The Washington times., 1911-04-16
VOTE ON PUBLICITY
AMENDMENT Wins
WHEN IT SAYS mo"
House Democrats Do a Leg
islative Somersault to
Save Trouble.
PLANS OF LEADER
NEARLY FRUSTRATED
Campaign Measure Made Ready
for the Senate to Con-
slider Today.

The ability of a Democrat to turn a
legislative somersault, II the occasion
requires, is now fully established.
About two score of them so performed
in order that the bill providing for
the publicity of campaign contribu-
tions might pass the House in the
form reported by the committee.
The bill goes to the Senate today re-
enforced by a vote of $50 to 0 in the
House late yesterday, but behind the
final vote, which showed that no men,
Der objected to the bill on it's merits
is the story of unprecedented parlia-
mentary maneuvers in the Democratic
House.
Representative Jackson, a Republi-
can insurgent from Kansas, who has
just broken into Congress, precipi-
tated the embarrassing situation for
the Democrats, many of whom finally
had to reverse themselves after real
izing that their former vote had tenn
rOrarily frustrated the plan OF the
party leaders.
Mr.. Jackson proposed an amendment
providing that there should be pub
licity of campaign contributions in
primary as well as in general cleo
tions. The Republicans had Deen ar
guing all day that the publicity law
ought to apply to the primaries in
the South. where the real contests fer
Congressional honors occur.
Jackson Amendment Wins.
With the aid of fifty-two Democrats,
some of whom voted before they
thought, the Jackson amendment carried
by vote of 172 to 13l. The Republican
applause was so loud and prolonged that
the Democrats became scared.
What have we done?" inquired new
member, quietly.
why, you've given the Federal
Government power to supervise our
primaries. 1t means we'll have to file a
statement of our expenses with the
House of Representatives, instead Of
with some official of our own State"
was the answer.
Meanwhile, Chairman Rucker, of the
Committee on Elections, No. 3. in charge
of the bill, bethought himself of a plan
to kill the Jackson amendment, even II
II had passed the House. There was u
hurried conference between the Demo-
cratic leaders, and the parliamentary
plot was laid.
Mr.. Rucker moved to recommit the
bill to his committee, with instructions
that II amputate the Jackson amend
naent which had slipped into the meas
are. II was a most unusual proceeding,
but some one rushed out into the cloak
'ooms and brought in the trusty Demo-
cratic steam roller. Emssaries went
among the errant Democrats and round
er most of them into the fold.
The motion to recOmmit carried by the
narrow margin of 157 to 149, and the
bill ostensibly went back to the Com
mittee on Elections. Mr.. Rucker held
a solemn conclave with himself, arose
from his seat in most dignihed manner,
and begged to report to the House that
his committee presented herewith the
campaign publicity bill, minus the Jack
son amendment.
Bewildered Democrats.
The roll call then came on the plan to
approve the presumed action of the
Rucker committee. Several Democrats
became bewildered, and interrupted the
roll call with the pertient query:
Mr.. Speaker, what are we voting on
now?"
And Speaker Clark, throwing aside
parliamentary language in putting a
question, got down to plain English and
emphasized the complexity of the tangle
by saying:
'Those who favor the Jackson amend
ment vote mo" on this roll call; those
who oppose the jackson amendment
vote Yes"
Whereupon the Democrats voted aye
when they meant nay and vice versa.
After having restored the bill to its
original shape, Mr.. Rucker asked for a
vote on final passage, and everybody,
Democrats and Republicans, fell into
line for the publicity of campaign con-
tributions before as well as after elec.
tions, the vote being 303 to 0. The bill
requires that all contributions of more
than $40, together with the names of
the donors, shall be published at least
ten days before every national election
and every three days then until the