Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-03-21
CANNON STILL SPEAKER.

rssolutIou TO increase the rules commit
tee membership to ten and eliminate the
sneaker from the committee hsd Just
passed.
al move that the House nov adj iurn,"
shouted Mr.. Norris % soon as the vets
on his resolution had been declared by
the speaker
Amid great confusion the calm voice
of Speaker Cannon was btard.
"rhe SPEAKER asks the iudu gance OF
the II 9uss for not to exceed three mia
utes 10 make q statement" He then
made his address, 10 which he ssid:
"There are two courses open for the
speaker 10 Tursue. Oae Is ID resign snd
permit the new combination OF the demo-
Gratis aud insurgents ID choose speaker
10 harmony with its acts aud purposes.
The other is for that combination t.
declare q vacancy ia the Office oispesker,
and proceed TO the election OF 3 new
speaker.
ga t.r consideration, at this state OF
the session Of the House, Sith much OF
important legislation pending, involving
the pledges OF the republican platform
and their capitalization into Law, be-
Iieyiug that bis resignation might con-
sume weeks of time Ia the reorganiza'
ton of The II u,e, the speaker, being 10
harmony with republican policies aud
desirous of carrying them cut, declines
By bis own NJ, ton 10 precipitite con.
test that might greatly endanger the
final passage OF all legislation necessary
to redeem republican pledges and fulfill
republican promises.
"This Is one reason why the speaker
does not resign OF once, and another
reason 10 tals: In the judgment Of the
present speaker, a Resignation Is 10 and
Of itself q confession Of weakness or mis-
take, or sn spology for past actions.
The speaker ls not conscltu' OF having
done any political wrong. 4.
"rhe speaker does now believe, aud
always has believed, that this 10 gov
eminent through msj1rities. The
speaker has always believed 10 aud
bowed t. tie will Of the ma )rity in con.
VET ton, 10 csu 'us, and 10 the legisls.
tive hall, and today proit u IDLY believes
that to &C. otherwise is to disorgaoIzs
parties, Is to prevent coherent action 10
any legislative body, Is to make impos.
sibIe the reflection of The wishes Of The
people Ia statutes aud In lava. The
SPEAKER has always said thst u lder the
constitution /. Is gu 3stion OF the high.
esl privilege for al actual ms )rity OF ne
House at any time to choose new
speaker, and sga'n notifies the Htuie
that the speaker will at this moment, or
at any other time while he remains
speaker, entertain, ln conformity with
the bighes! constitu ionsl privilege, q
motion by any member to vscat9 the
Office Of the speakershIp aud choose a
pew speaker, aud, under existing con.
dilious, would welcome lu;h action ur-
on tie pert OF the attpll ms 1rity OF the
Htuge, 80 that power aud responsibility
may rest with the democratic aud insuT-
CERT members, who by the last vote evil
IDENTIFY constitute q majority of this
Hcuse. The chair Is now resdy to en-.
I rtsIn such mo Ion"
All over the House the members we're
on their feet, dtz.n members st once
endeavoripg to obtain recognition.
Mr.. Sherley, Of Kentucky, hurried 10
the side oil Mr.. Underwood, Of Alabama,
and held sn excited converse on.
"a NJ. Barls;o1, OF Texas, arose, waving
a paper and attempted to be recognized.
Rushing before The speakers desk,
Mr.. Sherley declared that Mr.. Norris
had moved t. adjourn.
"Oh, no Oh, mo-" came shtus
from the republican side.
1.-THE gentleman from Texas has been
coguizad," sht ut I'd Mr.. Tawney.
the Up aker, demanding order, said
there we're motions that might take pre-
csdence Of the mi ton to adjourn,
Ga the gu ygesiIon OF the speaker, Mr..
Bareson read bis resolution, declaring
the speskersbip vacant and ordering 40
immediate election Of successor to Mr..
Cannon.
Gu ckly the democrats turned from
their insurgert allies. Mr.. Norris Sc t
quietly 10 his place. until the qu's i'm
arose whether The House should proceed
to consider the Purieson resolution, or
whether The speaker sh Y ! entertain the
motion to sc )urn.
Mr.. Norris dcggedly refused to give
way to the group Of democrats aud in
surgenis who came to tfisr advice. H'
insisted that ia OF CT urIesy to the speak.
er he had wilhdeld his resO luton. and
was entitled II have 1t put to the II juse.
Mr.. Cannon pleaded with the Nebrss-
kan, who seemed to hold the pending
egett 10 bis COT t:ol, 10 withdraw his
motion.
1.-THE motion to adjourn being 10 or
der, the SPEAKER would be gratIfied II the
gentleman from Nebraska would with,
hold It," pleaded the speaker.
"WithdraT it /" shouted hundred
democrats.
"The resolution Is OF the highest priv
llege and takes precedouce Of the motion
10 adiourD," shtu ed Mr. Ollie james,
OF Kentucky.
Mr.. Norris Insisted that bis motion
was still before the II )use. Mr.. Cannon
remarked that 1t occurred t. him that
the gentlemsn from Nebraska was right.
mol No No shouted the men
who wanted to complete the elimination
OF the speaker at one session.
"Nc! No! shout d at the same time
the republican msjorIty, who now saw
the d scom6ture Of the intu gents 10 the
movement, when they we're forced to
consider the election Of SPEAKER, and