New-York tribune., 1909-03-16
ELECT CANNON AGAIN;
HOUSE RULES CHANGED
PARTIAL TICTORY FOR
"INSURGENTS.
Po7cer of Speaker and Rules COM
mittee CmrtGled- Organization $
Status Little NOdifCd.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau ]


Cannon as it's Speaker to-day for the fourth
consecutive time. thus conferring on him an
honor given only one other man IN the MS
tory of that body, Andrew stevenson. OF VIZ
ginia, having served four terms as Speaker
The fight on the rules. which has been "aseh
with desperation during the last two months
terminated in a partial victory for the '1nsur-
gents They succeeded in defeating a resou-
ton to adopt the existing rules OF the House.
and forced the adoption OF certain notifications
which curtail the power of the Speaker and tho
COMMITTEES on Rules. and insure the considera-
ton of bills favorably reported by committees
While the insurgents we're the victors IN
the contest viewed as whole tho spoils OF
their victory are not great. and the regulars
have many reasons for qualification at the re-
suit They defeated resolution taking away
from the Speaker the power OF appointing COM
mittees. which had it passed. would have means
the gradual but none the less certain. disin-
tegration of the House organization
Seldom have the galleries and corridors Of ths
HOUSE been so crowded as to-day. Long before
high noon, every available seat was occupied.
many well known persons being present Not
an inch of standing space was left when Alex
ander Mcdowell the clerk of the House. called
on the chaplain for his prayer
Mrs Taft. accompanied by her two sisters and
CAPTAIN Butt the Presidents aide, sat IN tha
/ Executive gallery. while directly opposite Wsre
Mrs Longworth Miss Cannon, who kept roll
call on the Speakership vote. and William Nell
+ son Cromwell Other distinguished Washing"
/ +onians were scattered throughout the audience
while an unusual number Of diplomats vera
/ nresent 70 view one Of the first parliamentary
[ struggles in the annals Of the House
II was lust after noon when 0fr- Mcdowell
/ announced that nominations for the Speaksrship
I we're in order Representative Currier- OF Ne"
Hampshire Immediately presented the mans
+ OF Mr. Cannon and Representative Clayton. cs
Alabama. placed 11r- Clark before the House
No other nominations were made. and the roll
+ call began Speaker Cannon received 2o4 votes
Representative Clark, 16s; scattered Il
STRUGGLE OF DAY BEGINS
Sneaker Cannon was Immediately escorted
into the chamber, and after the usual formal
resolutions had been passed the struggle OF the
dav began Representative DalzsH moved the
-,-s,.sc,,s o,1astion on Z resolution adopting ths
rules Of the last Congress This vas the first
real test AS the roll was called there was IN
tense interest in the chamber. Each man cast
his vote with determined voice a few mem
hers we're without their tally sheets, whips and
assistant whips we're everywhere The vot4
/ showed 1a4 ayes and lSs noes The previous
Question, had been ordered and the -insurseutz'
appeared defeated.
n an instant the entire Republican side vas
- t,s feet in an uproar. The Democrats Wers
dis,o,zoIsts and their leaders rushed for the
eight men who had voted with the Republicans
ana began A rebule which lasted until four had
changed their minds. The roll showed that
tbir+v-one Insurgents" had boltsd their party
ur DaIzeu Immediately moved the adoption
Of the resolution Representative Clark ana ms
/ ..insurgent' leaders rushed 70 the boltinS Dee
/ -s+as and begged them to fall into line Many
Spectators in the galleries thought the fight was
over and began to leave. but when the name OF
r-o,rov vas called and he voted mo" the IN
| s,,rzan+s,' took courage. Forness Goldrogle ard
I Moon followed his example, and Johnson, or
OrIo 4 Republican. Joined the ''tnslIrsents- lhs
! 1ots stood 1aS TO 1S9 against the resolution
| and the House was again in an uproaT. N
s11rgents" and Democrats Rugged escn otnsr III
sheer ioy. the sympathizers in the galleries ap-
nIard,ne vigorously. and the regulars ss+
| quietly in their seats. having witnessed ror tns
| 1rst time since the accession OF Speaker Can
non 2. complete overthrow of the organization
Trnder the customary parliamentary proceed
,,ra Representative Clark was entitled to the
floor and he presented the resolution which mad
been agreed on by the Insurgents II pro
vided that the existing rules be IN forcs durlns
the special session; that the speaker Dc allowed
+o appoint only the committees On Ways and
11asne Enrolled Bills, Printing and Mileage and
| Accounts. that q Committee on Rules, OF fifteen
members be appointed, 70 have all the powers
o4 the present Rules Committee, and IN addition
70 examine and revise the present rules and re-
mort at the next session Of Congress. Tnls reSo-
I,,+tor gave the organization five members OF the
committee. while the combined strength OF tns
insuroents and Democrats was ten. Ths pre-
vious question was moved and defeated oy
vote OF 20S 70 1I9-
HOUSE ORGANIZATION SAVED
II was this vote that saved the day for the Or
sanitation Had the previous question oeen or
dered the last vestige OF the Speakers power
would have been swept away next December.
and the once powerful organization would have
bsan help1ess in the hands OF the combined
forces sixteen Democrats. led by Representa-
tive fitzgerald of New York. voted with the
Republicans The Tammany men, with the ex-
ception of Messrs SuIzer and GoUden, followed
the Brooklyn Representative, and tonight the
regular Democrats are sending up the cry that
Tammany did it." Whatever the cause may
have been. it is certain that the minority leader
could rot hold his forces together in their allt-
ance with the Insurgents
MR.. FITZGERALD'S RESOLUTION.
After che vote was announced the SpeaSSr
recognized Mr. Fitzgerald, who presented q res
olutfon amending the Clark resolution after the
enacting clause and substituting a provision
which will allow any member to call up bin
which has been on the calendar for three days
b, giving formal notice to the clerk OF the
House making it impossible TO set aside tbs
calendar Wednesday without tWO-thirds vote
Of the House. and making IL possible for a ma
ioritv TO vote to recommit any measure after the
previous question has been ordered II was evi-