The Washington herald., 1910-03-18

to proceed with the business OF the day.
Representative Norris, Of Nebraska, one
of the simon-pure insurgents, rose in his
place.
For what purpose does the gentleman
rise" queried the Speaker.
Il rise" said Mr.. Norris, to call up a
resolution of constitutional privilege. Mr..
Cannon hesItated moment and then d.
rected that the resolution be read.
The leaders realized at once that the
organization was face TO face with a
fight for it's existence.
Regulars Fooled.
Few members were present when the
Norris resolution was reported from the
desk.
Apparently the regulars thought that
the trouble was over for the day after
the CrumDacker resolution had been dis
posed of. Mr. Norris, however, had
hardly finished reading his resolution
when messengers were speeding out to
the corridors and committee rooms. sum-
moning the organization forces back to
the firing line.
in the recruiting work. There was every
evidence that the Cannon forces appre-
ciated that they were confronted with q
mighty serious situation. and that they
realized that the long-expected fight over
the rules was on
Representative DalzeH. Of Pennsylva-
MIA. member OF the Rules Committee.
made the point that the resolution was
not in order under the rules Mr.. Norris
replied that he did not ask recognition
for the measure under the rules, but in
accordance with the terms Of a mandate
clearly set forth in the Constitution.
Norris Calls Turn.
''The House has voted here for a -reso-
luton admitted to consideration on
question of constitutional privilege" said
Mr.. Norris. 1T was argued for that res
olution that 1t was privileged under the
constitutional direction that a census
shall be taken
The Constitution provides that the
House may formulate rules to govern It's
own conduct A resolution, therefore,
that pertains to the rules has a constitu-
tional privilege. and this privilege cannot
be abridged by the dlctum of the Speaker
or the written rules OF the House"
Representatives DalzeH and Olmsted. of
Pennsylvania: Payne and Fassett. Of
New York. and other regulars combated
this proposition. A number of insurgents.
including Representative Poindexter, of
Washington; Madison. OF Kansas, and
Nelson, Of Wisconsin, replied TO IT,
Representative Poindexter's speech was
extremely bitter. He denounced the
Speaker as a tyrant
Representative Tawney remarked that
the present Committee on Rules was
named by the Republican caucus. and
not by the Speaker. as charged by the
member from Washington
1T was on my motion, made IN caucus"
shouted Mr.. Tawney. under which the
Republican members Of the Rules Com
mittee were designated"
That means" interjected Mr.. Norris,
that the rules were selected in advance
by the Speaker"
Calls for Showdown.
Mr.. Poindexter declared that the time
had arrived when the sheep should be
separated from the goats.
I'VE must all show our hands now"
he shouted Those who pass as insur-
gents at home and as staIwarts I'm the
House must stand up and be counted
Representatives Madison. Nelson, Fish,
and the other insurgents spoke in a sim
liar vein.
The regulars argued. in substance. that
a el, i
not be considered under the constitutional
privilege.
AIr. Dalzen pointed out that the House
could proceed without rules, doing bust
ness under general parliamentary law. as
was the case in the Fifty-irst Congress.
when a controversy over the subject made
it impossible to ADOPT a code Of procedure
All Of the regulars contended that the
rules could be revised only by means pro-
vided in the rules themselves, namely, by
the introduction of a resolution and fits
reference to the Committee on Rules.
The insurgents jeered this proposition.
They replied that a rules resolution re-
ferred 10 the Committee on Rules would
meet the fate of all measures that do
not coincide with the views of that body.
Representative Payne Of New York,
brought the name Of President Taft into
the muddle. II the pending resolution
were passed. he declared with emphasis,
chaos would result. and the legislative
programme of the administration would
be endangered. He warned the Repub-
lican insurgents that they were treading
on dangerous ground. and that they
should think well before they took the
leap. Addressing the Republican side.
and pointing TO the Democrats. he shout
ed, Beware of Greeks. bearing gifts"
Representatives Poindexter. Madison.
and Fish of New York, had their
innings. They scored Mr.. Payne for
bringing the name OF the President into
the discussion.
Word from Roosevelt.
A speech in behalf Of the organization
was made by Representative Fassett.
and the regulars applauded wildly. He
read letter written by Theodore Roose-
welt in 1906. in which Mr. Roosevelt
the work Of the Fifty-ninth
Congress and spoke OF Mr.. Cannon in
the most complimentary terms.
While all this Grating was going on
the leaders were bending every energy
to get their forces into line. Two OF
three members were called from sick
beds.
About s:s5 o'clock the leaders thought