The San Francisco call., 1910-03-20


sent and Norris, who was surrounded
by a group of insurgents, offered an
amended resolution which he said he
would support. 1t provided for a. COM
mittee on rules to consist of ten MEM
bers-six republican and four demo-
crats-instead OF the present commit
tee of FIVE members, three republicans
and two democrats.
THE SPEAKER ELIMINATED
1t provided further that The commit
tee on rules should be elected by the
house and that the speaker shall not
be member of it,; also that the COM
mittee should elect its chairman from
its own membership.
The substitute resolution also pro-
vided that the new committee should
he selected within 10 days from the
passage of the resolution.
Representative Mann attempted TO
take Norris off the floor on the ground
that his right to that privilege had
expired, but the speaker at once sug-
sested that Norris again held the floor
/ in view of the new resolution being
offered, and that Norris had yielded to
Minority Leader Clark. Clark said he
had something to say, and he did not
care whether anybody liked it or not.
FIGHT AGAINST SYSTEM
This is not fight against Joseph
I
a storm of applause. Il can lay my
hand on my heart" continued Clark,
and truthfully- assert that the per-
sonal relations between that distin-
guished parsonage and myself have
always been pleasant. This is a fight
against a system. 1 think it is bad
system, as far as this committee on
rules is concerned. 1t does not make
any difference to me that this system
is sanctioned by time. There has never
been any progress in this world eX-
cept by the overthrow of precedents
and the establishment of new prece
dents"
democratic leader, who continued to
say the committee on rules gives the
speaker more power than any one man
ought TO have over the destinies of
this republic" He continued:
We made UP our minds some
months ago to work the revolution
that has been commenced here to-
day. We need not mince words; it
is a revolution.
will assent to no proposition
that does not eliminate the speaker
for all time TO come from the COM
mittee on rules. That is my posi-
ton In that | speak for the
democrats Of the house and for
the insurgent republicans. We can
not give members of congress the
power they are entitled to without
the power he now enjoys.
If it does not work we'll the
house can change the rules, again
because it has been definitely set
tied today that this house can do
what it pleases when it wants TO
do il.
LOOKS LIKE A MUTINY
On the republican side, Representa-
tive Nye of Minnesota, a brother of the
famous Bill" Nye, the hurnorist, arose
II fp11 he ba
as great party which we have here
may certainly regret this occurrence
and will regret il seriously.
1t looks like a mutiny against the
captain and crew of the ship. and that
in storm at night" declared the
Minnesota member as the applause
among the regular republicans gave
way to shouts all over the republican
side.
AS the uproar gradually died out Nye
shouted in his loudest tones that if the
ship of his party was to go down he
would go down with it.
Foelker of New York. Martin of
South Dakota and Lenroot of Wiscon-
small nsurgents-spoke briefly jus
tifying their course.
Martin suggested that he had a reso-
luton for the creation of q committee
on rules. That resolution provided for
! a committee of 10 members, six repub-
licans and four democrats, all to be
elected by the house The committee
would elect its own chairman and after
March 3, 1911, the speaker would not
be eligible for membership on the COM
mittee.
Regular ORDER demanded Clayton
of Alabama after Lenroot of Wiscon-
sin had concluded his remarks, declar-
ing that the purpose of himself and
others in their attitude toward the
speaker of the house was to restore
representative government"
Insurgent Murdock of Kansas, one
of the originals, was greeted with ap-
plause when he was recognized to ad-
dress the house.
Every one here" said Murdock,
knows that this movement is, directed
against the system of this house. Cal
endar Wednesday and the Fitzgerald
rules did not change the system"
APPLAUSE FOR FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald CD, who gave his
name to the new rules, was greeted
with applause on the democratic side.
The. situation before the house, he
said. proved that majority could con-
troll when united and determined to en-
force its will
THE majority party in control of
this house." said Fitzgerald, lis dis
credited before the people, and. try as
you may by changing your procedure
or your stripes, you will not reinstate
yourselves in the esteem of the country
| before the next election. This is;
time to demonstrate that when your
opponents are demoralized it is possi-
| BILE for the democratic party to stand
united upon an important question
and
You are telling the truth now.'
shouted member from the republican
side. derisive laughter from the repub-
licans greeting the remark.
Fitzgerald concluded by saying he
was ready to stand side by side with
his democratic colleagues in the pend
ing fight against the rules in force in
| the house.
! EFFORT TO STEM TIDE
An effort to stem the tide of opposi-
| tion to the speaker and the committee
on rules was made by Olmsted of Penn
1 sylvania, who in the time allowed him
sent to the desk of the speaker reso-
luton by which he proposed that the
question of changing the rules be sent