Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-05
Advance knowledge Of
Taft's Message Dis !,
counts Its Effect.
INSURGENTS PLEAD FOR
AMENDMENT PRIVILEGE
Democratic Majority of Lower
House Rules They Must
Act With Regulars.

WASHINGTON, April 5.-President
Taft's message urging the ratification
of the reciprocity agreement with
Canada was read in both houses of
Congress today. 1t was known in ad-
vance that the President would con-
fine himself to the subject of reci-
proeity alone. and this robbed the mes
sage of any unusual interest. 1t was
listened to without applause and re-
ferred to the appropriate committee.
The Senate session today lasted only
twenty-five minutes. The Senate will
continue to mark time" until the
House does something
The House took up the adoption of
its new rules, limiting general debate
to four hours. to be equally divided
and granting the privilege of offering
only one substitute set OF rules. The
insurgents pleaded for the privilege Of
separate amendments, but were told
by the Democratic leaders that their
amendments would have to be included
in the proposed Republican substitute.
Few Changes in Rules.
The rules offered by the Democrats
and which will be adopted provide COM
paratively few changes. They provide
for the election of committees, instead
of their appointment by the speaker,
and enlarge the membership of several
of the committees. Six old committees
are abolished.
The principal change is a rule which
permits germane legislation on an ap-'
preparation bill when It tends to re-
trench expenditures. The Democrats
continue calendar Wednesday,, and
enlarge the rule for the discharge OF
committees.
As soon as the House was called to
order today Chairman Henry. of the
committee on rules. presented a special
rule for the consideration of the new
House rules. on which the Republicans
yesterday indicated that they would
make bitter fight
General Debate Limited.
The special rule limited general de-
bate on the rules to four hours. one
half controlled by Mr.. Henry and one
half by Representative Mann, the mi
nority leader, and then for . voo9
without intervening motion The rule
also provided that only one substitute
for the rules reported from the Demo-
cratic caucus should be considered.
Representative Norris, the insurgent
leader. asked that this rule be modified
so as to permit individual amendments.
Mr.. Henry said the new rules were
a party measure and that opportunity
was given for vote on substitute rules
proposed by the Republican party.
Answering this, Mr. Norris said that as
between the rules of the old Congress
and those proposed by the Democrats
he preferred the latter, although he
would like to have an opportunity to
amend even the Democratic rules.
Minority Leader Mann demanded the
yeas and nays on the adoption OF the
rule for the consideration of the rules,
and they were ordered.
The special rule was adopted by .
vote of 1913 to 1856, and Mr.. Henry, Of
Texas, the chairman of the rules COM
mittee, opened the debate upon the
proposed new rules.
Following a meeting of the Demo-
cratic members of the House commit
tee on ways and means today, Chairman
Underwood expressed the belief that no
tariff legislation or method of procedure
will be laid before the House for sew
eral days. The work of organization
of the House has delayed the decision
upon a tariff program: and the commit
tee did not decide at its meeting today
what plan will be followed.
Chairman Underwood win INTRODUCES a
Canadian reciprocity BILL which will
conform in essential particulars to the
agreement submitted to Congress last
session by President Taft. as the re-
suit of the Canadian negotiation. Mr..
Underwood would not say today when
that bin viii be introduced or whether
it will be free from amendments con-
tanning tariff revision legislation.
A committee to control the appoint
ment of the employees of the House
was named as follows: James T. Lloyd.
Missouri chairman: Benjamin G.
Humphreys. Mississippi; Martin p.
Foster. Illinois.