Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-21
SPEAKERS POWERS
Gi1EA TLY ENLARGED
FOR REMAINDER Of THIS SESSION
AFFAIRS OF HOUSE ARE PRAC-
TICALLY IN THE HANDS OF
JUNGLE JOE"

Washington, D. c., Feb. 20.-The
great majority of the democrats in the
house voted with the republicans to-
day, 173 to 49, for the adoption of a
rule providing thyt all house rules
can be supended on a twc-thirds vote
during the remainder of the session,
so that appropriation and other meas
ures can be rushed through without
an amendment after forty minutes
debate. @
The democratic leaders announced
they were willing to do anything in
reason to assist their republican
brethren out of tho predicament in
which they find themselves SO near
the end of the session.
Bennett Sees Gag Rule.
The adoption of the rule, which was
characterized by Mr.. Bennett Of New
York. as = gag" had the effect of end
ing the three DAYS filibuster against
the omnibus war claims bill which pro-
vides for the payment of s1,160000 Of
war claims but does not include any
French spohatioR-or or navy yard oTer-
time claims.
The. claims bill at 1916 p. m. was
passed by two-thirds vote. The ayes
and nays were not demanded.
The rule adopted by the house to.
day practically puts the entire conduct
Of affairs for the next two weeks in
the hands of the speaker.
FiIbuster Continues Today.
1t was still the legislative day of Fri
day in the house when that body met at
10 o'cloc today in pursuance of the re.
cess taken shortly before o'clock
Sunday afternoon.
One Of the omnibus claims bill
clauses, which has held the house In
tangle for the last week, was still I'M
der consideration today. Although the
house bill carries war claims only, and
omits the French spoilation and navy
yard overtime claims, there was still
a. filibuster proceeding against the
measure. Mr. Mann of Illinois who
commanded the flibuster under which
the French claims were stricken out,
was lined up with those in favor of the
bill but the civil advocates Of the
spoilation claims had taken up the
fight against the bill.
AS soon as the house convened the
point of no quorom was made and q
roll call ordered. The clerk reported
POI members present, a quorum. The
reading of the omnibus bill for adop-
ton was begun.
New Rule Brought In.
Representative Roberts of Massa-
chusetts, one of the new filibusters,
offered as an amendment the entire
list Of French claims and demanded
the reading of the seven printed
pages. Mr. Mann made point of or
der that the amendment was not ger
name.
While this point was pending, Repre-
sentative Dazell of Pennsylvania.
brought in from the committee on
rules, rule providing for the suspen-
SIGN of the rules on all bills from now
until the end of the session. When.
ever suspension is invoked the rule
limits all discussion to forty minutes
to each measure. Mr.. Dalzell said
the state of public business required
the adoption of the rule.
Filibuster Shows Need of Rules.
Mr.. Mann's filibuster, which went On
all of Saturday night, was halted temp
orarily Sunday afternoon when the
house took a recess until this morn
ing. The Chicago congressman had
succeeded in sidetracking the French
spoliation claims and signified his in
tention Of not continuing the f1libuster
against the war claims.
Mann appears to have been actuated
lot only by his conviction Of the in
quity of the spoliation claims, but by
lis desire to demonstrate that the
.ules Of the cid guard are superior to
he ideas Of the progressives and The
democrats. His filibuster has retard-
ed the work of the house to sucn an
extent that it seems imperative to the
eaders to bring in special rule to
expedite the legislation on the calen-
lar.
The beauty of this plan, from the
of the old guard, is that the
democrats, in their eagerness 10 force
hrough the war claims bill, are Willing