The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-09
Deadlock Between
Senate And House
Over Joint Rules
Democrats Will Insist Upon
Fair Representation Up
on House Committees
Especial to The Farmer)

Especial to The Farmerl
Hartford, Jan. e-Not for mere
amusement, or any trivial reason, was
the fiIibuster in the House at the
opening of the General Assembly, yes
terday Hour after hour the inaug
ural party waited for the organiza-
ton of the General Assembly to be
perfected while the representatives
discussed the adoption of rules
There was a preliminary discussion
over the method that should be pur-
sued in the selection of speaker.
There had been a stern contest for
the honor of the Republican nomina-
ton in the Republican caucus, and
Rep. webster of Harwinton was chos-
en- over REPRESENTATIVE Hall of Will
ington and others. Halls nomination
repr esented a rebellion against ma
chine and lobby domination, and the
feeling among his supporters follow
ing the success of the Roraback fac
tion was exceedingly bitter.
cret ballot two three of these Re
publicans might vote for Rep. Thoms,
the Democratic candidate, who would
scarcely brave the punishment that
would be inflicted upon them should
they publicly desert the organiza ton
of their party.
choose the Speaker by ballot, and the
Democrats demanded that this GUS
tom should prevail
But a vote by roll call was ordered
and the Roraback candidate for
Speaker was seated
The contest over the adoption of the
House rules, and over the adoption OF
the Joint rules was a more serious
matter.
The House. rules determine the pro-
cedure by which matters purely the
concern of the lower branch shall be
conducted.
The joint rules determine the pro-
cedure that governs both houses. and
provide how the working committees
of the General Assembly ehall be ap-
In the main these rules are suffi-
cient; but the Democrats believed it
necessary to add to them, or amend
them in several particulars. in order
that they may be able to give effec-
tiveness to their platform pledges.
Also the Democrats desired to
change the rules to provide a repre-
sentation upon committees of all the
=GesaeFaI- -AssernbIy sbemoerats.I IRepub-
leans and Progressives.
As the Joint Rules now are they
enable the Speaker to appoint to ev-
own political faith.
Both sets of rules were adopted, by
a margin of . two or @ three rec, votes; otez;,r .
vote of two-thfrds of the House for
House rules and two-thirds of both of
House and. senate for Joint rules
cratic Floor Leader T'homs ably CON
Quoted had in view the objects which
have been described.
Their prime purpose was to secure
delay, in the hope. that the slight Re
publican majority might disappear
and that the Inconvenience of a dead
lock at the beginning of the General
Assembly might be avoided.
But Mr.. Thons views did not pre-
vail, and the legislature is dead1ocked
at it's opening. session for the first
time in its history.
1t is probable that the Senate will
insist, a condition of adopting the
a fair representation for democrats
and Progressives upon the House rep
resentation upon committees.
Democrats were given no oppOrtun-
ity even for discussion, when the
Joint rules were reached. BY the ap-
plication of the previous question,
which shuts off debate, both argument
and amendments were stopped
The previous question had not been
applied to the motion to adopt the
House rules. It followed an announce
Bridgeport, that he desired to offer
an amendment to the rules forbidding
access to the floor of either house,
a subject which the Republicans did
not desire to consider.
The deadlock, however, does not
stand in the way of the Senate and
House transactfng business which has
only to be passed upon by a single
body. The governor can send MS ap-
pointments to the Senate and also
the House and such appointments as
the House has in its power to make
can be acted upon. 1t will hold up all
legislation requiring the vote of both
branches. This includes all the i'm
portant legislation called for in the
governors message and the Democrat t.
ic platform of the last campaign The
delay in the getting together of the
two Houses only means the shortening
of the time to be given to this leg
adjournment of the General Assem- bly,
on the 4th of June is mandatory If
this legislation is not passed before
June 4 it would necessitate the call
ing of a special session of the assem-
bly, by the governor to consider the
matters.
At present, the outlook for the
breaking of the deadlock is not en-
coura ging. The Republicans seem to
ternined to stick 1t does mean,
however, that there can be no staying
away from the sessions on their part
and that every Republican must be
at every session or the Democrats VIII
slip one over on them Evidently, the
republicans can expect no help from
the progressive members as on all
questions brought up. yesterday, they
voted with the Democrats.
session of 1918 of the House will be
one big fight from now until June f.
GOV. BALDWIN TRANSMITS
TWO MESSAGES TO ASSEMBLY
Governor Baldwin transmitted two
m n The J.eeiSIatIJre yeSterda