Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-02-03

ouI O1 eA-ffeS1OenI roosevelt ana
Senators Nelson and Clapp. 1t
should be borne in mind that under
the new rules as provided by the in
surgents in said Resolution No. 551,
and which constitutes the only re-
form of the rules that they have
agreed to, it was not contemplated to
take away from the Speaker, only the
appointment of standing committees.
The appointment of select Committees
was expressly vested in the Speaker.
Now as to the Resolution to inves-
tigate the Interior Department and the
Forestry service, the so-called Pinchot-
Balinger Resolution. The investiga-
tion was asked for by the President
and the resolution was drawn in the
usual form providing for appointment
by the Vice-President of the Senate
members and. by the Speaker of the
House members. It was backed by
favorable report Of the Committee.
It was in the form that had been used
for the Monetary Commission, the
Waterways Commission, the Immigra-
tion Commission in the last Congress
and the one sanctioned by the usage
of Congress for hundred years.
had no notice of the proposed Norris
amendment until it was offered. Rep
resentative Hitchcock on the part of
the Democrats had previously offered
Resolution to investigate the same
Department, which also provided that
the Committee should he appointed
ty the Speaker. The membership
of the proposed Commission had been
talked over for weeks, and practically
the same names had been agreed on
by the Speaker on the Part of the
Republicans as were afterwards
chosen by a majority vote of the
House. Mr.. Norris offered his amend
ment to elect the House member of
the Commission and some twenty odd
! Republicans combined with the Demo-
Gratis and carried it. l voted against
it not because desired to have an un
fair commission but because 1 be-
lieved the combination with the Dem
ocrats would lead us into difficulties,
| and so far as the Republican men,
bers of the Commission was concern
ed l was satisfied the Speaker would
only appoint men favored by a ma.
jority. In fact, as above stated, it
was we'll understood that practically
the same men would be chosen as
Republican members as were after
wards nominated in the Republican
Caucus and elected in the House.
When l took my oath of office |
swore that I would discharge the
duties of the Office to the best of
my ability and in casting this vote I
did what ] thought was right, &C.
cording to my own conscience, and
l could not do otherwise. l did not
have time to consult Mr.. Biorge Q,
any of my constituents, for it was al
disposed of in a few minutes. The
Commission in question is in the ma
ture of joint select Committee, ant
under the rules proposed by the in
surgents, select Committees are ex
pressly required to be appointed b,
the Speaker, so chat MY vote OH IN;
Norris amendment was not only i,
accord with the uniform usage il
such cases, but with the proposed re
form rules also. Mr. Bjore claim
that because the Speaker appoints tn
Committee on Rules. he can max
and impose such rules as he please
upon the House. He forgets to tel
the people, however, that the Con
mittee on Rules never has had an
never claims to have the power t
make a single rule, and that all the
are authorized to do is to report
rule or rules to the House, and IN:
jority of the House must first vot
for the rule before it can have an
force whatever. It is simply devic
to enable a majority of a legislativ
body to do business and to prevent
minority from thwarting and defea
ing the will Of the people.
l contend that my record is perfec
~ consistent both with my party pri1
ciples and my professions. hav
stood for reforms but within the pa
lty. 7 have been an insurgent but
have refused to join the Democrac.
Having sought and obtained the n,
mination and election as a Republ
can. I did not see how could homes
" do SO.
I have duties to my constituent
.. that must strive to fulfill. hay
long laboreed to increase the eficienc