The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-03-19
CANN0N'S FATE
. IN THE BALANCE
Sway Of blouse Car" May
End Any Moment.
REGULARS FEAR THE TEST

Insurgents and Democrats Appear to
Hold the Upper Hand and Are Eager
for a Decisive Trial of Strength
Assured That Speaker Cannon Will
Tender Resignation if Norris Reso-
luton Is Adopted.
Washington, March 19.-Without the
votes to defeat his enemies and with
his foes in conference with the regu.
lars endeavoring to arrive at an ar.
rangement for the enlargement of the
committee on rules to fifteen, with the
elimination Of the speaker as a con.
dltion, Uncle Joe" Cannon is still
nominally ruler of the house Of repre-
sentatives.
But it appears that at any moment
the sway of the house car may be
summarily terminated. The insurgents
and Democrats, flushed with the sue.
cess of their long filibuster, are eager
for decisive test of strength and are
boldly predicting the downfall of the
machine" which has long dominated
the house and the making of it's rules.
The election of Minority Leader
Champ Clark as speaker is seriously
considered by some regular Republic.
ans. They say they would follow q
Democrat in preference to Republic
an who defes the majority Of his
party. This course would be contin.
gent upon defeat of the organization
in the present crisis.
Speaker Cannon May Resign.
From one of the most intimate
friends of the speaker came the some
what startling statement that if the
Norris resolution was adopted Speak.
or Cannon would resign and that the
regulars would vote with the Demo
Gratis for the election of Champ Clark
as speaker rather than side with the
Insurgents in a selection This state
meRt was denied by other friends of
the speaker.
Every minute of the day added to
the great WEAKNESS Of the members
who had been in the thick of the com.
bat for many consecutive hours De.
lection was written on the faces of
many of the regular Republican lead.
ers and it was plain that they believed
they were in hopeless and permanent
minority in the house and at best were
only prolonging inevitable dethrone
ment.
continued insurgent Republicans &C.
lected Messrs. Gardner (Mass.), Hayes
(Cal), Lenroot wis.,, and Norris
(Neb.), to meet a similar representa-
ton from the regulars to arrange for
an enlargement of the rules commit.
tee to ten or fifteen members, with
the elimination of the speaker.
No Definite Decision Reached.
The conference was held in Repre-
sentative Gardeners room. The dras-
tic step Of deposing Speaker Cannon
for his long continued failure to rule
on the point of order was discussed,
but no definite decision reached.
The insurgents came from the con-
ference in sullen but determined frame
of minds. Representative Underwood
Of the Democrats stated that the
move to depose the speaker might be
made. Until the speaker consents to
rule on the admission of the Norris
resolution as privileged business it is
difficult to see how motion to GUST
the speaker or dismiss the sergeant
alarms can be introduced.
Insurgent Republicans say the con-
ference was the direct outcome of
overtures from the existing rules CON-
mittee, made through Repres entative
Dalzell of Pennsylvania.
The speakers opponents say the
rules committee has given them as
surance that rule will be brought in
for the enlargement of that body.
The rule, which the insurgents ex-
poet the rules committee will agree to
bring in, would provide for amending
the rules along the lines Of the Norris
resolution, but eliminating the groups
and making the members of the COM
mittee elective by the house.
Conservative Counsel Prevails.
The conference in Mr. Gardeners
room was presided over by Represen-
tative Hayes of California. Some Of
those present, satisfied by their pros
poet of victory, were inclined toward
the most radical procedure, but more
conservative counsel prevailed. The
latter element argued that the exact
number on the committee was not
vital, provided the enlargement was
substantial The rule as brought in
May provide for committee of nine
or ten members, six of them to be
Republicans selected by Republican
caucus and the others to be Demo
Gratis. The question of immediate
deposition of the speaker from the
committee was brought up and sew
eral speeches made, but no action was
taken. ..
A motion to remove the present
sergeant-at-arms of the house, Henry
Casson, has been prepared and may
be offered on the floor of the house
in the event that the speaker should
refuse to rule on the Norris resolu-
ton.
The cause of the trouble originated
In resolution introduced by Repre-
sentative Norris of Nebraska declar-
ing for a change in the committee on
rules specifically eliminating the