The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-03-02
House Radicals Expect to
Revise Rules When SeS-
sion Opens.
COMMITTEES TO BE
ELECTED BY VOTE
Result of Yesterdays Victory
Makes Happy the Hearts of
the RefOrmerS.
BY 7. c. WELLIVER.

The House insurgents today are de-
lighted over the result OF the test OF
strength yesterday on the rules
They met in Chairman Hepburn
room Immediately after the Pyrrhic vic
tory by which the Speaker and the
Rules Committee were sustained by p
vote OF l6S 10 162. and shook hands all
round while congratulating themselves
on the showing they had made
Beaten, but sure winners" they
agreed.
They were especially pleased over the
apparent worry of the Speaker and his
cabinet throughout the fight II had
been the hope Of the managerial forces
that If the rule for a calendar day each
week prevailed it would have the effect
Of putting an end TO the insurgents
contention that further change was
needed They carried their point. but
by vote which lines the Democrats
up solidly against them, and held the
insurgents squarely in line. The latter
lost only two votes that they had even
hoped to secu~e-POllard Of Nebraska.
who voted with the Cannon forces. and
Mckinlay Of California who Tefrained
from voting. 1t was better showing
than even they had expected to make
Il see that there is no change; the
vote as first announced stands" an
nOunced Speaker Cannon. when the
close vote had been recapitUlated.
mo change, but it's a Waterloo"
shouted back Representative Hay OF
Virginia.
The significance of the result lies in
the fact that two days before the strug-
gle, John Sharp Williams and Champ
Clark, the Democratic leaders. had
practically determined to support the
proposal of the Rules Committee. They
rega rded II as the best that could be
had and feared that 10 oppose II would
be regarded by the country as petty
politics, rejecting half a loaf because
they couldn't have a whole one.
The Republican insurgents were
frightened half 70 death for those two
days Of uncertainty. Some OF them re-
NAMED on guard every minute the
House was In session. and all plans
were carefully in hand TO keep track
Of their forces and summon them on an
inStant'S notice.
Over Sunday, as the story goes. the
Democratic leaders were brought to re-
allze that II would he a mistake for
them 10 support the committee rule
while the insuTSeut Republicans were
standing out against il.
In the end, the Democrats lined
up sOlidly against IL, committed them
selves 10 solid support for more sweep
ing reform next session. and announced
the TACT amid loud applause. through
the final speech OF Champ Clark IN
concluding be rejected the committee
amendment coutemptuously, and de
clared.
We will amend. the rules but we will
do il on March 10
That meant that the fight Will be taken
up when the time comes 10 organize
the next House. and that the Democrats
and reCalcitraut Republicans win Co
operate for the big program Of taking
the committee appointments away from
the Speaker. Six inSUTGent members of
the present Congress Will retire but
others viii take their places. The Re
publican majority is considerably re
duCed, while the number Of Republican
insurgents is expected 10 be slightly
larger than now. On the whole. then.
and on the face OF Yesterdays results.
the insurgents are positive that they
viii reform the rules at the beginning
Of the session.
The plan is to allow insurEent Re
pUblicans to caucus on the Speakership.
In which they viii be beaten. and 10
support Cannon. But they are to refuse
TO caucus on rules. and they have
pledged themselves 20 this position On
rules. they will stand with the Demo
Gratis from first 10 last. and their poll.
now so nearly complete that there IS
almost no chance for serious error In
diCateS that they will control the House
by from four 10 ten votes.
1T Is all uU TO the Democrats. Il has
been for some time, and now they have
taken their position, and H. is all over"
declared group OF the insurgents as
they marched our OF the House Cham
Der and started for the Hepburn com
mittee room for another conference,
after their defeat.
we will revise the rules. and revise
them as we have been fighting to do"
This is now the expectation OF the
managing Republicans as well They
are using every possible effort 20 line
up new members. and pointing out 20
them the necessity OF standing by the
powers that bc.
But there We're about thirty OF the
new members ON the House floor during
Yesterdays fight and the insurgents
were confident that IL made n most
effective and useful impression on Thorn.
In short, the decided belief of the
insurgents is that they have the fight
won IL they can hold their lines
And they are more confident than
ever before that they can.