The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-19
Most Memorable Parliament tary Battle on Record
 Ends In a Draw
POWER OF CANNON IS
 SHORN OF ITS FORGE
Democrats and Insurgents Hold the Fort for Nearly Thirty Hours Be- fore weariness CompeIs Ccs-
 sstion of Hosfilitics
By MArTERsoN srEALEY

Washington, March 1s-(Special)-- Speaker Joseph G. Cannon's day of reck-
 oning was postponed until tomorrow by
 the House this afternoon. By a majority of Is the motion Of Representative Gaines
 of West Virginia to delay until tomorrow the speakers ruling on the Norris resolu-
 ton electing the rules committee was passed by the House. The IS majority is not indicative of emocratic-insurgent dis affection. according to the leaders of the side of the allies" It was caused, 1t 10 explained. primarily by weared house. few of whose members had closed their eyes for B hours and all of whom were more than willing to let matters rest the democrats-insurgents because they
 believed no inroads could be made upon
 their strength; the republican regulars because their condition from surface iu- dications could not be made worse. Per-
 haps on the morrow, they reasoned. it might bear a semblance of betterment. The object of the armistice is to en- able the divided ranks of the republicans
 to reach a compromise by which the
 rules may be amended as demanded by the democrats and the republican insur- gents without any sacrifice of principle
 on their part, while at the same time
 saving the Cannon forces from the cha
 grin of ignominious defeat
 Loss of Prestige
 For the Cannon forces it makes little
 difference now how the fight goes. Their complete loss of prestige has been &C.,
 complished. Whether it had been writ | ten by vote of the House today or whether it be written tomorrow Is one and the same to the speaker. On noth- | ing which comes before the House has he any assurance of majority. Sooner or later he is to become a mere pre-
 siding officer. a sort of vice president.
 but with the presidency by succession | far removed from him. Conferences were conducted tonight | within and between the rival republican | factions for the basis of reaching an
 agreement to which there would be att
 tached a ''gentleman's agreement" that under no circumstances shall Speaker l Cannon be member of the reorganized committee on rules. If any agreement | is reached the letter and spirit of this | proposition must be one of the cardinal 1 features of the compromise. Otherwise
 the battle will be fought out to a finish | when the opposing forces face one an- | other in the arena of the House tomor- 1 row.
 The Cannon forces came in under a 1 flag of truce this morning. They had contested every inch of lost ground stub bornly and were rapidly approaching the | danger zone in which they would be l forced to capitulate internationally. In l combination with the democratic side the | republican insurgents have at all stages | of the game possessed the requisite num- ber of votes with which to accomplish the deposition of the speaker from the | committee on rules and its enlargement so as to make it an instrumentality of representative government in the popular branch of Congress.
 The Forlorn Hope
 With forlorn hope the republican reg ulars had held out through the long vigil of a night of unceasing cannonading on the belief that incoming railroad trains might bring succor or the lapse of time disaffection between the allied democrats and insurgents. By noon 1t was clearly apparent that the allies were ready and capable of maintaining siege which could end in but one result-bitter defeat for the Cannon forces and success for their opponents. Then 1t was that the more conservative men on the side of the speaker were anxious for a compromise. for the good of the party they contended. but largely to save the faces of the major ity of the majority.
 Rumors of the impending compromise neW tnlck ana IdSt, ana were uennltely confirmed at o'clock when the insur- gents agreed to recess for two hours for purposes of a preliminary conference. At that hour the House had been in con- tinuous session for 26 hours including an exciting night session, during which the supporters and defenders of the speaker lost In every combat. The conference was without definite result beyond tenta- tive agreement that if an armistice could be had until tomorrow the republicans might reach a compromise among them- selves.
 When the truce ended at o'clock this afternoon the House met for another ses- sion. during which nothing was disclosed as to the preliminary conference. Speak CT Cannon was ready. he said to rule on the point of order raised at the open ing of the hostlites yesterday and some of the insurgents were anxious to have the matter settled off hand. Enough other insurgents joined with the regulars to postpone action until 12:O5 o'clock to- morrow. by which time they hope to be able to effect a compromise that will be Satisfactory to both sides.
 Will show no Quarter If tonights overtures fail. then it is declared to be the purpose of the in- surgents to show quarter to the regu- lars and to join with the democrats in completely routing the forces of Speaker
 
 Speaker Cannon is understood not to have been ready adherent to the com promise plan. In fact, he preferred 10 fight to finish. and his attitude may yet be the rock upon which these eleventh hour overtures for republican peace and harmony may split
 The speaker entertains definite and al- most unyielding notions respecting the way in which the House should be con trolled by the committee on rules and the latter dominated by himself. He clings to the power which he has used so arbi- trarly since he has occupied the speakers chair He reluctantly faces the prospect of being stripped of his powers and the transfer of control to an enlarged and more representative committee on rules He would like to have Hamlet played without the elimination of the title role
 Conservative influences within the party are busly engaged endeavoring to per- suade the speaker that his position is un- tenable on the eve of a conflict which if fought to finish as the ins,rrpentz da-