Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-09
SPEAKER CANNON UPHELD
Regulars on Both Sides Support His
Decision.
DEMOCRATS GET ENTANGLED
Trouble Arose Over Resolution In
troduced by Representative Fuller.
An Appeal Taken.

afternoon This time Speake Cannon
and the regular republican organization
were exempt from attack. 1t was an in
surgent proposition. the mnch-advertised
but ineffective committee discharge
amendment adopted at the last session
Of Congress, that was under fire.
The House voted at the close Of the dis
cussion and indorsed the Speaker by a
vote of 233 to 3d. sustaining a point-o
order ruling against the pending resolu-
tion. The insurgent republicans voted to
overrule the Speaker, but got little demo-
cratic support.
For two hours, the House-every men,
ber in his seat, all but those actively par
ticipating having the time of their lives
kept the rumpus well stirred up. Finally
the democrats got to scrapping among
themselves, and before the fray was
over, gave a splendid demonstration OF
the limitless possibilities Of internecine
strife.
Ugly Charges Exchanged.
Charges Of dishonesty and .igno
rance and the like were banded back and
forth among the members of that party
which, successful at the polls in 4>ovem-
Der, will control the destinies Of the
House of Representatives in the Sixty
second Congress. The republicans. includ-
Ing the by-play with a grim grin-seemed
to enjoy themselves hugely.
Representative Fuller OF Illinois, a reg
ular republican, just as Representative
Samuel w. Smith Of Michigan. chairman
of the House District committee, rose
to his feet to call for the regular busi-
ness of District day. started things to
humm1ng by offering a resolution to
amend the insurgent and democrat COM
mittee discharge amendment to the rules
by providing that 1t should not have pre-
cedence over motions to suspend the
rules.
1t might be explained that suspension
OF the rules has been rendered inoper-
ative by the obstruction methods Of
Representative Mann OF Illinois, made
possible by the committee discharge
rule and utilized by him to shew the
absolute tdiocy of that amendment.
Mann's Point Of Order.
Mr.. Mann promptly, made a point of
order against the Fuller resolution.
II have heard it said," exclaimed Mr..
Fuller. with considerable heat, that a
majority of this House can do anything
1t wishes. That may be so, but members
apparently do not appreciate that fact,
for usually we sit here like bumps on a
log, waiting for half dozen men who
sit on either side of the main aisle to tell
There Is a joker in the committee dis
charge rule which makes 1t impossible to
offer motion to suspend the rules. 1t
should be fixed at once by the adoption
Of my resolution"
Mr.. Fuller then handed hot shot to
Representative Mann of Illinois for plac-
ing on the calendar 1O7 committee dis
charge motions.
IF we worked day and night from now
until the end of the session. or, for that
I'VE could never reach the order OF busi-
ness of suspension of the rules This is
a question of the highest privilege.
MY resolution is in order. That ques-
of last March. the House proceeded to
take up the Norris amendment, after
the Speaker had ruled it out Of order.
Wipe out the little joker in this rule and
put the House where at least twice a
month g. member can be heard on a mo-
ton to suspend the rules"
Not Father of the Bill.
1T was not the father Of the rule to
discharge committees said Mr.. Mann.
answering his colleague, but when it
was passed prepared a motion intended
to demonstrate its absurdity. l wanted
to show that the House. when 1t revises
the rules, should consider all sides of the
question. This rule was proclaimed a
perfection Of widom and knowledge.
1T is SO imperfect that a child could
walk through 1t, much less man. I am
glad the question was raised The con-
trOversy should be settled now"
At this point Representative DalZell of
Pennsylvania announced that at a meet
ing of the committee on rules this morn
ing resolution had been adopted pro-
1,.~r .-t1 To- TN-l~
ruary as additional suspension days in
an effort to Offset the obstruction made
possible by the committee discharge
amendment
Mr.. Fuller said he was glad to hear
this. but insisted on his resolution being
considered anyhow.
Underwood Makes an Admission.
The rumpus on the democratic side be-
gan with the speech Of Representative
Underwood of Alabama. one of the par
liamentarians Of the minority, who will
probably be chairman of the ways and
means committee in the next Congress.
Mr.. Underwood threw the republican
Side-all except the inSurgents-intoa q
gale of laughter when he declared that
in turning down the Norris resolution
at the beginning of the famous row Of
year ago Uncle Joe had been per-
fectly right. But Mr.. Underwood ex.
planned. although he had voted to over
throw Uncle Joes decision, he had done
SO because the rules fight at that time
was nothing short of a parliamentary
revolution.
Then you say the Speaker was right
at that time?" questioned Representative
j. Sloat Fassett of New York.
Certainly" replied Mr.. Underwood,
and the republicans laughed some more.
Mr.. Mann asked Mr.. Underwood IL the
democrats were going to follow up their
revolution. He commented on the fact
that Mr.. Underwood. who had voted to
overthrow the Speakers decision on that
fateful 10Th of March. so that rule
reform could be accomplished, now had
faced about and opposed the rule reform
proposed by Mr.. Fuller.
II want to know" cried Mr.. Mann,
IF you are going to continue your revo-
luton? Are you for the new repuDnc or
the old monarchy
And democrats, as well as republicans,
had to laugh at this.
Fitzgerald Indorses Cannon Position.
Then Representative Fitzgerald OF lew
York made the somewhat startling an
nouncement that he. too, realized at the
time Of the rules fight that Speaker Can
mons position was absolutely right.
Il only voted to take up the Norris
resolution" declared Mr.. Fitzgerald
because ] was member Of the COM
CONTINUED on Second PaSel