Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 3.djvu/254

220 The : The gentleman from Tennessee will oblige the Chair by directing his attention to any rule which requires such a report to lie over one day. It changes no standing rule or order of the

Mr. : It does, by making a change in the number and nature of the committees. All measures of a particular class, the resolution states, must be referred to the proposed committee, whereas heretofore they have been referred to a different committee. Therefore the resolution changes the rules of the House.

The : The Chair is of opinion the resolution does not rescind or change any standing rule of the House. The question is on the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. : Mr. Speaker, I desire to call the attention of the Chair to the fact that this does distinctly change one of the standing rules of the House. One of the standing rules is—

The : The Chair has passed on that question, and no appeal has been taken from his decision.

Mr. : I desire to call the attention of the Chair to Rule 10, which specifically provides for the appointment of the full number of committees this House is to have, and this is not one of them.

The : Not one of the standing committees, but a select committee. Mr. : That rule provides there shall be a certain number of committees, the names of which are therein given.

Mr. : I sincerely hope this will not be made a matter of technical discussion or debate. It is a matter upon which members of this House must have opinions which they can express by voting, in a very short time, without taking up the attention of the House beyond what is really necessary for a bare discussion of the merits of the question.

Mr. : Will the gentleman permit me to ask him a question?

Mr. : Certainly.

Mr. : Would you not, as a parliamentarian, concede that this does change the existing rules of the House?

Mr. : By no manner of means, especially when the accomplished Speaker has decided the other way, and no gentleman has taken an appeal from his decision. [Laughter.]

Mr. : Then you have no opinion beyond his decision?

The : The Chair will state to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Springer] that this resolution does not change any of the standing committees of the House which are provided for in Rule 10.

Mr. : It provides for a new committee.

The : It provides for a select committee. The subject was referred to the Committee on Rules by order of the House, and this is a report on the resolution so referred.

Mr. : The rule provides that no standing rule or order of the House shall be rescinded or changed without one day's notice.

The : The Chair would decide that this does not propose any change or rescinding of any standing rule of the House.