The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1911-01-13
UNEXPECTED
HOUSE FIGHT
Fuller Attempts to Have Rules
Of Last Session Reversed
TO PREVENT FILIBUSTERING

ton, Says Majority Cannot Elk
press Its Will Until "Joker" Is
Knocked out-speaker Decides
Against Him and Is Sustained on
RoIIcaII-Mann Is Criticised
Washington, Jan. 10.-An unex-
pected fight against the rules of the
house was precipitated when Repre-
sentative Fuller of Illinois introduced
resolution designed to prevent fill
clustering under the new rules.
The rules adopted at the last ses-
sion provide that motions to discharge
a committee shall have preference
over a motion to suspend the rules.
Fuller's resolution seeks to reverse
the rule. In discussing his resolution,
Fuller charged that the house will be
able to do business and a majority
able to express its will when mem
bers cease to sit like bumps on log ="
He also criticised members on both
sides of the house who vote aye and
may without regard to the merits of
any proposition under consideration
He charged that Representative Mann
was obstructing legislation by putting
on the calendar a bill which it re-
quired several days to read and also
107 other bills for the purpose of
blocking legislation.
IF this is not stopped, ;" said Fuller,
I'VE will go on from now until March
A; in fact we could remain in session
day and night for two years before
getting a chance to suspend the
rules. A majority of this house can
not express it's viii until we knock
this joker out of the rules"
Mr.. Mann declared that he was
willing to,play the game according to
the rules. The difficulty with Fuller
was that he had a private bill he
wanted considered. He admitted that
the rule to which Fuller objected was
an absurdity and that it could not aid
legislation at a short session.
Representative Underwood of Ala
bama said that the Fuller resolution
should not be sent through IA the same
as the Norris resolution of a
year ago, when the house overruled
the speaker. He said the committee
on rules probably would amend the
rules at this session, and if it did not
a Democratic committee would do so
in the next congress.
Representative Fitzgerald, in oppos-
ing the Fuller resolution, declared
that he voted for the Norris resolu-
ton and against the speaker a year
ago only because he could not afford
to risk his reputation at time when
his vote for the speaker would have
been miseonstrued. He declared that
he would vote against consideration of
the Fuller resolution.
Ruling on Fuller's resolution, the
speaker held that the action taken by
the house last spring when his power
was broken after the famous battle
over the Norris resolution was mot
precedent but revolution.
This defiance was answered by an
appeal from the decision of the chair.
This called for a protracted rollcall. |
The house sustained the speaker by a |
vote of 233 to SO. The insurgent Re-
oublicans voted to overrule the speak
er, but got little Democratic support. |
Mr.. Mann introduced fifteen sep
lrate bills providing for the placing
If a long series of articles OF food and
,ther products on the free list. No
'ne has ever accused Mann of being
free trader, or even with being |
progressive" on the tariff. The votes
m the tariff will show that he did not
ny to have these articles put on the
rec list when the tariff was under
consideration. Mann would be very
much disappointed If they did go &c
he free list; for these are nothing
more than "popgun" bills, introduced
or the purpose Of making trouble for
somewhere down the short
-ista left of the present session. Nc
me takes the bills seriously and nc
me expects action on them.