The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-03-18
CANNON REELECTED
Special Session OF Congress Met
Tuesday at Noon
LIVELY TIME In THE HOUSE

Their Attempt to Curtail the Speak
| er's Power-Democratic Members
| Would Not Stand by Their Leader.
Senate Meets But AdIcurns After
Short Session.
Washington, D. c., March 15.-The
| National House Of Representatives
| to-day reelected Joseph G. Cannon,
/ of Illinois, Speaker for the fourth
consecutive term, and with unimport-
ant amendments, the rules of the
present Congress Were adopted for
| the conduct of business during the
| Sixty-first Congress.
| The insurgent Republicans and
their Democratic allies were slaught-
fered in the fight to take from the
| Speaker his autocratic power in the
| House by twenty-one Democratic boil
! ters led by John J. Fitzgerald, of
| New York. The insurgent Rep2bli-
cans went down to defeat with the
| final loss of but one of their number,
! Representative Steenerson, of Mime
sofa
/ Speaker Cannon will announce the
new Committee on Ways and Means
tomorrow.
The contest over the adoption of
the rules in the House to-day was
| the most spirited that has been in
many years. Twice the Democrats
and insurgents had victory within
their grasp only in the end to see it
| snatched from them by a Democratic
reveit The Cannon leaders came
| forth victorious by lending their
support to the Fitzgerald substitute
| for the Democratic-insurge resolu-
ton which was aimed at the Cannon
| power
Attracted by the prospects of bal
| tie in the House, the galleries were
crowded with visitors. Early in the
| fight the Senate took a recess to wit
ness the scene, and several Senators
were on the floor of the House while
the battle was waged.
There was little trouble in the cleo
ton of a Speaker. Mr.. Cannon was
put in nomination by Representative
Currier, of New Hampshire, and
Champ Clark, the minority leader,
was nominated by Representative
| Clayton, of Alabama. Mr.. Cannon
| received 204 votes and Mr.. Clark 166.
| The other twelve votes were divided
| by the insurgents
| After the election of the Speaker
the fight on the rules was opened by
| Representative Dalzell, of Pennsyl-
| vania, who presented a resolution
providing for the adoption of the
rules of the Sixtieth Congress for the
sixty-first. For this fight the House
machine, the insurgents and the
Democrats had been preparing dur
| ing the morning. Mr.. DalZell called
| for the question on the consideration
of the rules and won by a vote of
1874 to 1873. Champ Clark wanted
a recapitulation of the vote, but it
was curtly denied by Speaker Cannon
and the Republicans cheered.
The insurgents and the Democrats
had their inning on the vote on the
adoption of the rules of the Sixtieth
Congress, which they defeated by a
vote of 1913 to 1S9. This result was
greeted with the widest cheering
from the House and applause from
the galleries.
Champ Clark then presented his
coalition Democratic insurgent
amendment to the rules. It provided
for the continuance of the present
Ways and Means Committee that the
tariff bill might not be delayed. 1t
refused permission to the Speaker to
name the other great standing COM
mittees of the House that he might
not get his grip firmly on the House
machinery before the Committee on
Rules could report on what changes
were necessary.
On this resolution Mr.. Clark called
for the previous question and lost
control of his Democratic following,
the motion being lost by 203 to 179
i This sounded the death-knell to the
hopes of the Democrats and insur-
gents, for Representative Fitzgerald
of New York, promptly introduced a
substitute resolution and gave the
Republican leaders their opportunity
to make their show of concession to
the friends of rules revision and the
wavering Democrats an excuse fol-
breaking with Clark and joining with
Cannon
: In the excitement attending these
parliamentary moves one of the most
exciting incidents of the contest tool
place. Dalzell had gone to the clerks
desk. He seemed to be studying the
votes that had been cast. Clark OBJ
jected to his presence and a war OF
words followed.
The votes on the adoption of the
; Fitzgerald amendments to the rule:
was 211 to 172. The only change
provided by the Fitzgerald amend
: ment is that it relieves a member
from having to secure the consent o
the Speaker to take up bill.
: Senate Holds Short Session.
Washington, D. c., March 15.-
when the Senate assembled in extra
ordinary session to-day sixty-six Sen
ators answered to their names.
When Vice President Sherman
+, called the Senate to order, the gal
leries were filled with visitors. th'
Republican side having full repre-