Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-04-02
To CUT DOWN
SPEAKER'SPOWER
House AntlS Plan to Elect
All Committees.
CAkNON'S LAST TERM IN CHAIR
Changes In Rules Not 20 Come This
Session, II Is Sald-WIII Elect New
Committee In Ten Days.

Committee In Ten Days.
The success of the house insurgents
In busting Speaker Cannon from the
committee on rules will be followed
By an attemptto take from him the
power 90 name committees.
This will not be done this session
or in this congress in all probability.
II Is likely no further attempt will be
made TO change the rules this session
But when the next house is organized.
then It is probable that the great
work which was begun I'm the last
few days will be completed by a pro
vision In the rules that the house
shall elect its own committees as the
senate does now. Until that is done
the speaker will have more authority
than a large share OF the house mem
bers believe he can be safely entrust-
ed with.
Having passed the Norris resolution
enlarging the rules committee and re-
moving Speaker Cannon from Il. the
next thing for the house 70 do is to
pick the new rules committee. That
body has been composed OF Speaker
Cannon. Representative Dalzell and
Representative w. l. Smith Republi-
cans. and Champ Clark and Fitzger-
aid. Democrats. IL viii now consist OF
six Republicans and four Democrats.
and Mr.. Cannon will not be one OF the
Republicans
Under the resolution OF MT. Norris
the election must be I'm the next ten
DAYS. II Is expected the Republicans
viii caucus 20 select their six men,
bers. and that the Democrats will eau
Gus 20 pick thoir four The probabili-
ties are that tie regulars will control
the situation as to the caucus so
completely that not an insurgent will
be put on the f2llss committee. though
Tor the sake % inducing party har-
mony some Concessions may De made
Repres qAtative John Dalzelk OF
PennsylYania one OF the high PRIESTS
% The Republican organization ia the
house. man unrelenting In HIS bitter
antagonism 20 the progressive wing or
his party. has long been identified with
the rules committee Almost as much
as Cannon himself. he typifies I'm the
ewes OF the country the tyranny exer-
Cised through a long series OF years
by the committee on rules. The house
regulars would so far 20 smooth things
over In the house and satisfy the sen
timent IN the country against control
o fthe house by a small element II
Dalzell We're kept of the new rules
committee But there is no sign thus
far that anything OF this kind will be
done
II Is probable Dalzeu and Smith will
be kept on. and that such powerful
chairmen OF committees as Tawney.
Payne. Weeks. of Massachusetts. and
Mann. OF Illinois. viii be added on the
Republican side. While these men.
and others aligned with them. who
are possibilities. are Cannon men. Il
would be impossible for them TO run
the rules committee with the high
hand IL has been run in the past
The first battle against the system
that has Sc long dominated the house
has been fought and the system has
lost II is n forerunner of other bat
ties by those who believe the house
should be the truly representative
body that the fathers Of the republic
contemplated. Not only has the Can
non organization been shattered. but
the whole organization OF which Jo-
seph G. Cannon is the head in the
house and Nelson W. Aldrich is the
head in the senate has been Jared.
Not yet is the end in sight OF re-
volt against rule OF the house by
small coterie OF powerful politicians.
But tremendous step in advance has
been taken since the outbreak of the
Democrats and insurgents last Thurs
day afternoon against the speaker.
These are the chief things that have
been accomplished;
BY 19l 20 1855 the house adopted the
amended Norris resolution. which de-
poses the speaker from the rules com.
mittee and enlarges that committee 10
ten
Speaker Cannon has been made an
absolute impOssibility for reelection
to the position OF speaker Of the house
after this congress. despite the fact
that the house on Saturday. by a vote
OF 191 60 i55. refused TO throw him
ont OF Office.
Meat Strike Declared or