The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-08
CONGRESS IS
BUSY WITH NYE
TAX BILL
Debate on Tax Reduction
Measure Will Be Before
House Rest of Week
NYE POINT LEGAL ONE
Extended Debate Looked for
Over Seating of North
Dakota Appointee

washington, D. c., Dec. 8.-CP)-
With the preliminaries of organiza.
tion out of the way, the new con.
gress moved today to consideration
of the important legislative business
Of its first session.
The reading Of President Coolidge's
annual message embodying his recon-.
mendations for legislation, was frs,
in order. Then the house had before
it the tax reduction bilr, formally re.
ported late yesterday by the ways
and means committee.
Debate on this measure, getting un.
derway today, was expected to occupy
the remainder of the week in that
branch Of congress. The senate
meantime will be engaged in receiv-
ing bills and in discussing the ques-
tion of the legal right of Gerald p
Nye of North Dakota to a seat as the
appointee Of Governor Sorlie.
On motion of his friends, Mr. Nye's
case was referred to the privileges
and elections committee at the open
ing session Of the senate yesterday
The committee today began consider
atlon Of the matter with IA view to an
early report to the senate. A legal
opinion. which. is reported to hold
against the right of the governor to
make the appointment. has been pre-.
pared for the committee by Senator
Got, Republican,, West Virginia.
Purely a Legal Question
Republican leaders conceded thai
the question OF the seating Of Mr.
Nye was Il close one and that there
probably would be extended debate
on the senate floor. They hold tha,
the issue involved is purely lega
one and that the question Of the par,
. ly regularity of Mr.. Nye, raised BY
the Republican state central commit
tee Of North Dakota, does not enter
into the case.
While the house is debating the
tax bill. the Republican committee or
committees will complete organza
tion Of the standing committees ant
is expected to remove from theil
present rank insurgents who joinet
the issue with the party leaders yes
lcrday by supporting their own can
didate for speaker.
The committee on committees viii
meet Thursday and Representative
Tilson Of Connecticut, the maj jorit!
leader. said the case of each OF tht
insurgents would be dealt with in
dlvidually. He pointed out that twt
of them had been removed from key
committees before the test votes
yesterday on the election Of speaker
and amendment Of the house rules.
Republicans Maintain Majority
In each Of these votes the Repub
lican organization demonstrated it.
: ability to maintain majority ever
against the combined opposition O.
the insurgents and the Democral
On the first vote-that for speaker
the party candidate, Nicholas Long
worth of Ohio, had "a plurality of 43
On the second vote for a change ol
the rules, the Republicans emerged
with twelve majority.
In the senate a test of the ability
Of the majority to put through pro
gram is yet to be had and may be de-
ferred for some weeks until some
major administration measure i:
brought to vote. Leaders recognize
that a combination between the in
surgents, progressives and Demo
Gratis could control action of the sen
ate.
Discuss La FOllette's Status
Some Of these leaders, through /
policy of conciliation. hope to pre-
vent widening VI the UEedcu Oc
tween the insurgents and regulars
This policy is reflected in the op
position to a program under which
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin
would be accorded the same treatment
as that given his father year age
when the elder La Toilette was read
out Of the party councils after nc
had made the race for the presidency
on an Independent ticket.
Mr.. La F0llette's status was sub
jcct Of discussion today by the Re-
publican committee on committees
which was called to fill vacancies or
the standing committees.