After a long and exciting debate in the United States
House of Representatives, a Resolution enlarging the Rules Committee and depriving the Speaker of membership of that Committee was carried last Saturday by 191 votes to 155. This signifies a most notable change in the conduct of the affairs of Congress. For many years Mr. Cannon, the Speaker, has done almost as he pleased in controlling Federal legislation, because he has had the right to appoint the Com- mittees to which Bills have been referred, and because, above all, as Chairman of the Rules Committee, he has had the whole procedure of the House in his hands. His fall from this position of almost absolute power was due to a combina- tion of the Republican Insurgents and the Democrats. The further Motion that Mr. Cannon be deprived of the Speaker- ship was defeated. But though he remains Speaker, and will apparently retain the right to appoint the Committees to which Bills are referred, he loses his enormous influence over the procedure of the House. Samson is indeed shorn of his hair.
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