Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-20

members.
Under the constitution, the house
makes its own rules and regulations
Consisting, as it does, of nearly 400
members, the house, without an order
ly procedure, would be an unorganized
mob.
Tells OF Rules Fight.
"The president sent to congress his
message recommending the enactment
of revision bill and that no other
matters be considered, as the business
of the country was waiting for tariff
legislation. Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsyl-
vania Immediately moved the adoption
of the rules Of the last house as the
rules for the present congress and de-
manded the previous question on mo-
ton. This demand was refused by a
majority vote. Analysing the vote,
you will find that the motion was de-
feated through an alliance Of suffl-
cient group of Republicans with the
minority.
Then under the parliamentary
usages the leader of the minority, Mr..
Clark, was recognized by the chair and
he moved rs substitute for Mr..
Dalzelrs motion-and mark this care
fully-that the rules of the last house
be adopted for this special session and
that the committees on ways and
means and on mileage be appointed
for. the session only, and that COM
mittee on rules should be constituted,
consisting of fifteen members.
"Of the list he announced, five were
Republicans who had attended the Re-
publican caucus on organization, five
were Republicans who had not at
Democrats who belonged to the Bryan
Populistic outfit and the so-called Dem
ocratic party.
Clark Plan Meant Delay.
Under the rules, even as proposed
by Mr.. Clark, this committee on rules
was to enjoy the privilege to report at
any time upon matters referred to it..
There is no way under the rules of the
last house, and the rules proposed to
be adopted by Mr.. Clark, by which the
majority could have had an opportun-
tty of making an additional rule or
rules to control the business of the
house save by action of the committee
on rules. The committee on rules
would not have had the power and
never has had the power, to control
chinery by and from which the house
can have an opportunity to do what 1t
desires to do, through a majority. Mr..
Clark's motion failed, in spite Of the
assistance he received from the bolt
ing Republicans referred to.
''If the Democratic program had sue
ceeded revenue bill carrying over
1000 items in it's schedules would
have been considered in committee
Of the whole house under the five
minutes rule and as long as any one
of the 400 members desired to offer
an amendment to any paragraph of
the bill consideration thereof would
have continued, and there would have
been on way to complete the consider.
alton Of the measure. 1t follows. OF
course, that the dog days would have
come and gone before action upon the
bill could have been taken.
1.-THE Republican party was given
the power by the people at the last
election for the purpose Of revising the
tariff and doing the work promptly, for
it costs the people of the United
CIGICS OF ltdSI PlO,OOU,uUO CNSiJ udJ
of delay in the enactment of the meas
ure. Business enterprise awaits its
enactment.
Sees Trouble for Boilers.
II have no personal abuse for those
who, calling themselves Republicans,
joined the Clark ryan-Populistic COM
bination In an effort to make nominal
Republican majority Of forty-six in the
house powerless to consider and con-
troll in the enactment of this bill,
through casting their votes with the
minority. fancy that the constituents
of these so-called Republican members
failed to understand what was involv'
ed in the efforts of their representa-
tives to deliver the house to the con.
troll and leadership Of Mr. Clark OF
when they do understand, they will
realize that they were betrayed and
will act accordingly"
Mr.. Cannon's eyes flashed as he
commented upon what he considered
the baseness of the insurgents. He
chewed vigorously upon the end Of his
cigar for few moments and then re-
turned to a discussion Of the tariff.
"The house was organized by the
Republicans, the rules adopted, and
then the tariff bill was passed
promptly. The measure now is being
considered in the senate. For over
twelve months the ways and means
committee of the house, under the di
rection of the house, was engaged in
constant work. with the aid of treasury
experts and representatives Of all ex
ecutive departments, in the construc
ton Of the tariff schedules, and g
library of information, gathered and
available to the house, accompanied
the bill.
Must Trust to Committees.
Some members of the house and
some senators claim they have not
been shown the propriety OF various
schedules. If each member Of the
house and senate had been as in
dustrious as the ways and means com
mittee in the preparation of the bill
they would have had ample knowledge
in the premises. But such knowledge
cannot be gained except by great labor
and in this legislation, as in all legis
lation necessary to be enacted for the
we'll being Of the republic, the house