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Show Message Handles Reciprocity Alone. Democratic House Adopts New Rules Under Gag After Hot Political Battle Which Raged for Four Hours. Washington, April 5. Doth houses of Congress listened today to President Presi-dent Tnft's brief messago urging the adoption of tho reciprocity agreement with Canada. Then, with tho Senate adjourned, tho Democratic House proceeded pro-ceeded further with It organization by adopting now rules These are largely a repetition of those that have been handed down by many Congresses. Tho Domociats claim their greatest refcrm Is taking from tho speaker his power to appoint committees nnd to designate the chairman of each committee. Tho new rules provldo for tho election of committees com-mittees nnd thoir chairmen. Tho second reform is a return to tho former Democratic practlco of permitting per-mitting amendments to appropriation bills when tho amendments tend to reduce expenditures. Tho rules continue "calondur Wednesday" Wed-nesday" and tho unanimous consent calendar and Hook to perfect tho rulo for tho dlscbnrgo of committees. This lattor, tho Democrats say, effectively does away. with tho former practlco of stifling legislation in committees. Debate Limited. A special order limiting debate on tho rules to four hours Immediately brought out n cry of "gag" from the Republicans. Tho speeches were mor or less of a political naturo and tnoio was no serious fight on tho rules themselves. Tho Republicans claim they wore debarred from making such a fight because of the further provision of tho special older thnt only ono substitute set of rules could bo offered by tho minority. Even a roll call was demanded demand-ed by the Republicans on tho adoption of ilio rules. Tho political battle which wnged for four hours was but a foretasto of others to como and which aro oxpect-ed oxpect-ed to mako tho present Congress notable not-able Rcpiesentntlve Mann wns ably seconded by former Speaker Cannon and Representatives Dalrell nnd Olm-stoad Olm-stoad . Mr. Mann chargod tho Democrats with Insincerity Inasmuch as thoy spoko of tho rules nnd said thoy had no purposo to take away from thorn-selves, thorn-selves, ns n majority, tho right to control con-trol legislation. Ho characterized tho rulo Tor tho discharge of committees ns "an utter absurdity, not to sny Idiocy." Chairman Henry of tho now ruloB commltteo rotorted that tho rules thiiB characterized had culled out tho most doleful Bpccch from Mr. Mnnn thnt ho had over heard tho gontlomnn mcko. Mr. Henry also said tho fault tho American peoplo had found In tho patt was not so much with tho Houso rules na tho bad administration of those rules. Cannon's 8peech. Mr Cannon's speech was easily the feature Ho was greeted with npplnuso from both parties when ho nroso to make his maiden address of tho session. ses-sion. "I want to say hero and now," ho declared, "that substantially tho rules pioposcd by this legislation nro an endorsement of nearly all that Ib good In tho rules thnt havo ovolulod since tho adoption of tho constitution, nnd therefore I nm not going to crltl-slzo crltl-slzo the rules merely becnuso tho majority ma-jority of tho House proposes to adopt them. "Sometimes majorities nnd minor!-tl;n minor!-tl;n tear passion to tatters and appeal from tho standpoint of I'amagogory and claptrap to tho peoplo that would noc know n rule or a code of rules If they met them In the mlddlo of a street. "And now It Is said vo havo a un-ni.imous un-ni.imous consent cnlendor. I am gild tin: wo have, Along with that Is tho saying, In tho languugo of tho distinguished disting-uished gentleman from Kansas .M-. Murdock, nnd tho universal rcpresen tntlon of tho upllmt magazines thnt It Is no longer necessary to crawl upon up-on your knees, lint In hand, to ask the speaker for recognition for unanimous unani-mous consent. Waxes Sarcastic. "When tho unanimous consent cal endar Is called, If my Judgment prompts me to object to tho consideration consid-eration of n bill, no doubt tho man in charge of that bill will figuratively come on his hands and kneos, with his hat In his hand, oven the gentleman gentle-man from Knnsns .Mr. Murdock, trying try-ing to convlnco his co-member on tho floor that tho consideration of tho bill ought not to bo objected to.' Mr. Cannon criticized tho rules lor not permitting tho discharge of tho rules commltteo Itself and declaro-l that "Czar Henry" would bo no more or no less of a czar than wns tho former for-mer spenkor. Mr. Cannon also complained thnt no method wns provided for tho "Socialist "Social-ist minority from Wisconsin" or any other gentleman with n wild-eyed or scnslblo proposition" to obtain tho discharge of a committee. |