Evening journal., 1919-01-23
SOUABRLE over
RULES FOR senate
President Protein is Auth
orized to Appoint Execu-
tive Committee
DEMOCRATS THINK
THEY ARE SLIGHTED
staff Correspondent.

ELd4 correspondent
STATE HOUSE, Dover. Del. Jan. 2s.-
Under a change made in the Senate
rules, the president pro tenn, instead
Of the president Of the Senate Qieuten-
ant governor) Is given the authority to
name the executive committee, which
committee makes recommendations as
TO confirmation Of the Governors ap-
polntments.
The 1917 rules provided for the presi-
dent TO appoint this committee and
that and other 1917 rules were adopted
TO govern this session on Monday Tues
day this action was rescinded and the
matter referred back to the rules COM
m,ttee, Of which Senator Palmer is
chairman.
Senator Palmer yesterday afternoon
moved the adoption Of rules TO govern
the session which included the above
change
After the clerk had read the rules,
Senator Gormley, Democrat, said that
he noted several changes had been made
IN the rules governing the Senate, which
he did not consider material but that
the change made In the rules govern
ing the appointment Of the executive
committee was Of great Importance.
Rule 40, governing executive sessions
he declared, provided for the president
Of the Senate 10 appoint the executive
committee and he said 10 had been the
custom for the president to make such
appointment. Mr. Gormley said he did
not think 10 courteous to the Lieuten-
ant-Governor to take that power from
him and asked why % was done.
Senator Palmer said Rule Z, govern
ing the Senate proceedings, conflicts
with Rule 40, governing executive ses-
sions, as the former rule authorizes the
President Pro TEN to appoint the ex-
ecutive committee He also said that
the president Of the Senate Is a Demo-
crat and as the Governor IS a Republi-
can. it was thought that the commit
tee. which Is TO pass on confirmation OF
the Governors appointments. should be
named by the President Pro Tenn, a Re-
publican.
Then It is purely for political rea-
sons this change is being made, re-
marked Senator Gormley. He declared
q was breaking all precedents and that
g grave mistake was being made.
Senator Gormley remarked that while
he was on the subject he would like to
ask the President Pro TEN why the
minority was given only scant represen-
fation on the Senate committees. He
said the committees are all made up OF
four Republicans and but one Demo-
crat, while in former sessions the min
ority always got two members OF a.
committee. He declared the committees
were topheavy and lopsided-
Senator Handy, taking the hoor, SAID
y rise 10 a point OF order. think j
out OF order TO ask such g question o.
the President Pro Ten"
A motion TO adopt the rules he'd pre-
viously been made and the President
pro TEN decided the question was on
that motion.
Senator Alice moved that the three
sets Of rules, those governing the
Senate, those governing executive ses-
sions and those governing joint ses-
sions, all be adopted Jointly.
Senator Gormley moved to amend by
adopting the rules separately. Ihe|
amendment was carried by a vote o.
Q 70 g, Senators Pool. Long, Brown and
Walker voting with the i've Democrats.
When the rules were taken up separ-
ately they were adopted by a vote OF
g 10 g. Senator Walker voting with the
other eight Republican Senator's, while
Senators Poole, Brown and Long voted
with the Democrats.
While no statement was made on the
subject. the Republican members
claim that the time for objection to-
have been made as to the minority rep
resentation on the committees was
when the committees were announced.
II be alan clafroed that as there are
twelve Republican members and but
i've Democratic Senators, the sppor-
tionment Is about right.