The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-15
DEMOCRATS MEET
SERIOUS TROUBLE
Days Session Is Marked
by Storm of In
surgency.
CONSTANT USE OF
w H p PREVAILS
Bill for Publicity of Campaign
Contributions Prior to Elec-
ton Passes. but Republican
Amendment Is Kept Out
Only by Shrewd Parlia-
mentary Tactics.


Washington. April 1.-THE Demo
cratic party met its first serious trou-
BILE in the House of Representatives
to-day. At the close OF session
marked by insurgency in the Demo
cratic ranks, by reason OF which the
Republicans narrowly missed scoring a
triumph. the House passed tho Rucker
bill for publicity of campaign contri-
buttons before election.
The fight arose over the extent to
which publicity should be applied. But
for the vigorous and ontinued use
Of the Democratic party whip. an I'M
portant Republican amendment. ex-
tending publicity to the individual re-
ceipts and expenditures of candidates
for Congress, would have been retained
In the bill when 1t finally passed.
AS 1t was, the amendment was
| adopted over the protest of the Demo
cratic leaders, by the support OF fifty
two of the Democrats. who voted With
the solid Republican strength. Resort
to parliamentary move enabled tho
Democrats later to get rid of the
| amendment. but twenty-eight of their
number refused To change their atti-
tude. and stuck with the Republicans
In opposing the Democratic ma jor!ty.
The Rucker bill passed finally by
unanimous vote. but only after a
stormy scene. The amendment offered
| by Representatives Jackson a new Re-
publican member from Kansas. re-
nuired all candidates for Congress to
file statements OF the source and use
| of their individual campaign fund. in
both the primary ana general election
The amendment met instant support
| from the Republican side, and encoun-
tered the opposition of the Democratic
| leaders. Mr.. Rucker, OF Missouri.
| chairman of the committee in charge
of the BILL asserted that It would so
change the form of tho law that Il
might endanger its final passage.
This did not deter hfty-two Demo-
Gratis from supporting the jackson
amendment They, with the solid Re.
publican force gave the amendment
majority that resulted in Its adoption
liz to l3I. and the announcement Of
the vote was followed by Storm of
applause from the Republican side.
There was a hurried conference of
democratic leaders as the progress of
the vote showed the success Of the
amendment. AS soon as the vote was
announced. Mr.. Rucker moved to recon-
NIT the bill. with Its new amendment
| TO the Elections COMMITTEES. with in
| structions to that committee to SEND
the bill back to the House without the
Jackson amendment This parliamcn.
| tary move TO squeeze the amendment
out of the bill brought about a split in
| the ranks of the Democrats who ha d
favored the jackson amendment.
Twenty-eight OF them stood by their
former action and voted against the
motion to recommit the bill, but the
Democratic leaders mustered enough
votes to carry their point. 81 to 149. and
| the bill technically was sent back to
| the committee.
r.. .lg
OF the committee around him. and with
out leaving Nthe floor they Instructed
him to report the bill again without
the Jackson amendment AS soon as
the vote had been announced he once
more re ported the bill to the House,
| with the Jackson amendment left out
of It, and this motion cnrrIed. 1874 to
l2a. The hill in It's original form then
| passed the House without a dissenting
vote.
The Rucker bill. as nnally pa ssed.
makes more stringent the campaign
publicity law pa ssed In 1910. That
law requires publicity of funds after
| election. Tho Rucker bill will require
publication OF funds by the campaign
committees ten days prior to election,
and thu fling of supplemental state-
ments every three days therea fter un-
til election day The Rucker bill linn
10 sums of Sl00 or over but MIR. Rucker
| accepted an amendment OF Mr.. Kopp.
OF Wisconsin. Republican. requiring tile
| publicity of all payments In sums of
$40 or over for campaign purposes
Cn1ls for Correspondence
Washington. April Representa-
| tive Raker. or California. to-day In
| PRODUCED a resolution calling on the
| President for nil the correspondence
H. L. Ill ill., l.
Japanese to the United States and its
| possessions, also the correspondence on
| the same subject which Is In the pos
session of the Secretaries OF state and
| War.
rho resolution also asks the Presi-
dent to inform Congress what Is being
done by tho executive department Of
the government to restrict the further
Immigration into this country and It's
possessions of Japanese coolie labor.
1t provides that the President shall
OF Japanese immigration into Canada
! and Mexico and thence into the United
! States.
are mentioned In the resolution n the
possessions in regard to which spcciio
information on this question is de-
sired. Tho Presidents CORES pondence
with California and San Francisco au-
thorities during the past five years is
specifically called for.
Would Hnsten Construction.
Washington, April 1i.--Thc House
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds. at its Initial meeting to-
day decided to Investigate at once he
most practicn BILE method OF fastening
tho construction of public buildings
already appropriated for by Congress
Under tho present system Il takes from
three TO four years TO reach n build
authorized.
The committee decided to mako a
comprehensive investigation ns to the
facilities now provided In the puhlic
buildings Of the limited Statns for nro.