Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-18

WASHINGTON, March 17.-With
| Speaker Cannons power in the house
of representatives hanging in the bal
ance, his supporters fencing for time
and no one in position to say what
the outcome would be, the fiercest bat
tie probably that ever has been waged
against the house rules obliterated
party lines in the historic chamber
tonight and ragged almost until dawn,
when the regulars deliberately broke
the quorum by leaving the chamber.
Encouraged by repeated victories in
the house the insurgents started an
aggressive movement for a change in
| the rules for the purpose of eliminat-
| ing Speaker Cannoa from the COM
mittee on rules and curtailing his
| power.
without a note of warning that so
radical a proposition would be brought
up with the apparent support of
majority of the membership of the
house, Representative Norris of Ne
braska late in the afternoon obtained
the floor and offered a resolution for
a change in the rules.
Resolution That Started 1t
A new committee on rules, with the
speaker ineligible for membership-the
issue was as real as that The pending
question for hours was resolution by
REPRESENTATIVE Norris of Nebraska,
reading as follows:
Resolved, that the rules of the
house be amended as follows:
1.-THE committee on rules shall con-
sist of fifteen members, nine OF Wnom
shall be members of the majority
party and six of whom shall be mem
bers of the minority party, to be Sc
lected as follows:
1.-THE states of the Union shall be
divided by a committee of three, Sc
lected by the house for that purpose
into nine groups, each group contain
ing, as near as may be, an equal num-
ber of members belonging to the ma
iority party The states of the Union
shall likewise be divided into SIX
groups, each group containing, as near
as may be, an equal number or MEM
bers belonging to The minority party
"At 1:30 o'clock on the day tolloW-
ing the adoption of the report of SAID
committee each of said groups snail
meet and select one of its NUMBER
member of the committee on rules:
The place of meeting for each or saio
groups shall be designated by the sald
committee of three in its report Each
of said groups shall report to the mouse
the name of the member selected LOT
membership on the rules committee,
"The committee on rules shall select
its own chairman. The speaker shall
not be eligible to membership on sala
committee. All rules or parts Thereon
Inconsistent with the foregoing reso-
luton are hereby repealed.
Chance to Test Strength
over a matter comparatively trivial
in itself the insurgents found their OPP
nortunity for a test of strength WIN
the organization"
IT occurred over an attempt py hep-
resentative Crumpacker OF INDIANA "
obtain consideration for a resolutlon
amending the census act Practlcaily
no members of the house oppos9" 80 ~,
resolution. but it was contended tnat
the method used in bringing 1t up
transcended the rules of the house.
Sneaker Cannon yesterday ruleu
against that view, and was deIeateo;
The question came up again TO-DAY
and the regulars believed they nau
mustered sufficient strength on tne
Democratic side TO reverse 49,. tSat uSy tIet5
action. The vote developed that 'ney
hed heen mistaken or deceived and the
! cannon forces again were beaten.
Tbe second vote took place late in
tho q afternoon. The effect was startling.
| The "taste of blood seemed TO IN
! furiate those who had long tretted
urder the restraint of organization rule.
Insureent Republicans and Democrats
swarned to the common battle-ground
and made a concerted movement
against the rules.
Reposing in Mr.. Norris desk had
been the resolution, prepared at the
beginning of the present session, handy
a against the time when it would be use
full He seized the opportunity and
flung the gage Of open battle into the
arena.
Begin Sparring for Time
The previous disasters had made the
Cannon forces wary and Immediately
they began sparring for time.
1t was evident the organization was
fighting for its very existence. The
conflict was on plane different from