The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-04-08
POWER SH0RN
FROM SPEAKER
NEW RULES PROVIDE ELECTION
OF. COMMITTEES AND THEIR
CHAIRMEN.
CANNON AND MANN OUTRAGED
Organization Of House Presents Few
Changes in System.-The
Rules Arc
Adopted.

Washington. April 6.-The Demo
cratic house proceeded further with
ITS organization by adopting new set
of rules.
To great extent the new rules are
handed down by many congresses.
The Democrats claim that their great
est reform is taking away from the
speaker his power to appoint COM
mittees and to designate the chairman
of each committee. The new rules
provide for the election of committees
and their chairmen.
The second reform is return to the
former Democratic practice of permit
ting amendments on appropriation
bills when the legislation tends to re-
duce the expenditures of the govern
ment.
The Democratic rules continue "cal-
endar Wednesday" and the unanimous
consent calendar and seek to perfect
the rule for the discharge of commit
tees. This latter rule, the Democrats
say, does away with The former prac-
tice of sitting legislation in commit.
tees.
Republicans Cry "Gaa."
A special order passed by the Demo-
Gratis and limiting debate on the rules
to four hours immediately brought out
a cry Of gag" from the Republi-
cans. The speeches which followed
were all more or less of political ma
ture and there was no serious fight on
the rules themselves. The Republicans
claimed they were debarred from maxi
ing such fight because OF the fur.
Their provision of the special order that
only one substitute set of rules could
be offered by the minority. Not even
a roll call was demanded by the Re-
publicans on the adoption of the rule.
The political battle which waged for
four hours was but foretaste of 9TH
ers to come during the session and
which are expected to make the pres
ent congress notable. Representative
Mann, the Republican leader, was sec.
onded by former Speaker Cannon and
Representatives Dalzell and Olmsted
with one or two Republican insurgents
| The latter assisted their brothers of
the minority by protesting against the
| action of the Democrats in adopting
the 'tyrannical' method of the for
mer majority in cutting off debate and
the opportunity for amendment.
Mr.. Mann charged the Democrats
with insincerity in much they said in
praise of the rules and said they had
no purpose to take away from them.
selves, as majority, the right to con.
troll legislation. He characterized the
rule for the discharge of committees
as "an absudity, not to say idiocy."
Cannon Fires Shot.
Mr.. Cannon's speech was the fea.
ture,
81 want to say here and now" he
said that substantially the rules pro
posed by this legislation are an in
dorsement of nearly all that is good in
the rules that have evoluted since the
adoption of the constitution and there
fore l am not going to criticize the
rules merely because the majority OF
the house proposes to adopt them
Some times majorities and minorities
tear passion to tatters and appeal
from the standpoint Of demogogry and
claptrap to people that would not know
a rule or a code Of rules if they met
it in the middle of a street.
IL have had a great deal to do with
rules during my legislative life. I re-
ported as a member Of the COMMITTEES
on rules in the tifty-tirst congress, what
was then known by an almost unani
as the infamous Reed rules THAI
code was thrown open to amendment
With two days general debate anG
with the most perfect freedom Of
amendment. And at that time the Re
publicans had majority Of five. Yor
now have majority of SO. submit
to you that as you are now Hopping
your wings together on that side anG
have complete harmony and solidarity
perchance you might, from the stand
point of propriety give the minority {
chance to offer amendments to the
rules.
Postoffice Nominations.
Washington, April denomination:
of the following persons to be post
masters at the Minnesota towns desig
mated were sent to the senate: Georg,
M. Knapp, Blue Earth; Emma c. Tay
Tor, Chaska; Oscar e. Linquist, Dassel
Oscar Krock. Marshall; l.. o. Haugen
Harmony; N. C. Nelson, Two Harbors
Martin J.. Murphy, Bowersville; J. D
Haradon, Park Rapids.
Johnson Is Reported Better.
Cleveland, Ohio, April 6.-Althougl
Tom L. Johnson's physician state'