The National tribune., 1910-03-24

a
1y that it might require several days to
argue out the point of order His mo-
tion was lost, 1i2 to I47. A little after
ward call of the House was demand
ed and lost. los to 116. Still further
along into the night Mr.. Tawney moved
an adjournment, which was lost on 4
roll call, 1877 to 146 To be sure, the
regulars were at times very close to
winning out. Mr.. Tawney finally made
n motion for a recess that was lost, 141
to 142, too close for comfort as far as
Democrats and insurgents were con-
cerned. If the regulars had forced a
recess or an adjournment the outcome
of the battle might have been different.
For, as events proved, the wealE-kneed
insurgents, who started voting with the
regulars, gradually swung over to the
alliance as its triumph seemed assured
BY the same token the regulars would
have gained votes for the ensuing strug-
gle If they could have shown command
ang strength at that critical iunCture.
All these roll calls preceded the eff
forts in the middle of Thursday night to
break the quorum. Friday forenoon the
regulars pressed for a compromise. They
had rushed as many abSentees back to
town as seemed possible but it had not
materially changed the margin between
the Speakers followers and the alliance
Democrats, too, were returning to town,
and for once in party history the Demo-
Gratis We're standing like a stone wall
They went thru the eventful struggle
without having a single deserter. Great
schemes were put into operation for
getting an insurgent here and there, but
none of them succeeded. On the con-
trary, the insurgents were occasionally
winning over a regular.
The Allies Scent Victory.
So all of Friday forenoon the regulars
were trying to obtain some modification
of the Norris resolution. They were by
that time entirely willing to concede
The election by the House of the Rules
Committee, but they wanted the sting
taken out of it. They wanted the pro-
vision that the Speaker should not con-
Hinue as Chairman of Rules eliminated.
The strife over that was hot and heavy
The alliance was so cock-sure of vic
tory by Friday afternoon that its men,
bers were willing to grant recess from
o'clock till O'Clock and then an ad-
Journment till noon of Saturday. Every
body was worn out with the all-night
session. The Speaker had not gone to
bed, and seemed less jaded than many
members hardly more than half his age.
He had announced that he was ready to
rule, which meant that his personally
conducted fflibuster was at an end. He
and his regulars saw that the jig was
up. I'VE are ready to take our medi-
cine" said Representative Loudenslag-
er. of New jersey.
And the regulars entered upon the
session of Saturday ready to take their
medicine. They were already con-
WINGED that they were in the minority
They reaEzed at last that they could not
save the Speaker the humiliation of be-
ing excluded from the Rules Chairman
ship. The alliance would not yiefa~)a
scintilla on that point
With the lines tightly drawn in this
manner the Saturday session began The
Speaker ruled, as everybody knew he
would, upholGing the Dalzell point of
order He adroitly cited an entirely
similar case in the House on Dec. l3,
1878, when Roger Q. Mills, of Texas
proposed an amendment to the rules on
the claim that it was privileged under
the Constitution, and Samuel J. RAN
dali, then the Democratic Speaker, ruled
that it was not so privileged. The Demo-
Gratis were not at all disposed to regard
That precedent and stood thru Il series
or roll calls, by which the House over
rode Speaker Cannon's decision, IS2 TO
15O. There were three roll calls each
occupying more than d half hour. be-
fore that one matter was decided and
before the consideration of the Norris
resolution was begun. r
The debate thereon was most sD:rited
The control of the time was with Nor
Els. and he parceled it out in five-niint1te1
portions. Some good sentences we're
spoken and the factions cheered their
orators on ferventiy. Uncle joe. at
the beginning OF the session that day
had been gwen a very fattering ova-I
ton by his followers. Both sides kept
up their demonstrations whenever a
good point was scored.
The statistics of roll calls can well be
omitted, but it is worth noting that the
roll call Saturday up to the time the
Norris resolution. as modified was
adopted. The fight started off that day
with 30 insurgents in alliance with the
Democrats. Before~it ended there were
more than 40 Even Representative
-Crumpacker, who had been beTated up
hiH and down dale for ever pressing his
census resolution and who is a stalwart
Republican, finally went over to the in
surgent ranks on the final roll call by
which the new Rules Committee was
authorized. The Speaker was not
cowed by this unprecedented rebuke.
Ihere was no sign of agitation in his
1Fanner. He still wore the red carfla-
ron in his lapel which he had refused
to discard for a shamrock on Wednes-
day, ST. Patrick's Day, when the big
fight started. He had read a typewrit-
ten statement, when he. ruled uphoIding
the point Of order which he knew was
10 De turned down by the House. and
now he pulled out another typewriter
statement and began 10 read il.
The Speaker Would Not Resign.
He said he would not resign Such
course was open to him, so as to permit
the new combination of Democrats and
Insurgents to choose a Speaker in har-
mDny with its acts and purposes" But
there was much important legislation
pending which involved the party
pledges, and he, being in harmony with
Republican policies would decline by
his own motion to pFecipitate a contest
upon the House in the election of new
Speaker. contest that might greatly
endanger the final passage OF all legis-J
lation necessary to redeem Republican
pledges and fulfill Republican prom
3ses." Then he felt that his resignation
at such iuncture would be a confess
sion of weakness and an apology for
past acts. He had no confession of that
character to make and no apology to
enter
But there was another alternative
and that was to entertain a motion that
the chair be vacated. The Speaker said
lie would welcome such a motion at
that moment or at any time while he
remained as Speaker.
This was a signal for a great demon
stration on the part of the Republicans
who dared the alliance to enter any
such motion. As matter Of fact if the
dare had not been taken the Speaker
had arranged for one of. his own sup
porters to make it. There would have
been an announcement by ihe mover