Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-21
INSURGENTS in CONGRESS WIN
GREAT VICTORIES DURING
SESSION JUST CLOSING.
REGULARS DRIVEN TO COVER
IN MANY LIVELY FIGHTS
Next Battle Will Be in House, When
Effort Will Be Made to Prevent
Speaker From Appointing Commit
tees-Seeret of Power of the Cannon
Maohine-RaiIroad Bill Example.

Washington, June 21.-When con-
gress adjourns. probably within ten
days, the insurgent republicans will
go home victorious in the most re-
markable war for liberty ever waged
il. the national legislature. The reg
ulars have been beaten back to their
last line of defense where they have
treated for terms Of surrender.
The little band Of seven or eight pro-
gressives in the senate and some forty
in the house have left impress upon
the legislation of the session. Had it
not been for them there would be much
less cause for satisfaction with the
| railroad rate law, the postal bank sys-
tenn, the conservation and the state
hood bills. Scores Of amendments rep
resenting the progressive tendencies
were written into all of these cardinal
pieces Of legislation by the republican
| insurgents.
The progressive character Of the leg
islatton was made possible largely by
the success Of the insurgents in break
ing down the despotic power of
Speaker Cannon. The power of the
progressves was sufficient to prevent
the imposition of the gag rule thru
out the session and every bill received
full consideration.
Railroad Bill is Example.
The consideration Of the railroad bill
affords a conspicuous example. Instead
of being put thru under rule limiting
debate. the bill was discussed and
/
contrast stands the Payne tariff bill
put thru under a rule which left a
large section of the party dissatisfied.
The insurgents changed the rules Of
the house in important particulars and
, the changes worked well-for the peo-
pie, if not for the vested interests. The
speaker has been eliminated from the
rules committee, and that committee
has been made elective by the house
instead of appointive by the speaker.
The speaker has been deprived of the
power to smother legislation in the
com mittees. No longer is it necessary
for member to go to the speakers
room and hunbly ask for recognition
to make a motion on the floor
The elective rules committee has
been found a great Improvement 1t
WIS al Eueu tlldL IL COlIllillllee not dOuI.
mated by the speaker would be more
responsive to the demands of members.
This was demonstrated last week when
the committee found it necessary to
respond to the demands Of the insur-
gents and democrats for the production
of a committee discharge rule. OF
course. the response was fastened by
the knowledge that the insurgents and
democrats had enough votes to give the
regulars another drubbing if the re-
Spouse were not forthcoming.
Secret of Cannon's Power.
Speaker Cannon in his explosion of
Indignation a few days ago, asserted
that the power to discharge a commit
tee from the consideration OF a buried
bill always inhered in the majority OF
the house. The trouble was that
member could not move to discharge a
committee unless the speaker consent
ed to recognize him for a suspension
of the rules or unless he had with him
the rules committee formerly con-
trolled by the speaker. The result was
that the Cannon machine was the only
agency strong enough to resur-
rect a buried bill and the Cannon ma
chine was not engaged in the resurrec-
ton business
There is only one other cardinal
amendment of the rules sought by the
progressives and that is the divorce
from the speakership of the power of
appointing committees. That is the rock
on which the speaker has built up his
czardom. He has not hesitated to re-
ward his followers and punish his
enemies with promotions and demo-
tions.
There is an ever growing demand for
the selection of committees thru a
committee on committees, elected by
the house, but the reform will not be
attempted at this session and possibly
not in this congress. If the democrats
should win the next congress it would
be up to them to deal with this propo-
sition. If the republicans win, the re-
form will become an issue in the adop-
ton of the rules Of the next congress.