Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1892-02-25
THAT PICKLER SCENE.
A Letter Explaining how Congressman
Pickler was "knOcked Out"
WASHINGTON. ID. C. Feb'y IS, 1892

ID. lost his temper, made a scene
on the floor of the House. That
the Speaker was obliged to have
the Sergt. of Arms restore peace.
Mr.. Pickler was yelling and 200
members were shouting and
laughing at him. He was final
Iy compelled by the Sergt. at
Arms with the mace to take his
seat quickly ETC." The Musca-
tine, Iowa, Journal makes this
comment on the above. "The
above statement should be TAX
en-" cum grano salus. at is
evidently from a source un-
friendly to Maj. PIckler. He
was endeavoring to advance the
interests Of invalid soldiers in
the procurement of pensions
when he was thus unceremonl-
ously set down on. When It is
remembered that the House is
de mocratic by $50 majority and
that the rebel brIgadIers are in
the saddle, it Is not surprising
that they treated a champion of
the Union soldiers with discOur-
tesy." The journal is the Ma
jor's home paper at Muscatlne,
Iowa, where he practiced law
for years and was sent to the
state legislature before he came
to Dakota.
This tilt with the democracy
has been the subject of much
favorable commont here and else
where. Plckler has the reputa-
tion of being a fighter when nee
essary. The fact is Maj. Pckler
was urged to make the fight he
did by the republicans In the
House. He moved that the COM
mlttee on invalid pen sions aud
general pension legislation
should have the privilege to re-
port at any time the same as pro
vlded by the rules OF the last con-
gress.
Mr.. Catchings of Miss, who
was a rebel soldier had charge of
the report adopting the rule on
the democratic side aud very ar
Ditrarily moved the pensions
question before PickIer's amend
ment had been read. This
aroused the republicans but
Catchings would not yield.
Burroughs of Mich. then asked
that PIckler's amendment be
read and acted on without de-
bate. This reasonable request
the rebel bregadler again refu sed.
Thereupon Pickler made several
dllatory motions and gave the
democracy considerable trouble.
Finally when they sat down
completely on the amendment
Pickler stood up and branGished
his fist at them and told them
they were trying to throttle pen
sion legislation, that they were
opposed to soldiers having the
same chance as others IN leglsla-
tion. Then it was that the whole
democratic House rallied at Pick
ler cried "sit down. Regular
order. BE STILL" None OF which
orders were obeyed by Pickler.
There was very little ughing.
Plckler was not angry but very
stubborn and determined and de-
clared that he would not be
trampled on by men who were
trying to down Union soldiers.
Finally the Speaker who had
been rapplng and pounding his
desk calling PIcklcr to order sent
the Sergt. at Arms with the mace.
As he came within a few feet of
Pickler he smiIingly waived his
hand at the Sergt. at Arms as he
saw the emblem of authority of
the House and SAID, take back
your bird 0he eagle on top of the
mace) and then took his seat.
His GOODNESS, determination
and nerve against the whole
democratic House won for him
the applause and admiration !oi
all the republicans and has called
out frequent commendation from
the press. URIrAs.