Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-03-19
Deadlock Of Nearly so Hours in One Of Greatest
Parliamentary Battles in Its Histoy--Each
Side Claims Victory Awaits Today--Speaker
Cannon Calm and Sphinx-|ikei in Silence.

engagement he responded enthusiasticaI-
ly. that he certainly was going to that
dihiief.
MPSh1ann of Illinois, chairman of the
IIonse' committee on Interstate commerce,
and close friend and supporter =, of
Speaker Cannon, voted against his fellow
regulars on the postponement PROPOSE
ton because the Speaker was prepared
to rule, | was prepared to have him rule
and / was ready to support his ruling
Il have a great deal of doubt. said
Mann, about the desirability of taking
a recess in order to effect something that
does not seem likely to be effected. j am
not willing to agree to any proposition
that has yet been suggested by any OF
the so-called Insurgents" and If they
want to take the responsibility of dis
rupting the organization of the House
they have that right and have no criti-
cism to make II they win. they will
have the responsibility of legislation and
/ will have the fun of being in the mi
nority"
Il still have hope that a satisfactory
solution of the whole matter will be
reached said Olmsted tonight. II GER
tainly hope that there will be a harmo-
NOUS outcome" Olmsted is one of the
Speakers lieutenants and is mentioned
conspicuously in the gossip as to the next
Speakership.
Washington, March 1S.-In the early
hours of today the indications were
that Speaker Cannon and the regular
Al
cisive defeat at the hands of the Re
publican Insurgents and Democrats.
who late yesterday afternoon and all
night last night, pounded the reg
ular' position relentlessly, defeating
the organization on every issue upon
which there was a vote.
1t was an open secret early today
that the regulars believed they were
beaten. that it was their plan to give
the Speaker until IL o'clock today To
rule upon the point of order upon
which the attack was centered, and
that only a torlorn hope of some kind
not at all likely to materialize could
be relied upon to save the situation.
The regulars" in fact took to the
woods after several attempts to Sc
cure recess had failed The late
hours Of the night were spent in in
creasingly indignant efforts on the
part of the Democrats who had sue
ceeded in enforcing call OF the
House. to find out why the sergeant
was bringing in none of the Kepubli-
can absentees whom he had been or
dered to arrest and hale before the
bar Of the House. He did bring in Ave
Democrats.
Mr.. Clayton of Alabama expressed
considerable surprise that SO much
pains and expense for carriages and
automobiles should result in nothing
but some early morning joy rides on
thes part of the employees of the
House
II WIS a memorable fight which day
light found still in progress in the
House A stubborn filibuster On the
part OF Speaker Cannon and the
House organizations an equally relent-
less attack on the part of the "allies;
these were the distinguishing features
in the hottest fight that has yet been
made to overthrow the present control
of the House.
1t was extraordinary i'm many ways.
For instance, the odd spectacle was
presented of the House, preponderant-
ly Republican, ordering the arrest OF
the absentees of that party on the
motion of Democrat. carried by
Democratic votes.
Then too, it is not often that a fill
buster is carried on by the regular
House organization, virtually led by
the Speaker, supposedly in full con-
troll of the House machinery to pre-
vent consideration of the resolution
designed to overthrow that organiza-
ton, amend the rules and reorganize
radically the committee the tenure OF
whose chairmanship is supposed to be
Continued on Page Flvc)