The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-22
HOUSE INVOKES
CANNON rule
Democrats Use Old Republican
Gag Measure to Facilitate
Sunday Civil Bill.
JEERS GREET PROPOSAL
Majority Refuses to Reprint in Record
a Letter by Thomas
jefferson.
JEERS GREET PROPOSAL

A lively partisan row was stirred VI
in the House of Representatives yester-
day. in which the Republicans and Bull
Moosers joined hands In assailing the
Democrats
1t was the old fight over gag rules.
A few years ago, when the Democrats
were in the minority, il was their IA
vorite pastime to abuse the Cannon rules,
especially those that gagged and other
wise rendered helpless the members who
did not happen to be identified with the
majority.
Yesterday the Democrats brought in a
rule providing for the consideration Of
the sundry civil bill, which was vetoed
In the last Congress by President Taft.
and the Indian bill that failed through n
filibuster engineered by Senator Fall
of New Mexico. 1t was disclosed in de-
bate that the rule was patterned after
one drawn by Uncle Joe Cannon in a like
emergency some sixteen years ago. When
this fact was brought out by Repre-
sentative Mann, the Republican leader,
his followers jeered the Democrats ana
charged them with insincerity. Mr.. Mann
recalled that in 1910 the Democrats had q
flank in their party platform decrying
the Cannon rules. Il was just out il
the lobby" declared Mr.. Mann, land
was gazing at the statuette of the for
nfer. His features bore a broad grin.
He recalled that not long ago you were
denouncing procedure that ne approved.
and that today you are following it"
Mr.. Mann said that he thought the
rule was pretty good one himself, and
that he merely wanted to expose the
gentlemen who formerly denounced just
such measures as they had introduced
It, You are doing the same old thing
in the same old way with the same old
excuse shouted Mr.. Mann. Represen-
tative Victor Murdoch. the Bull Moose
leader jumped all over the gag rule.
and had a sharp spat with Representa-
tive John J. Fitzgerald, who had charge
of the sundry civil and Indian bills.
Mann Inject. Politics.
Prior to the racket over the rules, Mr..
Mann injected politics into the discus
sion Representative Willis Of Ohio arose
to ask permission to insert in the record
letter written one hundred years ago
by Thomas jefferson. The Democrats
were suspicious because Mr.. Willis was
the member who tried a week or so ago
to have printed the article OF William
Randolph Hearst in which he denounced
President Wilson as free trader and a
Federalist. The Democrats objected to
the printing Of tine Jefferson letter,
W
sive members laughed uproariously. Mr..
Mann took occasion to suggest a pos
sible reconciliation between Mr.. Hearst
and the Democratic party. Democratic
member suggested that mentioning
Hearsts name with that OF Jefferson
was proclamation
"The Democrats are not afraid of JEFF
ferson," said Mr.. Mann. He is dead.
They are afraid Of Mr.. Hearst He's
alive. I suppose some day well hear
of another reconciliation, about as sin
cere as that famous one between Clark
and Bryan 1t will be a Hearst-Dem-
ocratic affair this time This remark
brought grin to the face of Speaker
Clark. while members on both sides
chuckIed Mr.. Mann then followed with
an eulogy Of the Speaker that was ap-
plauded by both sides.
Representative Campbell OF Kansas a
Republican, delivered a brief lecture to
the new members on the Democratic
side IF you know what is good for
you" ne said, you will do as you are
told by your leaders Mr.. Campbell
then went on to say that the House COM
mittees had not been named and the
patronage was being withheld by the
administration until after the tariff bill
had been passed. They want to hold
you in line, and they know how to do
it" remarked Mr. Campbell. You bet
ter 60 long with your leaders or you'll
get the worst of it,
The special rule was then passed by
a strict party vote.
The sundry civil bill called up yester-
day carries an appropriation of s116. OO0,-
900 for various public works. 1t includes
the provision incorporated in the appro-
priation for the Department of Justice
hn of =
unions and cooperative associations of
farmers. 1t was on account of this pro-
vision that former President Taft vetoed
the sundry civil bill.