The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-03-24
STIR IN THE HOUSE
The Norris Resolution 10
Change Committee On Rules
Caused Some Excitement.

Nau1C0 0OkuC IANlACauSA~
In SESSION ALL NIGHT.
Committee ON Rules Enlarged From
Five to Ten Observation-Disclosures of
Committee to be Appointed by the
House Instead Of by the Speaker
Motion to Depose Speaker Cannon
Defeated by an Overwhelming Ma
jority-President Taft Watching
situation With Keen Interest-Pe-
cuIiar Mix-Up in Smithfield Post
ONCE Matter.
Especial to The Caucasian.)
Washington, D. c.. March 22.-
The fight which the insurgent Re-
publicans have been waging against
Speaker Cannon eliminated in
most remarkable and dramatic scene
on Thursday evening of last week.
The insurgents, with the help or the
Democrats, succeeded in passing
resolution, after long struggle, pro-
viding for the enlarging OF the Com
mittee on Rules from five to ten
members, the committee to be elect
ed by the House instead of appoint
ed by the Speaker, and further pro-
viding that the Speaker should not
be a member of the Committee on
Rules. This resolution was adopted
by majority of twenty-five.
The Speaker Meets the Situation.
Immediately, upon the adoption OF
this resolution, the Speaker an
nounced that he would entertain a
motion to declare the chair vacant
and to elect a new Speaker. Prompt
ly, a motion to that effect was made
by Congressman Burleson, OF Texas,
and this motion was solidly support
ed by the Democrats, but the insur-
gent Republicans, with the exception
Of nine, voted against deposing
Speaker Cannon, taking the position
that their fight was not one against
the Speaker personally, but for the
principle of having the Rules Com
mittee elected by the House. Thus
within a few minutes time, the
Speaker was robbed of a large par
of his power. and at the same time
was given a lattering vote of conf
dence.
= How the Trouble Arose.
Mr.. Crumpacker, the Chairman o
the Census Committee, had aske'
for recognition, out of order, to pre-
sent a resolution from the Censu
COMMITTEE for immediate considera
, ton, on the ground that the Consti
q tuition provided for the taking OF tn
: census, and that, therefore, anythin
q connected with taking the censu
g was a matter of constitutional priv
r ilege and should have precedenc
q over the rules of the House. Tn
4 Crumpacker resolution was enter
). tanned and adopted.
t. AS quick as this was done, Cor
y gresham Norris, of Nebraska, ros
t. to the floor and said that he had
y resolution of Constitutional privilee
l. to present and demanded immedia1
a- consideration, and pointed to the Ia
n that the Constitution provided tn;
the House should make its own ruiz
le and that his resolution was to carr
,e out that Constitutional provision
>" reorganizing the Committee on Rul
e, and that, therefore, his resolutit
was one of Constitutional privileg
e. 1t was apparent that the insu
sy gents were all in the House in IL
e. force, and that nearly every Dem
of crat was in his seat, while many
the regular Republicans were out
their seats and number of them o
: of the city. It was clear, therefor
that if the resolution was submit
to a vote at that time it would
.p- carried. This caused the regulars
Sc proceed to discuss the resolution
length so as not to force the Speak
to have to rule one way or the ott
on the resolution until absent me
bers could be gotten to their seats.
The Democrats and the insurgel
charged that the Speaker and
friends were filibustering; and tn
pursued a long struggle, each s
trying to get every absent member
before the vote was taken. The
81, suit was that the House stayed
a. session all night and all next mo
ing, until a truce was reached in
Iafternoon whereby the resolut
was modified to limit the Commit
on Rules from fifteen to ten mt
bers, and the same was submitted
a vote and carried. The rules WI
were thus modified we're the same
the Reed rules and the same as
~ Democratic rules under Spea
- Crisp.
nm. The resolution adopted provi
,ali-l tnat tne NE" colnini''ee sno0i. !.
elected within the next ten d
riot There is considerable suspense a
g at the result of such election, and
future legislation of the House sc
to hang upon the result.
The President Looks on With
Interest.
y Of The President took no han
his this struggle, but he is Of CO
|, the watching the situation with keel
d of i terest especialIy as to how it