Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-03-21
CANNON STILL SPEAKER.

~ move that The House now adj lurn, "
shouted Mr.. Norris ss soon 80 Inc vets
on his resolution had been declared By
the speaker.
Amid great confusion the calm voice
of Speaker Oaupon was bsard.
"rhe SPEAKER asks the Indulgence Of
the House for not to excsad three min
utes 10 make 8 statement" He then
made bis address, in which he ssid:
"There are two courses open for the
speaker 10 Eursse. One is to resign and
permit the new combination OF the demo
Gratis aud insurgents ID choose q speaker
10 harmony with its acts and Eurpo ses.
The other is for that combination +
declare vacancy in the Office ofapesker,
and proceed 10 the election OF new
speaker.
ga tr consideration, at this state OF
the session of The House, With much Of
important legislation pending, involving
the pledges OF the republican platform
and their capitalization into la#, be-
lieyiog that his resignation might con-
sumo weeks of time In the reorgan!zs
ton of The H u,e, the speaker, being 10
harmony with republican policies aud
desirous of carrying them cur, declines
BIZ his own NJ, ton 10 precipitate a con.
test that might greatly endauger the
dnsl passage of all legislation necessary
to redeem republican pledges and fulfill
re( publican promises.
"This Ia one reason Why the speaker
does not resign at once, and another
reason ia t,s: 10 the judgment OF the
present speaker, q resignation is in and
Of itself confession of weakness or mis-
take, or an apology for past actions.
The speaker Ia not cousc;tu' OF hsViDg
done any political wrong. =.
"rhe apsaker does now believe, aud
always hss believed, that this Is gov
ernmert through msj1rities. The
speaker has always believed In aud
bosed t, tae will of the ajority in con.
get tor, In csu :us, and 10 tae legisls.
tive hall, and today profe u adly believes
that to &C! otherwise is to disorgasizs
partiep, is to prevent cohereIt action 10
any legislative body, is to make impos.
sible the reflection of The wishes of !he
peopls 10 statutes and In lava. The
SPEAKER has always said thst Il ider the
constitution i. is question OF the high.
cal privilege Tor 81 actual ms )rity OF the
Rou.e at any Time TO choose new
speaker, and sga'n notifies the Htu,e
that the speaker will at this moment, or
at any other time while he remains
speaker, entertain, In conformity with
the highest coDstitu ional privilege, q
motion by any member to vscats tbs
Office of the speakershlp and choose a
pew speaker, and, under existing con.
ditions, would welcome such action uc-
on tie part of the sttu,l msjor.ty of the
Htuse, so that power aud responsibility
may rest with the democratic aud insu'-
CERT members, who by the last vote evil
dantly constitute majority of thia
Hcuse. The chair Is now ready to en-.
rtsin such mo iop."
All over the House the members were
on their feet, dtz:n members at once
endeavoring to obtain recognition.
Mr.. Sherley, of Kentucky, Hurled 10
the side OF Mr.. Underwood, OF Alabama,
and held On excited converse t on.
e. NJ. Barle;oo, OF Tezas, arose, waving
a paper and attempted to be recognised.
Rushing before the speakers desk,
mr.. Sherley declared that Mr.. Norris
had moved t, adjourn.
"Oa, no Oh, no! !" came chou q
from the republican aldo
"The gentleman from Texas has been
r coguiz.d," sht ut I'd Mr.. Tawney.
the Up aker, demanding order, said
there were motions tina! might take pre-
cedence Of tne mt ton to edourp,
Ga the gu question OF the speaker, Mr.
Barleson read bis resolution, declaring
the speakerabip vacant and ordering an
Immediate election Of SUCCESSOR to Mr..
Cannon.
On ckly the democrats turned from
their insurgert allies. Mr.. Norris s. t
quietly 10 his place. uu!il the gu "a IN
arose whether the House should proceed
10 consider the Purieson rssoluiioa, or
whether The speaker sh, II entertain the
motion to SO jurn.
Mr.. Norris dcggedly refused TO give
way to the group Of democrats aud in
surgents who came to { fiar advice. II
insisted that Gu OF C, ursesy to the speak
er he had wilhdsld his resolution. and
WAS entitled t, have 1t put to the II ,use.
Mr.. Cannon pleaded with the Nebras-
kan, Who seemed to hold tbs pending
e7ert in bis COT t:ol, 10 withdraw his
motion.
"The motion to ADJOURN being 10 or
der, the SPEAKER would be grat;6ed If the
gentleman from Nebraska would With
hold It." pleaded the speaker.
"WithdraT it II shouted hundred
democrats.
1.-THE resolution ia of the highest priG-
iege and takes precedence of the motion
10 adi)uru," sht IL ed Mr.. Ollie James,
of Kentucky.
Mr.. Norris insisted that his motion
was still before The Hluse. Mr.. Cannon
remarked that 1t occurred t. him that
the gentleman from Nebraska was right.
mo! mol No! shouted the men
who wanted to complete the elimination
OF the speaker at one session.
"Nc. Nc. shout d at the same time
the republican msjorlty, who now saw
The d sccm6ture of the insu gents In the
movement, when they wsre forced to
consider the election of SPEAKER, end
realizsd thtt. in spite Of the best OF
effort, the House might be III ned ever
to the democratic minority.
at once the democrat, and regular
rsEu5licans joined forces for the humile-
tion nf the ins1lr0ents. A viva y0cp vote