgent movement has been dis
for some time. Efforts to