Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 March 1910 — INSURGENTS START ALL NIGHTFIGHT [ARTICLE]

INSURGENTS START ALL NIGHTFIGHT

Speaker’s Power Is Attacked on Rules EXCITING SESSION HELD Nonls Resolution Eliminates the Speaker on Rules Committee ADMINISTRATION BILLS IN PERIL Members Sleep In Seats While Absentees Are Rounded Up.

Washington, March 18.—The Republican organiaztion of the house of representatives is engaged in a fight for Its existence; At midnight the struggle which had continued throughout one of the most stirring days that have ever been witnessed in the house was still in progress. Neither the combination of insurgents and Democrats, who precipitated the contest, nor the Cannon organization, was in control and a state of chaos at present exists. It was a day of dramatic situation in the house. Seldom in the history of the house has there been witnessed such exciting incidents as marked the proceedings The insurgents and Democrats, flushed with the victories attained Tuesday and Wednesday, went into the fray with confidence and after once rebuking the speaker they returned to the attack by unexpectedly throwing into the house a resolution proposing the creating of a new com mittee on rules and making the speaker ineligible for appointment to the new committee. The Norris resolution follows: ‘‘Resolved, that the rules of the house be amended as follows- " The committee on rules shall consist of fifteen members, nine of whom shall be members of the majority party and six of whom shall be mem hers of the minority party, to be selected as follows: "The states of the union shall have been divided by a committee of three elected by the house for that purpose into dine groups, each group containing as near as may be an equal num her of members belonging to the majority party The states of the union shall likewise be divided into six groups, e tch group containing as near as may be an equal number of members belonging to the minority party. “At 10:30 o’clock a. m on the day following the adoption of the report of said committee, each of said groups shall meet and select one of its num her a member of the committee on rules. The place of meeting for erch of said groups shall be designated by the said committee of three in its report. Each of said groups shall report to the house the name of the member selected for membership on the committee of rules “The committee on rules shall select Its own chairman. The speaker shall not be eligible to membership on said committee. All rules or parts thereof inconsistent with the foregoing resolution are hereby repealed.” The fight began at once and It will go down into the history of the house as one of the most stubborn, partisan struggles ever witressed in that body Arrayed on one side were thirty Republicans and the Democratic minority. and on the other the responsible Republican leadership. Twice the leaders tried to adjourn the house, and once at 11:15 o’clock last night, to take a recess until this morning, but they were voted down. Every effort was made by the leaders to bring in absentees Telegrams were dispatched to New York, Philadelphia and other cities to bring in members whom they hope will help out their cause. At midnight four of these members. Cook and McCreary of Pennsylvania. Alcott of New York sod Swazy of Maine, reached the bouse The first two had rushed to Washington from Philadelphia and Alcott aud Swazy hurried from New York. Others are ezpected before morning. J 111 We know that we are all right, but we can’t help having a pardonable doubt about most other*.