The Washington times., 1910-03-21
Cannon'S Downfall Attribut-
able to Test on Question
of Privilege.
GRIM SPECULATION
BY HOUSE LEADERS
Abuse of Power Under Rules
Manifest Throughout Parlia-
mentary Battle.
BY WALTER ]. FAHY.

Had the House Committee on Census
been content 20 bring Its business be-
fore the House in exactly the same
manner as other committees Of that
body. the greatest fight Witnessed in re-
cent years might have been avoided, and
Speaker Cannon might have been saved
the humiliation of being deposed as
chairman of the Committee on Rules
and the fight of the insurgents against
the organization would have been post
Doned indefinitely.
Under the rules adopted at the begin
ming OF the present session Of Congress
The business Of calendar Wednesday
cannot be put aside except by a two
thirds vote Of the House
Representative Cr7Impacker Of Indi-
ana, chairman Of the House Committee
on Census, has long been Of the opln-
ion that his committee has not received
from the House the recognition il de-
served
Unlike Other Committees.
Unlike most Of the other committees
Of the House. the work which Il does
Is specifically ordered by the COnsti-
tuition Of the United States This being
so Chairman Crumpacker felt that reso-
lutions from his committee should not
be side-tracked by rules made by Con-
gress from year TO year.
He decided, therefore. 10 test the
strength Of the Constitution with that
of the rules of the House. and deIib-
erately brought in resolution amend
ing the census act on calendar Wednes-
day claiming for his resolution a con-
stitu,iunal privilege. Speaker Cannon
sustained the contention Of Crumpacker.
and his ruling made tire foundation for
the fight made by the insurgents. He
was reversed.
On Thursday Mr.. C,umpacker again
brought in his resolution and again
claimed for it constitutional privilege.
This time Speaker Cannon. unwilling
10 submit himself 20 another reversal
ny the House submitted the question
of constitutional privilege to he House
for decision.
"Sacredness" Upheld.
Having upheld the secreGness. so TO
speak. OF calendar Wednesday, the
House had no further concern about the
matter. and voted to consider the cen
srs resolution as a matter being priv
LEGGED under the Constitution.
This action gave 10 Representative
GeO-Se W Norris Of Nebraska the
opening for which he had been waiting
FOR weeks. The Constitution declares
tlat the House may have the right TO
make its own rules, and Norris intro
duced his resolution d,1oslng the
speaker as chairman Of the Committee
on Rules and charging the member
ship Of that body, claiming for his reso-
lItiOn exactly the same right as that
claimed for the census resolution bv
trumpacker. namely. a constitutional
privilege The result Is now matter Of
HiSlorv.
Speaker. Cannon and his friends grim
ly reflect today that the House organj-
ZatiOn might have been srared and the
Speaker miEht have been saved from
humiliation had Chairman Hrumpacker
not entertained a desire 10 demonstrate
the constitutional rights Of the commit %
tee over which he presides
How Rules Operate.
The fight which vas precipita.ed bv
the Norris resolution served - Illus
trate the manner in which the rules Of
tho House may be subservicrt TO ths
wishes Of the Speaker. \ point Of order
against the Norris resolution was made
nv Repr sentative DalzelI Referring to
the practice governing the Spes ker IN
deciding points of order. section Of
uie /. saws
Debate being for his otbe SpeaL-
ton" ''&''i -
In other words, it is left to the
speaker 20 decide when he has been
sufficiently informed as TO the nsrite
Of the proposition subject to a point
Of order
tThe point Of order -,as made about
. O'Clock Thursday afternoon II was
overruled by the Speaker shortly after
noon Saturday.
In Chair Only Ten Hours.
During the twenty-four hours that
the House was in continuous session.
ostensibly debating the point Of order.
but I'm reality conducting a hIbuster
headed by the Speaker. the Speaker
was not In the chair more than ten
hours. so that he could by no stretch
OF imagination receive any informa-
ton on the point Of order. No one
contended that he needed any infor-
nation.
The incident is pointed out bv sev-
eraI OF the Insurgents as a striking
ll!uStTaJlon or the manner in which
the spirit OF the rules was violated
Ahother violation Of the rules rptne
trated by the Speak4- and pointed Sat
rE the insurgents was in connection
with tho absence Of 4 l!iOrurr ditr,t.,y
tho "-riy morning hours ~ iie now "a
session
sergea 0t-at-arms cfti-e Wis ulakinc
sus 'iciously slow progress in arrcstutc
members and bringing them to the bar
of the House I'm pursuance with a man
date issued by the House.
Signature Unobtaina5Ie.
The Constitution provides t.gt the
House may adopt any means il secs III
10 command quorum. The Democrat Is.
then in control or the situation. appoint
ed one Of the minority clerks as assist
ant serEeant-at-arms 10 arrest absent
members upon warrants issued by the
House.
Section 1 Of rule I provldef: He uhe
Speaker shall sign all acts. addresses
j0int resolutions. writs. warrants. sub
poenas of, or issued by order of the
House
The Speaker had signed tic warrants
for SeTgeant-at-arms CassoL. but the
newly created assistant who had been
appointed for the express purpose OF ar
resting the Republican members who
had been ordered home 10 break a
quorum was unable 10 obtain the Speak
eTs signature TO his warrants.
WILL TEACH IN AFRICA