Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-10
Same Question on Which Leader Was
Whipped in March,
HE IGNORES ONLY PRECEDENT
Representative Fuller's Resolution is
Held Not Privileged.
POINT PURELY TECHNICAL ONE
Resolution AmendinR Uule Relating
TO Discharge of Committees from
Consideration OF Bills starts
the Dispute.
CFrom a staff Correspondent. J

CFrom staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9-(Specal Tele-
gramD--As fine an exhibition of ground
and aerial tumblinE as can be seen In any
well-regulated circus was given today in
the house OF representatives, when the
democrats fell over themselves, In their
desire to sustain the speaker In his ruling
on a resolution presented by Representa-
tive Fuller Of Illinois, providing that the
motion to discharge committees shall not
take precedence over motions to suspend
rules.
His resolution was designed. as he said,
to put stop 20 fllibusterlng, which,
MIR Fuller asserted Mr.. Mann. his col
league, was engaged in to defeat pending
legislation.
Mr. Dalzell Of Pennsylvans chairman OF
the committee on rules, informed Mr.
Fuller that the committee stood ready to
report a rule fixing certain suspension
days, Mir. Fuller stated that lie was glad
to hear from Chairman paizell, but that
he would insist upon his resolution being
given immediate consideration.
Cannon Outlines Position.
! Speaker Cannon cogentiy reviewed legis-
lation on this subject and lucldly outlined
| the position OF the chair In which he
held that resolution was not privileged.
! Mr. Fuller was inclined to abide by the
ruling of the chair when Mr.. Gaines OF
West Virginia took the bull by the horns
by appealing from the decision Of the chair
and thereupon was precipitsted one OF the
finest bits OF political plays which has
been seen in the house in several years.
II was so sudden that leaders OF the in
surgent forces were taken wholly unawares
while the democratic minority ran to cover
with an alacrity which reminded one of the
ghost story about the scared colored man
and a rabbit
Judge Walter l. Smith made one of the
strongest pleas heard in the house for some
time in behalf OF the speakers ruling.
He twitted the democrats upon their neon
sistency, for but short time ago they
were found supporting at Amendment Of
Judge Norris Of Nebraska. which contem-
plated the very same thing as the Fuller
resolution. He read a stanEa or two from
Byron, drawing a parallel between demo-
Gratis and progressive republicans in which
democrats had mot only grown dark in
color, but had developed kinky hair"
Democrats Follow Lead.
The democrats, realizing that in ali
> probability, II the chair was overruled. that
= their votes might rise up to haunt them
when Champ Clark becomes speaker, fol-
lowed the lead OF the Mlssourian and
voted to sustain the decision OF the chair
That is, in the case OF ali but twenty-fi
democrats who with progressive repub-
lcans, made a total Of nfty-three votes
against the speakers ruling Mcguire.
Norris and Hinshaw voted against the
: speakers ruling. Iowa urogressives did
likewise, with the exception OF Kendall
who voted to sustain Speaker Cannon.
Congressman Hitchcock was not present.
| Vya
;, posed amendment to the rules offered from
the floor constituted a question of high
q constitutional privilege that the storm
e broke It was precisely this question that
called out the revelation" Of last March
when Representative Norris at Nebraska
offered an amendment providing for a rules
. committee of fifteen members 20 be elected
7. by the house. instead OF three members an.
!. pointed by the speaker.
h Ruled out OF Order.
i Speaker Cannon ruled the Norris resolu-
2 ton out OF order. Today Representative
r Fuller OF Illinois offered resolution
amending the rule relating to the dIscharg,
e Of committees from the consideration OF
s bills. It WAS purely technical
h A point OF order was raised against a
e and the speaker. declaring he would ignor,
n the precedent set by the house last Marcf
+ when 1t overruled his ruling IN the Norri,
le case held that the Fuller resolution wa,
r not privileged.
+ An appeal from the chair was irnnnedi
ately taken by regular republican. Mr.
n Gaines Of West Virginia, who demanded Is
,e yea and nay vote.
as The speaker was sustained by 2s5 to So
as Speaker Csnnons ruling was delivered /,
p his most impressive manner. He gesticu
"A lated at times with the gavel cutched n
~ his left hand Again he would pause. pu
. down the gavel and speak almost in a whis
per. The attention was such. however
~ that he could be heard in the far corner
- OF the gallery
To point the similarity OF the question
raised today and the one raised las
March. the speaker had the Norris reso
luton read in fun, together with an ex
tract from the journal Of the house, Civ
ing the details OF the fight that foliowe,
and the oevrthrow Of the speaker. IL
- also had read extracts from remarks the
y made by Champ Clark ana Represents
tive Underwood.
Only One Precedent.
4, "The chair" he said. would have M
q difficulty In promptly ruling IN harmon
A. with all the preeedents so far as Ia
40 chair is able 20 ascertain. from the be
q, ginning OF this house IN It's slttings unde
the constitution. save one. and but 10
that one. That precedent was made in In
last session OF the present congress- upo
- resolution precisely similar IN princlpl
'o 10 this"
70 The speaker said that under "the grea
sh parliamentary reform" Of last Marc
u there Is still no way under tile rules /
60 amend the rules except By revolutl6n-%i
an We are to take the word and vote Of "a
gentlemen In the house last session con
IS sututing for the time being a maJorit
10 OF the house
es Now the chair desires 70 say in IN
ed connection" he continued '1aht Il
he within the power OF the house acting 4
.el a ma foritv 10 40 s,.tl,ln. tbst , ,,...t...t,