Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-07-13

A Lively Scene = ne House Ovse steao-
gropher Appslntsa for the ShSpAera
H. y InveoesEat1on.
Speaker Keifer was under fire in the
HOUSE Wednesday On account of propo.
sition to pay s59S to tho stenographer
whom he appointed in the Shipherd inves
tigation. As soon as the item was read
MIR Springer, Of Illinois, made the point
against it that it was not sanctioned by
law, whereupon the burly Robson sprang
to his feet to defend the measure, as It
was evident that his chum, the speaker.
was about to get tongue -lashing from
the Democratic side. He said that Demo-
cratic Congresses had repeatedly voted
| money to stenOgraphers for similar ser
vices, and submitted in proof Of his asser-
tiOn reports Of proceedings in the Forty
fifth Congress. Ex-Speaker Randall in
terrupted him to say that the facts would
not justify such an assertion, for the
reporters who had received money for
| extra services performed duties entirely
different from that for which pay was
asked BY the pending proposition. The
purpose Of the bill was to pay q reporter
for work which the regular stenographcr
was incompetent to perform, and there
was NO other necessity for an extra man.
In support Of this he presented letter
from the two former stenOgraphers in
which it was shown that the work this
season had been lighter than for several
preceding ones, and consequently the regu-
lar committee reporters need not have been
put to any extra trouble to keep up.
Speaker keifer, who occupied scat in
tho front tier, facing the area in front Of
the clerks desk, was observed to be get
fsvn<s loCs md
this arraignment, and after consultation
with some of his champions it was deter.
mined to defend him ut any cost. The
fight had become general now, and fifty
members at least were clamoring for rec.
Ognition by Chairman kassOn. NJ. BlOunt
member OF the foreign affairs committee,
detailed the circumstances attending the
failure of Speaker keifer's appointment
to correctly report what transpired before
the committee and that they had been CON-
PEELED to call in the deposed stenographers
to help them out Of their dilemma. He
did not think it impertinent to ask the
speaker to assign a cause for acting as he
had done. This sort of talk did not suit
the friends Of the speaker, and after .
conference between Reed. RObeson and
Hiscock the latter moved that the COM
mittee rise, stating that he did so in order
to limit debate. The House, however, by
decided majority, refused to go out ef
committee of the whole and the speaker
turned his attention to the Democratic
side, where he was soon observed indust-
riOusly buttOnhOling Messrs. Randall,
Blackburn, Carlisle aud other leaders.
Chairman Williams, of the foreign af-
fairs committee, corrObOrated alkthat had
been said nv Mr. Rlnnnt and Uaya an af
firmative reply when the latter produced a
copy of the proceedings and asked if he
had not stated that it was i pity the day
had been wasted because Of tho incompe-
tency Of the reporter appointed by tho
speaker. This completely denOralized the
supporters Of the speaker and another
conference was held, in which Mr.. kass0n
was earnestly entreated to help stifle the
debate by liberal use Of figures when a Iii.
vision should be demanded. The eloquent
Carlisle, Of Ky, was recognized at this
juncture, and in his terse style he proceed
ed to argue from I legal standpoint why
the speaker should give his reasons for TO
moving the two capable men and appoint
ing men notoriously unfit for their posi-
tiOns. Finally the speaker succeeded in
cutting off debate by KassOn's recognition
of Hiscock, who moved that tho commit
teo rise. The members were pretty tired
OF tho subject by this time and tho Demo.
Gratis had paid of old scores by worrying
the speaker, SO the motion was agreed to.
The time for further debate was limited
to five minutes, and tho House then went
back into the committee and agreed to the
appropriation asked. This ended hot
fight over small matter.