The sun., 1910-06-16
TO REFORM THE HOUSE RULES
RACE FO SEE VINO SHALL HAVE
THE CREDIT m FULL SWING.


Tue Democrats started n. the Insurgents
Tranrd Aloag and tive Regulars May
Jump m and steal ths Thunder-lt
Refers 20 Discharge % Commiitees-
WASHINGTON, June lS.-There h certain
TO be- another important change in the
rules Of the Holse Of Representatives
before final adjournment. and a remark
able race among tho regular Republicans
insurgent Republicans and Democrats to
SEQ who shall have cCedit for the reform h
now in full swing. The Democrats started
the movement, the insurgents trailed
along with enthusiasm. and u both these
factions don't look out the regulars will
jump In and steal all tho thunder. In
other words the Committee on Rules "
likely before long 70 report an amendment
10 the rules concerning the discharge
Of any committee Of the House from the
consideration Of a bill after q certain
lapse % time and under certain conditions
Ths meeting Of the insurgents in the
House once building to-day 10 agree
upon their proposition. the conference Of
leading Democrats with a resulting agree
ment upon their proposition and other
similar signs Of the coming storm stirred
the regulars 10 action. This evening sew
eral mousbaoked reactionaries Who here
tofors have simply grunted whenever
any such reform In the rules a. is proposed
by the insurgents and Democrats was
mentioned admitted that they thought
this COMMITTEES discharge business would
not be- such a bad thing after ALL
Representative Hamilton Fish Of New
York last April introduced a resolution
which. after several warm -whereasss'
setting forth that a hare majority Of a
committee had the power 10 suppress any
measure referred 10 IL, proposed an
amendment 70 the rules. Under the Fish
resolution the House might at any time
by a majority vote instruct a committee
20 return TO the House with OF without
reoommenda ton any measure that had
bssn In the committees possession for
Hfty days or more.
Later. on May =. Alr. Fish introduced
another resolution along this line which
permitted fifty members TO petition for
action on any bill that had been pending
in COMMITTEES more than thirty days. II
also provided for a vote Of the House on
the proposition within three days.
Two months earlier than this Repre-
sentative Shirley Of Kentucky. a Demo-
crat who has reputation a. a parlia-
mentarian. introduced a resolution along
similar lines. His proposition would allow
any member 10 petition in writing for the
discharge Of the Committee on Rules
from any resolution relating 10 a public
measure that has been In ia possession
more than ak days. The Shirley Fesolu-
ton created also a rules calendar on the
second Thursday IN each month. when
such petitions might be taken up in order
and voted on.
AZ the Democratic conference to-day
a mobilization Of the Shirley resolution
was agreed on and was supported by the
minority Representative Clark Of Mis- |
sour, the minority leader. then intro
duced In the House the resolution Ia
question Il provides that any member |
may present 20 the clerk a motion in !
writing 20 discharge a committee from /
further consideration OF any public ball |
which may have been referred 70 IL |
Immediately after the unanimous consent |
calendar has been called on any Monday, ]
the resolution provides. a motion 70 dis |
charge the committee from consideration |
of any such bill shall be in order. The |
motion must be seconded by a ma jority |
taken by tsllers and adopted by ma
iOrity. The bill thus removed from /
BY a committee is then 10 /
b. placed ON it, appropriate oalendar
According to the Democratic leader |
the Republican insurgents werO Iot \
consulted about the preparation Of this 4
resolution. but just the same the Demo |
Gratis are hopeful that their Old allies will /
stick 10 them and thus insure the adoption I
Of this proposition.
All the regulars are against the pro-
posed amendment to the rules fathered /
by Mr. Fish. but do not object nearly |
10 much 20 the Democratic proposition. |
A good many Of them hope that they NAV 4
be- able 20 agree upon a Modification /
10 them and yet which will /
receive insurgent, and perhaps even a
portion ot Democratic support.
No decision was reached AZ the inaurgent I
meeting to-day on this or any other OF the /
several subjects under discussion and the I
. -Progressives. a. they prefer 20 call them
selves will meet,agAina at o clock tO-mOr-
row afternoon.
Il Ia doubtful Il any effort Of insurReht
origin will be made at this session 10 de-
~ nNNAACN NhlAlANus NWE some ENANuu
the great ma aiority of the insurgents are
afraid 10 tackle this job. A. one OF them
aaid to-day: 1t might he a boomerang.
Others commented that they thou Eht any
such effort would be found TO he loaded |
Another explained more IN detail that his
district was half regular and half insIrg-
mt. and he thought that whichever Way r.
voted on a motion 70 depOse Speaker Can
hon Il would result in his political ruina-
ion
Victor MurdOck Of Kansas and Poin-
ie1ter Of Washington. who are never
happier than IN the middle Of an ingurRent
'ow. would he glad 70 help along an effort
20 depose Mr.. Cannon. incidentally they
would like 10 show up few Of their in-
lurgent brethren who they contend are
rying 10 straddle the fence and stand in
With both sides. II Murdock gets sum
'iently stirred up before the session il
,ver he may make the dreaded motion
himself Ifhe does there will he all kinds
4 trouble and the air will be filed with
nNaafaWa |