Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-06
Republicans Warm Up Over Limitation of
 the Debate on the Rules
DEMOCRATS EXCORIATED BY CANNON
Declared He Had no Criticism of Rules, But Matter of Propriety Minority Should Have Opportunity to Offer Amendments-Refers to Congressman Henry as a "Czm"-Presdent Taft's Reciprocity Message.

Washington. April 5.-Both houses of congress listened today to President Tafts brief message urging the adop- 1ion of the reciprocity agreement with Canada.
 The senate adjourned. but the dem ocratic house proceeded further with its organization by adopting new set of rules To a great extent the new rules are a repetition of those that have been handed down by many con gresses in the past. The democrats as- sert that their greatest reform is talk ing away from the speaker his power 10 appoint committees and to designate the chairman of each committee The new rules provide for the election of committees and their chairmen-
 Second Democratic Reform.
 The second reform is return to the former democratic practice of permit ting legislation on appropriation bills when that legislation tends to reduce the expenditures of the government.
 The democratic rules continue rCal- endar Wednesday" and the unanimous consent calendar and seek to perfect the rule for the discharge of commit tees This latter rule. the democrats declare. effectively does away with the former practice of stifiing legislation fin committees.
 Republicans Raise Cry of Gag"
 A special order passed by the demo- crsts and limiting debate on the rules to four hours immediately prompted a cry of gag" by the republicans.
 The contest, which waged four hours. was but foretaste of others to expected to make the present congress notable. Representative Mann, the re- publican leader. was ably seconded by ex-Speaker Cannon and Representa- tives palzell and O1msted and one or two republican insurgents as well. The insurgents assisted their brothers in the minority by protesting against the action of the democrats in adopting the tyranny" method of the former ma 5ority in shutting off debate and the opportunity for amendment.
 Democrats Accused of lnsincerity.
 Mir Mann charged the democrats with insincerity in what they said in praise of the rules and argued they had no purpose to take away from themselves. as a majority, the right to control legislation. He character fzed the rule for the discharge of conn mittees as ''an utter absurdity. not to snv idiocy."
 Chairman Henry of the new rules committee retorted that the rules the house characterized produced the most doieful speech from Mir. Mann that he had ever heard that gentleman make. 1lf- ftG1TN luTInfI SdlQ Indl llie AHicf- fcan people had found fault not so much with the house rules as the bad administration of those rules.
 csnnon's Speech Wins Applause.
 Mir. Cannons speech was easily the feature He was greeted with applause by both parties when he arose to make his maiden address of the session.
 "I want to say here and now" he de- ciared that substantially the rules proposed by this legislation are an en- dorsement of nearly all that is good in the rules that have evoluted since the adoption of the constitution, and, therefore, I am not going to criticize the rules merely because the majority of the house proposes to adopt them. Sometimes majorities and minorities tear passion to tatters and appeal from the standpoint of demagoguery and claptrap to people that would not know a rule or a code of rules if they met them in the middle of a street.
 The Infamous" Reed Rule.
 T have had a good deal to do with rules during my legislative Hfe- l re- ported. as a member of the committee on rules in the F'ifty-hrst congress, what was then known by an almost unanimous press and by a violent mil nority as the infamous Reed rule. That code was thrown open to amend ment. with two days general debate. and with the most perfect freedom of amendment. and at that time the re- publicans had a majority of five. You now have a majority of sixty-three. I submit to you as you are now Hopping your wings together on that side and have complete harmony and solidarity that p~rchance you might from tho standpoint Of prcpriety give the mi- uority chance to offer amendments to the rules. -
 Never Felt Less Like Dying.
 And now it is said that we have a unanimous consent calendar. I am glad that we have Along with that fs the saying. in the language of the distinzuished gentleman from Kansas tNr. MurdockD and the universal rep resentation of the uplift magazines. frst it is no longer necessary to crawl upon your knees. hat in hand. to ask the speaker for recognition for unani- mons consent.
 ~No. No. The speaker is a mem h~r of the house. ! am a member of the house. and I never felt less like fying than l do now When the unani- nous consent calendar is called. if my judgment prompts me 10 object to the consideration of bill. no doubt ~the man In charge of that bill will figura- lively come on his hands and knees. with hat in hand. even the gentleman from Kansas fMr. Murdock), trying to convince his co-member on the floor that the consideration Of the bill ought not to be objected to-"
 Congressman Henry Called Czar.
 Mr. Cannon sharply criticized the rules for not permitting the discharge of the rules committee itself and de- ciared that ~Czar Henry would be no more or less of a '.czar' than was the former speaker.
 MT. Cannon also complained that no method was provided for the socialist minority from Wisconsin" or Tany other gentleman with a wild eyed or sensible proposition" to obtain the discharge of a committee.
 The message of President Taft fol- lows.
 President Tsst's Message. '-ro the Senate and House of Rep
 re-eniafives:
 ''f transmitted to the Sixty first congress. on January. ec last. the text of fii- --recIprociiy trade agreement W hich i4&d been negotiated under my direction by the secretary Of state with representatives of the Dominion of Canada This agreement was the con summation of earnest efforts. extend fnx over a period of nearly H year. on one part of nrfh. xovcrnments to ef- feet a trade arrangement which. sup yIemen(inG ss it did the sinicshlc set 0omo11 og various ouostions of . di-