Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-20

that might be pursued by the speaker.
The possibility of his resignation fol-
lowing was freely discussed, the "old
guard" OF regular Republicans making
no pretensions OF retaining any power.
The previous question was ordered
by a vote of 1872 to 160-a majority of
% for the opponents Of the speaker.
Speakers Opponents Unto
Quickly tho speaker announced that
the question reverted to the appeal
from the decision of the chair, and
the question was put.
Shall the decision Of the chair stand
as the determination of the house?"
While the roll was being called Mr..
Cannon surrendered the chair to Repre-
sentative Olmstead of Pennsylvania,
one of the "old guard"
1t soon became known that an agree
ment had been entered into by insur-
gents and Democrats for an amend
ment to the Norris resolution, so as to
provide for a committee on rules TO
consist of six Republicans and four
Democrats, representatives. of each
party to be selected by party caucuses
and elected by the house.
A further agreement by the insur-
gents among themselves was that they
would go into the Republican caucus
and be bound by the membership on
the committee on rules as they might
be made by the caucus.
Mr.. Olmstead, in the chair, announced
that the house had refused to uphold
the decision of the speaker by a vote
of 100 to 1S2.
Mr.. Olmstead then ordered the read
ing of the Norris resolution He had
hardly done so when Speaker Cannon
returned and took the gavel.
Norris sought an agreement for n
division of time for the debate on the
resolution.
A demand for the previous question
cut short all effort for unanimous con-
sent, and Mr.. Norris offered an amend
ed resolution which he said he would
support. 1t provided for a committee
on rules to consist of ten members
six Republicans and four Democrats
instead Of the present committee of five
members-three Republicans and two
Democrats.
It provided further that the commit
tee on rules should be elected by the
house, and that the speaker shall not
be member of it," also that the COM
mittee should elect its chairman from
it's own membership. also that the new
committee should be selected within
ten days from the passage Of the res
olution.
Representative Mann attempted to
take Norris off the floor on the ground
that his right to that privilege had
expired, but the speaker at once sug-
gested that Norris again held the floor
in view of the new resolution being
offered, and that Norris had yielded to
Minority Leader Clark.
Mr.. Clark said he had something to
say, and he did not care whether any
body liked it or not.
Calls It "a Revolution"
"This is not a fight against Joseph
G.. Cannon personally" said Mr.. Clark
amid storm Of applause. This is a
fight against a system. 1 think 1T is a
bad system, as far as this committee
on rules is concerned.
"It does not make any difference to
me that this system is sanctioned by
time. There has never been any prog
ress in this world except by the over
throw of precedents and the establish
ment of new precedents.
1--WE made up our minds some months
ago" continued Mr.. Clark, ito work
the revolution that has been COM
menced here today. We need not
mince words; it is a revolution.
Il will assent to no proposition that
does not eliminate the speaker for all
time to come from the committee on
rules That is my position. In that /
sneak for the Democrats of the house
and for the insurgent Republicans. We
cannot give mem bers of congress the
mower they are entitled to without taxi
ing from the speaker some of the pow
er he now enjoys"
Foelker of New York, Martin of South
Dakota and Lenroot of Wisconsin, all
insurgents, spoke briefly, justifying
their position.
CLAYTON of Alabama after Mr.. Denroot
of Wisconsin had concluded his re-
marks declaring that the purpose of
himself and others in their attitude
toward the speaker of the house was
to restore representative government.
Insurgent Murdock of Kansas City,
one of the originals, was greeted with
applause when he was recognized, to
address the house.
Murdoch Attacks System
"Everyone here" said Mr.. Murdock,
"knows that this movement is directed
against the system of this house. Cal
endar Wednesday and the Fitzgerald
rules did not change the system"
MIR. Fitzgerald, Democrat, who gave
his name to the new rules, was greet
ed with applause on the Democratic
side.
"The majority party in control of
this house." said Mr.. Fitzgerald. 'is
discredited before the people, and try
as you may, by changing your pro-
cedure of your stripes, you will not
reinstate yourselves in the esteem of
the country before the next election.
This is time to demonstrate that
when your opponents are demoralized
il is possible for the Democratic party
to stand united upon an important
question and
you arc telling the truth now!'
shouted a member from the Repub-
lican side Derisive laughter from the
Republicans greeted the remark.
Mr.. Fitzgerald concluded by saying
he was ready to stand side by side with
his Democratic colleagues in the pend
ing fight against the rules in force in
the house. An effort to stem the tide
of opposition to the speaker and the
committee on rules was made by Ohm
stead of New York, who in the time
allowed him, sent to the desk of the
speaker a resolution by which he pro-
posed that the question of changing
the rules be sent to committee with
instruction to report to the house on
the first Monday in December next.