The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-03-18
AND INSURGENTS JOIN IN
ALL NIGHT SESSION FOR THE OVERTHROW
OF THE MAJORITY REPUBLICAN RULE
Parliamentary Battle Which Has for Its Ultimate Object Over
throw Of the Speaker of the House and the Committee on
Rules is Without Precedent in History of House

to amend the rules, was made while
there was in progress an insurgent
Republican conference in the room of
Representative Gardner of Massa-
chusetts. The Democrat pledged the
Associated Press not to reveal his
name. The general supposition had
been that the conference was called
for the purpose of bringing about a
truce in hostile ennapstration which
began at 8 p. m. yesterday against
the rules Of the house of representa-
tives and which culmtnated In the eff
fort to overthrow thes Cannon organi-
zation.
In fiery speech Representative
Shackleford of Missouri declared that
by "abdicating his thr@ne," the speak
er had instituted rfign of anarchy
in the house and that The speaker had
privately instructed the sergeant-at-
arms not to arrest Sthe absentees.
This action was because Mr.. Cannon
was unable to command majority
vote, so Shackleford charged.
| In the early morning hours the in
dications were that Speaker Cannon
and the regular" organization were
on the point of a decisive defeat at
the hands of the Republican "insur-
gents" and the Democrats, who late
yesterday afternoon and all last night
pounded the regular" position re-
lentlessly, defeating the organization
upon every issue upon which there
! was vote.
1t was an open secret early today
that the regulars" believed they
we're beaten; that It. was their plan
to give the speaker until IL o'clock
to rule on the point of order upon
which the attack was centered and
that only the forlorn hope could be
relied upon to save the situation. The
regulars in fact, h''took to the
woods" after several attempts to OBJ
tain recess had failed.
The late hours o0f the night were
spent angry efforts. on the part Of
the Democrats to fffla out why the
sergeant-at-arms was bringing in
none of the Republican ahsentees who
he had been ordered to appear before
the bar of the house. He did bring in
five Democrats. 1t was a memorable
fight which the daylight found. in
progress. The stubborn filbuster on
part of the Speaker Cannon and the
house organization, an equally re-
lentless attack on part of the "allies,"
these were distinguishing features in
the hottest fight that has yet been
made to overthrow the present control
of the house. 1t was extraordinary
in many ways. For instance, the odd
spectacle was presented of the house,
preponderantly Republican, ordering
the arrest of the absentees of that
party on motion of Democrat and
with the mandate carried by Demo-
cratic votes.
1t is many years old observers say,
in fact no precise parallel was sug-
gested last night, since the house re-
NAMED actually in session all night,
and that after an all-day session. To
make the odd situation odder still. the
weary task of watching the hole"
was left to the theoretically triumph
ant minority, while the recalcitrant
members of the majority such as es-
capped the searching deputies, stole
maps or longer sleeps in places of
comfort.
The big fight was virtually unex-
pected by all parties. The contest
was precipitated late in the afternoon
when Representative Crumpacker of
ton of resolution amending the
census act. The issue was purely a
technical one of parliamentary pro-
ceedure, but it was the same as that
on which the speaker was defeated the
day before. Representative Norris of
Nebraska forthwith took occasion to
produce from his desk resolution
providing for the reorganization of
the committee on rules. Proposition
would create new plan of choos-
ing the committee and would make
the speaker Ineligible for member
ship of the committee of which he is
now chairman. Representative Dali
zell (Rep.. Pa.) raised the point of
order that the resolution could not
be presented under the rules in the
order of business then in process.
The regulars" throughout the whole
struggle have made this their fighting
point.
The "allies." on the other hand. de-
manded ruling by the speaker, their
evident expectation being to appeal
from the expected adverse decision.
The speaker, on his part, insisted that
In order to make proper ruling on
the point of order he must have time
to consult the precedents. The
Democrats took very occasion to de-
mand ruling from the speaker.
About $3.50 a. m. there was a hot de-
bate about the possibility of appoint
ing new sergeant-at-arms or other
officers necessary to bring in the alb
sent members. 1t was the general
opinion that he and his deputies were
making no sincere effort to find the
missing Republicans. Representative
Dalzell in chair ruled that the minori-
ty present was helpless to appoint any
additional officers of the house. The
Democrats cOntended that the ap-
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