The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-19
DOWNFALL OF SPEAKER CANNON.


tionless in his place.
All eyes were fixed upon him and all
noted the stoical expression his count
enance wore as he looked over the
shouting over the announcement of his
defeat
Moves Previous Question.
Mr.. Norris was again upon his feet,
demanding that the previous question
be put to the house. Mr. Burke of
shouted above the uproar to obtain
recognition.
There is a desire to debate this reso-
lution,'' he said, land I hope the gem
tleman from Nebraska, will withhold
his notion"
mo, no, no. came the protest from
a hundred Democrats and insurgents.
At once it was seen that the temper
of the house would brook no trifling
or delay. Mr.. Cannon, after a mo-
ment's hesitation, explained the mo-
ton for the previous question would
apply to the appeal from the decision
of the chair. On both sides of the
chamber came demands for a roll
call on that question and the ayes and
noes were ordered. The decisive at
titude of the house toward the ques-
ton, making it manifest that the op-
ponents of the speaker would score
repeated victories members became
interested in the course that might
sibility of his resignation following
was freely discussed.
The old guard of regular Republi-
cans made no pretenses of retaining
any power.
Some OF them crossed over to the
Democratic side and chided the in
surgents that they might have an op-
portunity to elect Democratic
speaker of the house. The previous
question was ordered by vote of 1872
to 160-a majority of p, for the op-
ponents of the speaker.
Roll Call ON the Appeal.
Quickly the speaker announced the
question reverted to the appeal from
the decision of the chair and the ques-
tion was put.
.sshalI the decision of the chair
stand as the determination of the
house?'
While the roll was being called. Mr..
Cannon surrendered the chair to Rep
resentative Olmsted (Pa-). one of the
"old guard
The roll call ceased to be a sub
ject of interest to members. They
waited impatiently for the more i'm
portant question of the adoption of a
resolution providing for a new COM
mittee on rules. Minority Leader
Clark had for some time been revis-
ing resolution covering that subject
which he hoped would be acceptable
to the Insurgents. Occasionally a mem
ber passed by Mr.. Clark and stopped
to speak to him. At the same time
Gardner (Mass.), one of the leaders
among the insurgents, left his place on
the Republican side and crossed over
to the seat occupied by Norris (Neb.) }.
The two insurgents conferred.
1t soon became known to members on
both sides that an agreement had been
entered into by insurgents and Demo-
resolution, so as to provide for COM
mittee on rules to consist of six Re
publicans and four Democrats, repre-
sentatives of each party to be selected
by party caucuses and elected by the
house
further agreement by the insur-
gents among themselves was that they
would go into the Republican caucus
and be bound by the selections for
membership on the committee on rules
as they might be made by the caucus
Mr.. Olmsted, in the chair, announced !
The house had refused to uphold the de-
eision of the speaker by a vote of 100 to |
LS2.
Norris Resolution Read.
Mr.. Olmsted then ordered the read |
ng of the Norris resolution. He had |
hardly done so when Speaker Cannon |
and took the gavel.
Norris sought an agreement for a |
livision of time for the debate on the |
'esolutfon- He suggested one and Il |
lalf hours on each side be agreed upon |
or debate. Dalzell at once accepted. |
70 this Rodenberg of Illinois, objected,
'aying he thought there should be al |
lebate.
Speaker Game to Last.
Washington, March 19.-Speaker
Cannon will fight to the death.
The conference of the Republican
eaders and the insurgents held in
he ways and means committee room
If the house from $50 to IL o'clock
bounced that the fight was on and
he whole matter was to be determin-
ID on the floor of the house.
The speaker was the subject over
which the conference split The reg
liars insisted that he should be re-
aimed as member of the rules COM
nittee or at least that he should have
he opportunity of declining the place
desired.
The insurgents were i'm
,lacable. They made many conces-
ions of detail to the end of securing
compromise, but upon the PROPOSE
ion of removing the speaker from
he rules committee they stood i'm
movable.
When the conference ended the
members emerged with flushed faces,
nut with grim determination to fight
O the bitter end.
The effort to reach an agreement |
vas based on the resolution of Rep
esentative Martin of South Dakota,
or the enlargement of the commit
ee on rules from five to ten members,
tx of whom should be members of |
he majority party and four of whom
hould be members of the minority
'arty, and all to be elected by the
louse by majority vote.
Try Hard to save Cannon.
Washington. March 1S.-How to
ave Speaker Cannon from humiliating
efeat.
Ihat was the proposition around
which all interest centered at the