The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-04-07
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THE NEW RULES
THEY ADOPTED
NJ s,s.ls. ,srra sssr.
q An Ps~sr
REPUBLICANS FIGHT HARD
The Minority Cried Gag Rule,v Bst
the DIE Is Cast The Former SPEAK.
ers Criticisms We're Easy the
Feature of First Political skIrmIsh
u Session.

Washington. April G.--Isoth houses
Of congssAs listened yesterday 10
presIdent Taft's brief message urging
the adoption OF the reciprocity agree
ment with cansda.
Then. with the senate adjourned.
the democratic house proceeded fur
ther with is organization by adobt-
ins new set Of rules
To great extent the new rules are
repetition Of those that have been
handed down by many congresses In
the PAST. The democrats claim that
their greatest reform is In taking
away from the speaker his power to
appoint committees aud 10 designate
the chairman of each committee. The
new rules provide for the election OF
committees and their chairmen.
Reiurs 10 Former Practice.
The second reform Is in return
to the former democratic practice Of
permitting legislation ON appropria-
fion bills when that legislation tends
To reduce the expenditures Of the gov
ernment.
The democratic rules continue
calendar Wednesday" and the unani-
nous consent calendar and seek 10
perfect the rule fo- the discharge Of
committees This latter rule. the
democrats declare. effectively does
away with the former practice OF
sitting legislation in committees.
A special order passed By the demo-
Gratis and limiting debate ON the bills
10 four hours Immediately brought out
a cry Of gag from the republicans.
The speeches zhIch followed we're all
more or less Of q political nature and
there was no serious fsht on the rules
themselves. The republicans claimed
they we're debarred from making snch
a light because of the further pro-
ylsIon OF the special order that only
one subsfltuie set OF rules could be
offered BY the minority. Not even a
RON cali was demanded by the repub-
lirans on the adoption Of the rule.
Rattle Wages Four Hours
The political battle which ragged
for four hours WAS but a foretaste OF
nthefs to come during the session. and
which are expected to make the pres
ent congress notable. Representative
Mann. the republican leader. was ably
seconded BY former Speaker Cannon
and Representatives Dalzell and olm-
sted, With one or two republican In
snrgenis thrown In for good measure
The latter assisted their brothers Of
the minority BY. protesting against the
action o. the democrats 10 adopting
the ~tyrannlcal~ method OF the former
majority In cutting on debate and the
opportunity for amendment.
Mr. Mann charged the democrats
xifh InsIncerisy Ia much they said In
prsise OF the rules. and declared that
they had no purpose 10 take away
from themselves. as majority. the
right 10 control legislation. He char
aefcrlzed the rule for the discharge
~ committees az an utter absurdIty.
not 10 say ldiocy."
Chairman Henry Of the new rules
committee rciorsed that the rules
thus characterized had called out the
<nlogs dclefni speech from Mr. Mann
that he had eser heard that gentleman
make. Mr.. Henry further said that
the fault the American people had
found Ia the past was not 80 much
with the house rules as the bad ad-
nlnIssfailon 81 fhose rules.
Cnnnsn Feature.
Mr.. cannon's speech was easily the
feature. He vas greeted with ap'
lContlnned on Page Three