The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
All That Happened of General Interest Last Week Rapidly
Sketched in Precise and Illuminating Fashion
ed. will make a valuable work of reference.
SUNDAY, MARCH n, 1909.
lBy the Universal News Analysis.)
Congressional.

congressional.
Another Congress has come into ac-
tion promptly, in fulhllment Of the pledge
Of the Republican candidate for Presi-
dent. and that candidate now In the Pres
identiai chair has had the satisfaction
of seeing a tariff revision bill presented
10 the House of Representatives Whether
the Payne maximum and minimum meas
ure with its generally downward rates
OF duty and its inheritance tax feature
is all that Taft would like to have IT, or
whether il will be materially altered In
its passage through the House and Sen
ate, is sill any ones guess; also, what
pressure Of the conflicting interests OF
different industries and sections may be
brought to bear.
The medium Of the bills formation and
enactment is the same group OF men who
dominated the legislative branch of the
government during the last administra-
ton What is known 10 the public as
'Cannonism" still holds the Congressional
fort and the Speaker of the House Is
once more Cannon. Of Illinois. with viz
tually the same old rules as a weapon
in his hands. But the public knows how
nearly the reelected Speaker came 10
being shorn of this powerful weapon,
enough Republicans having stood out
against the readoption Of the old rules to
count a majority if there had been no de-
lection from the Democratic ranks
Having received the Republican caucus
nomination on the 18th for the Speaker
ship. Uncle Joe" Cannon was duly elect
ed to that Office in the Sixty-first Con-
gress last Monday. when it was con-
OF President Taft to deal with the tariff
situation. II is CannOn's fourth cOnsecu-
tive term as Speaker But this result
was not achieved without "a show Of fight
on the part of the insUTgent Republicans,
who iu conjunction with the Democrats
We're able TO force some minor changes
I'm the rules. The desertiOn OF some OF
the Democrats from the combination
against the old set Of rules enabled the
Republican leaders to carry out their pro
gramme i'm the main by giving 70 the
Speaker the power 10 appoint all COM
mittees including that on rules.
BoIters Save the Rules.
The minority had placed in nomination
their leader Champ Clark. of Missouri,
and he received 166 votes TO the 204 for
Cannon Eight of the insurgents voted
for Cooper. of Wisconsin. two for Norris,
Of Nebraska. and one each for Esch and
Hepburn. Speaker Cannon made a short
address, expressing his appreciation Of the
honor to him and his sense of the impor-
tance OF the business OF providing reve-
nue.. Right after the swearing in of the
members. the fight over the rules started
In with the defeat Of the DaIzeH resolu-
ton 10 continue the old rules Then the
minority programme Of committee or
fifteen On rules was voted down. F'itZ.
gerald. Of New York. and several other
Democrat Nreaking away from the COM
bine. along with some weak-kneed insur-
gents Enemies OF the Speaker openly
charged that this detection was part OF
a deal for certain tariff concessions. but
his friends h0tly denied IT, The New
y Ork member finally offered a ComprO-
mise making certain minor changes IN
the House procedure. intended 10 favor
members who had pet bills they want 10
get up. but still leaving things very much
i'm the hands of the Speaker, as before.
The latter would still have the appoint
ment OF an committees. This plan was
accepted bv the Republican leaders and
was adopted. During the voting Clark
virtually called the Speaker 20 order Oy
rule requiring members 10 remain away
from the rostrum: also there was a bitter
alteration between Clark and Fitzgerald,
the latter being hOoted by many Of the
Democrats.
The Senate Republican leaders took a
more cOnciliatory course by naming Two
Cf the insurgents upon the committee TO
select standing committees, namely, Bo-
rah and Dixon.