The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-13
He Did t In Order to Transact Business In
 Orderly Way
LAST YEARS REVOLUTION
 NECESSARY AT THE TIME
MT. Underwood shows That When Cam non Was Defeated It Was Because the Ruies Were Blocked by
 Arbitrary Action
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY


 Washington. January 12.-(special.l
 Representative Underwood of Alabama
 made the subjolned statement tonight
 explaining the parliamentary situation
 resulting in charges of inconsistency
 on the part of the democrats in vot-
 ing to sustain the speaker last Mon-
 day:
 When MT. Norris offered his reso- lution last year to elect a rules com-
 mittee without that resolution being reported to the House by the rules
 committee 1t was undoubte 'io- lation of all the rules of SC and against all the preceds
 liamentary procedure In t. 8.
 The rules distinctly provide tha cry bill or resolution should be referred to
 a committee and reported by 1t be- fore it can go on the calendar for | consideration. It Is true that some
 gentlemen argued that to change tie | rules was a matter of high constitu-
 tional privilege. Without meaning to be disrespectful to these gentlemen,
 their argument of course was nothing
 in the world but sophstry. The. justi- fication for the House considering the
 Norris resolution was the fact that d
 majority of the House clearly desired
 to amend the rules to make them con form to the wishes if tn cir constitu-
 ents. The rules committee blocked the proposition by not reporting resolu-
 tions intended to accomplish this re-
 suit and there was way for the ma jossty of the House 10 express it's sen timents except by q revolution against the rules and precedents of the House. 1 understood this at the time the mat ter was under consideration, 1 recog-
 nized the precedents were all with the | speaker and that it was a question oe | revolution, so I stood for parliament
 tary revolution in order that tsie win
 of the represcntat atives might be car | ried out.
 | Now, when you come to the ques- l ton of MT. Fuller's resolution. there l was no occasion for a revolution, be- | cause the chairman of the rules com mittee was standing on the floor of the House at the time that MT. Fuller of
 fered his resolution, with resolution In his hand to accomplish practically what MT. Fuller was demanding, an opportunity for additional suspension days. No one was blt cking the will of the majority of the House. The House could not establish as a precedent the right of any member at any time to bring before the House matters tha. had not been considered by a commit tee; such course would result in the utmost confusion in the procedure of the House.
 "A large majority of the members pre- ferred to accept the action of the House on the Norris resolution as a revolution against the rules and not in any way as precedent to govern procedure in the future. Of course, should circumstances arise where there was a deliberate block ing of the will of the majority of the House, I have no doubt another revolu- tion would take place and be Justified, but until that time arrives the House must
 be governed by It's rules in order that it may transact business in an orderly way"
 Shades of Longfellow's modest hero," exclaimed in chorus Uncle Joe Cannon, General Bingham and Lon Livingston to- day. The three oldest members had just read all about how John Alden Thayer a new congressman from Massachusetts. had sent letters to his S2 new colleagues urging them to get together and demand of the House a fair proportion of the chairmanships and big committee assign ments
 This is modern Johp Alden." mlsed the speaker as he closei his eyes and dreamed of his Miles StAndsh Cahnon las served 36 years in the House and Bingham 32. In their long experience they have never heard of the equal of
 MT. Thayer and each of them has seen
 many a new congressional face. Of course, Mir. Thayer's conference of
 new congressman will never come of.
 In the first place. most of the new con-
 gressmen, In fact nearly all of them ex- cept Mr. Thayer, realize that men who
 have had experience in the House. other
 things being equal. are entitled to the
 responsible places. Taking 1t all in all
 there are mighty few mistakes made In
 selecting chairmen. Most of them have
 proved their fitness before they are des-
 ignated. That has been the rule when
 the speaker has appointed and 1t will
 probably be the rule in spite of the new
 fangled rule of election of committees
 Mir. Thayer will change his mind when
 he starts on his second term, that is, if he gets a second term.
 Representatives Clayton, Hobson and Dent have been designated committee of the Alabama congressman to see the President and urge him to take action for the relief of fertilizer manufacturers In connection with the potash dispute with Germany.
 The Washington Times states today that only five democrats in the Senate | are expected to vote for Lormer. Two of them are said by the paper to be Sena- | tors Bankhead and Johnston. The latter | signed the Lorimer report
 --.s---
 In Favor of New Orleans | Washington, January Ex-Governor Noel and Senator-elec John Sharp