The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-14
G. Q. P. Members Not
Accustomed to Demo
cratic Speed.
PARTY PROGRAM
NOW UNDER WAY
Backed by Solid Phalanx Of Ma
jority, Resolution for Direct
Election Of Senators Is
Rushed Through House,
Only Fifteen Voting
Against It.

Washington, April 13.-The House
OF Representatives, by vote Of 200
to Is. passed early this evening the
Rucker resolution proposing a consti-
tutional amendment for the direct cleo
ton of United States Senator's
This is the first Of the Democratic
program measures passed ny the
House. Backed by a solid Democratic
phafanX, it went through without
modification. and with a speed that
brought protests from the Republicans.
The resolution. as the House ap-
proved it. is in the form Of the Borah
resolution, reported out or the Senate
judiciary Committee in the closing
days of the last Congress. Republican
opposition to the Rucker resolution in
the House to-day was based on the
fact that 1t did not contain the changes
afterwards made in the fight in the
Senate, which assured to Congress con-
tirued control over elections in the
several States.
Many Demands Made.
After six hours of debate in which
many demands We're maze for this
change in the resolution, all but fif-
teen OF the Republicans voted for the
passage OF the resolution Mr.. Nc
Dermott, of Illinois, was the only
democrat Young against the reSolu-
ton.
Former Speaker Cannon, Republican
Leader Mann and others of the Repub-
licans who voted against the measure,
declared that it's form was such as to
threaten the Federal government with
the loss of control over senatorial cleo
lions. They insisted. as did other Re-
puhlicans who ultimately voted for the
resolution, that the direct election
Il ct1 I,a ncfnr I,
any language attached that might be
dangerous to the future congressional
supervision of senatorial elections.
Democratic leaders declared that the
Rucker resolution was open to no such
construction, and that it offered the
most nearly perfect constitutional
amendment that could be devised An
amendment, offered by Representative
Young, of Michigan, adding language
that resembled that OF the Sutherland
amendment adopted in the Senate two
months ago, was defeated by a party
vote OF l21 to 1870.
Force Record Vote.
The Republican Insurgents, led by
Representatives Lenroot and Cooper.
of Wisconsin, forced record vote OH
the final passage of the resolution.
The House voted overwhelmingly in
favor Of the measure when Speaker
Clark called for the viva voce vote;
but the Insurgents demanded a roll
call, in order TO put the House on
record on the subject. The Democrats
quickly seconded this demand
1t was day Of lively debate Prac-
tically every man who spoke favored
the direct election amendment The
differences arose mainly over the
constitutional argument of VIII ether the
powers of the Federal government
were in any way threatened.
New members jumped into the fray
with enthusiasm. Representative I.af-
ferty, OF Oregon. was a prominent
figure amongst these, and told the
House a t the beginning that lie was an
lnsurgent Republican, and proposed
to support any good measure without
regard to politics.
Representative O'Shaughnessy a
newly elected Democrat from Rhode
Island informed the House that the
Legislature of Rhode Island did not
represent the people of that state;
that his state was the victim OF
archaic laws and a noribund Con
stitutlon." and that he hoped the
amendment for direct election OF Sen
ntors would be Short cut across
lots that would give the people Of
poor downtrodden Rhode Island those
privileges that had been taken from
them by motheatcn charters"
REPRESENTATIVE Utter, new Repub-
itcan member from the same State.
replied that Rhode Island did not need
defense.
After Cold storage Products
washington. ADril IA bill to reg
uiate traffic in cold storage food pro
ducts introduced day by Rcpresen
tstive Lttlepage, of West Virginia.
would brand as adulterated foods the
following: ~
months in cold storage: veal. four
months; PORK, four months: sheep. four
months; lambs, butter. poultry game.
is ma ana ZIP, nut trnniGo three months
orce In storage and returned after re-
moval, shall be regarded as adulter-
a edad and and , tn no frozen article or
az frozen. The penalty provided for
violation OF the proposed law is a
fine of from 500 to $1,000 and impris-
chment from six months to ten years
VIII Extend Program.
Washington, April 1s- Encouraged
by the smooth working or their new
Legislature machine which to-day be-
gan TO grind. Democratic leaders OF
the House are planning to extend their
tariff revision program Until this
time the only tariff tnkering deter
mined uron included Canadian recipro-
city, the free list 10 benefit the farm
crs opposed to the reciprocity bill as
It stands, and the wool and cotton
schedules. but now 1t has been dc
term!ned to revise the agricultural
schetSile.
Chairman Underwood, or tho WAYS
and Means Committee, stated ton ght
that the House at the rate OF progress
set to-day would complete the business
outlined at the present much earlier
than was generally anticipated. aud