The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-12
ANCIENT CUSTOM IS OVERTURNED. Sharp Move Against Insurgents
 Is ShIeudIy Beaten FORGOTTEN RULE INVOKED Republican Whip Tries to Make Pairs on Votes Subject to His Ap- provaI, But Garner Counter
 acts Move.
FORGOTTEN RULE INVOKED

Washington, January 1f.--An ancient custom of the House of Representatives which has been is use for 50 years was overturned today by Representative Dwight of New York. the republican whip, when he instructed the pair clerks at the speakers desk to cease pairing republican members except under pre- scribed conditions. The move is declared by democrats and insurgents to be a move against the latter and that it Is in- tended to give the organization addi- tional leverage when close votes occur.
 Representative Garner of Texas, the temporary democratic whip. stated that Dwight had instructed the pair clerks to make no pairs excepting on Dwight's approval. This Dwight denies but the upshot of the matter was that Garner invoked as a counter move long-buried and hitherto rlnobserved rule of the House and hereafter members will be required to make their pairs in writing at the speakers desk For a score of years or more 1t has been the House custom to allow pairs at any time with out question. The almost forgotten rule of the House on the subject requires that two members desiring to be paired must announce such intention at the speakers desk. Representative Garner. in order to counteract the move of Dwight, gave instructions to the democratic pair clerk that no pairs were to be allowed at the desk excepting in strict accordance with this rule
 Under the order attributed to Dwight he would be able to control the voting of absentees or those desiring to be paired which 1t was pointed out would not work to the advantage of the House insurgents since the republican whip is working in harmony with s&s resslars, The move of the democrats, if success ful, may result in greatly limiting the proposition of pairing as we'll as per haps nullifying the effort of the repub- 1ican regulars to embarass the insur- gents. It would also, no doubt, aid any insurgent who might be laborfng un- der official displeasure and dscrimina- ton by enabling him to arrange a pair by going to the speakers desk.
 Representative Garner pointed out that his move would result in increasing the attendance of the House as those mem bers who were frequently absent and counted always as paired would be com pelled to attend and arrange their pairs in order to have them show in the rec ord.
 No caucus of the House republicans on the Ballinger-Pinchot committee has been called according to the statement of Representative Curr1er of New Hamp- shire. chairman of the caucus. call may be issued at any time, however. and the insurgents may or may not be bidden to take part in 10.
 The democrats will probably caucus on the subject the latter part of the week.
 The Joint Senate and House republican caucus will be held tomorrow night in the House chamber and will result in no fight between the regulars and insur- gents. Nothing but the selection of new republican congressional committee can be considered under the call and this is not expected to cause more than a mere possible discussion of insurgency in some of the states from which mem bers of the committee are to be chosen All of the insurgents have received the regular notices of tho caucus and will attend.
 Following the secret meeting of the republican insurgents at the home Of one of their number last night the 22 who were present were loatn 10 olscuss the details of what occurred but 1t is known that those present talked at more or less length and with more or less vigor upon every subject relating to their present state of insurgency and the treat ment they were receiving from the reg ulars. No definite plan for the future has been adopted.
 The attitude of the insurgents on the Ballinger>P Pinchot investigation is still in a nebulous state. All who were inter- viewed today expressed themselves as wanting merely fair and impartial com mittee and nothing more.