The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-16
Proceedings In the House.

Washington, March 15.-After one of the stormiest sessions in it's history the House of Representatives today re- gardless of party alignment, adopted, 211 to TIP, a resolution by MT. Fitzger- aid (democrat) of New York, whereby the rules were amended in several i'm portant particulars.
 The resolution was a substitute for one offered by MT. Clark of Missouri. Its adoption was accomplished only after the Insurgents" with the aid of the democrats, with one or two ex- captions, had won a decided prelimi- nary victory by voting down a resolu- tion by MT. Dalzell of Pennsylvania making the unamended rules of the Sixtieth Congress applicable to those of the present Congress. The call of the roll on the Clark resolution was followed with intense interest.
 Such was the fever heat of the mem- bers that MT. Clark of Missouri got into spirited colloquy with MT. Dalzell, who had mounted the rostrum to read the resolution of the minority leader This incident led to controversy with the speaker which lasted long enough for MT. Dalzell to get the information he desired and he stepped from the platform and returned to his seat
 Three Big Changes.
 As analysed by parlamenta rians the amendment makes three important changes:
 First, it established a "calendar for unanimous consents" the effect of which is to enable a member to have a proposition brought before the House without having to go to the speaker for recognition. This change, thev say will be a relief to the speaker.
 Second, when consideration of a bill is concluded, and the previous ques- tion is ordered, the rules heretofore provided for motion to commit with or without instructions. It has been the practice to recognize a member of the majority party to make this mo- tion, and thus prevent the minority from offering such instructions as it may desire. The new rule gives the minority the preference in making such a motion and thus enables tn em to get a record vote on a proposition which would otherwise be settled in committee of the whole House, where no record vote Is possible.
 Third, it protects the calendar Wednesday by requiring two-thirds instead of a majority vote to set 1t aside.
 Favoritism Prevented.
 Fourth, 1t is also claimed that the
 
 venting favoitism by the action of the committee on rules in special cases.
 Speaker Cannon Is inclined to re- gard the amendment slight i'm proVement on the part of the rules, in that instead of throwing the responsi- bility for recognition on him, it sets aside certain days for the considera- tion of measures under unanimous con- sent; but, he says, under the new rules members will have to wait for those days.
 The election of House officers pre- ceded the action on the rules. With plenty of votes to spare, Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois was reelected re- ceiving 204 votes as against 166 for Champ Clark of Missouri; eight for Cooper of Wisconsin; two for Norris of Nebraska, and one each for Esch of Wisconsin and w. P. Hepburn of Iowa, an ex-member All the democratic members voted for Clark so that the scattering vote represented the repub- lican detection from Cannon.
 Eager Crowd Present.
 When Clerk McDowell called the house to order scarcely seat was vacant on the floor. while the galleries were packed to the doors. For the time Mrs. Taft occupied a seat in the executive gallery. She was accompanied by Captain Archi- bald Butts, one of the military aids to the President, and two women.
 Following the invocation and the read ing of the proclamation of President Taft the roll was called by states to ascertain the presence of a quorum.
 In the House Ss2 members responded to their names, more than quorum. lm- mediately after announcement of quo