Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-08
vi OIIOT VTN1T OVN
Makes a Wholly Unwarrant
able Attack on Speaker Reed.
Holly Denounces Speaker for Not
Having Appointed Committees.
Mr.. Reed Calmly Explains the Situation and
Is Warmly AppIauded.

VIZ the dubtJllOil VI iiit JDiEi ItSblG-
ton authorizing the secretary of war
to expend 5000. 900 for the relief of thu
food sufferers of the Mississippi valley
The most interesting feature of the
session was a passage between Repre-
sentative Simpson, the Kansas Popu-
list, and Speaker Reed. Simpson gave
voice to the opposition to the Speaker s
temporary policy Of an action which
has been smouldering in some quarters,
by speaking to a question of privilege
He finished a fiery denunciation o,
the Speaker by demanding that he APP
point the committees Of the House q.
once and give notice that ne would pre-
vert any more attempts 10 do business
by unanimous consent.
Several Republican members at
tempted to stem the tide Of Mir. SiInp-
wilson's attack, but Mr.. Reed seemed
| to desire to hear il and declined to inter-
fere Ito listened calmly to the oh
ana with his usual GOODNESS and lucidity
replied that the Speaker was merely tha
instrument Of the House. that he had en-
forced what he supposed 20 be the policy
desired by the majority. ard that the
House had power To command the
Speaker If IL disayowcd 81 HIS course.
The Republicans expressed their APP
prOXad by a round Of handrlapping.
The chaplain prayed for the Mississippi
sufferers in the House when II met today.
tatchiugS Dem. Mass. at once brought
forward joint resolution authorizing
the secretary of war TO distribute ratiyns
among the sufferers.
CatChiu%s spoke briefly on the subject.
saying that the President had been IN
communication with the Governors of the
flooded states and was ia sympathy with
legislation for their relief. He REFERRED
TO precedcnts for Congressional relief in
1852 and lSS3. lie was about 10 yield the
floor TO Savers. Dem. Texas. when Wal
kcr. Rep. Mass. interposed an objection
unless there could be - minutes ON side
At this point the Presidents messag
was presented and other business was
suspended while it was read n the Hous .
The message was lis ened to with intercs
and chen. oy consent. 2N minutes aeEaie
to a side was given. and Walker was per
milted 10 control the time of the oppos.
tion. Walker said that tatchinEs shoul
present some reason why the states e.
ftcted by the feeds should not bear the
expense of caring for their own people.
to which CatchingS replied ,hM there
was no authority under their ConStitl-
tions for the Legislatures to dsburSa
money for such purposes. Moreover. the
Legislatures were not in session and the
Governor mad no such authority.
Walker made a vigorous speech in reply.
CatChings declared that the stricken
states were no mendacity they We're more
overwhelmed by taxation than any other
section of the nltcd States. HIS own
congressional district had spen $25eVtl
Of private means 10 avert the 1000. Il
was time for the government to harness
this great river and in the next Congress.
ii logical scheme for this purpose would
be presented.
cannon. Rep. III. declared that he did
not approve of the line of the aTE umeut
Catchings had adopted. It WAS g SAD
thing indeed. fer the constitution of any
state to be framed that it gave no power
10 relieve the suffering, the stricken. the
destitute.
Nlidd. Rem. Md. smoke briefly saFinS
If Congress- under the general welfare
clause of the constitution had power to
make tariffs ard to restore property it
had power to do this.
Gaines, Dem, Tenn. read the following
telegram from the Governor Of Tonnes
see: IN deplarahlc coaditi2n. Bill now
pending for $5U20 appropriation by the
Lagisa ture
The resolution was adopted without
Simpson, Pop, Kan. took the noor on
% question ot privilege, says; - have
read IN article in the Forum by senator
Hoar which reflects on the House Of Rep
scntatiyes and as q member Of the House
desire to enter my protest.
he had read an editorial from 2 Wash
ngton newspaper declaring that the
members of the House had heen robbed
Of their rights to lcEislate by the Speaker
TO whom 1t referred as "a politica. canni-
bal
ind. shouted: "Fhis is no question eff
privilege. and / move that the House now
adjourn
The Rcnublicans were not ready to ad
jou.n and they cried: Nc, No.
Sneaker Reed very calmly ruled the
motion cannot he entertained at present.
"When ii WIS stated in u newspaper
during the 5tSt Congress that members
were seen DRUM. on the floor" Simpson
said that was considered question OF
privilege.
clarcd was one Of higher privilege ana
the reuuou he proceeded to read rapidly
from an article by Senator Hoar entitled:
"fias the Senate DcEenerate d2-' in which
the suppression Of debate in the House
was critized.
4 represent large district shouted
the EausaSan. "and the refusal of tho
Speaker to appoint the committees Of thus
House depfivCS me ana my constituents
Of the right to do business ! propose
to rise here and protest against this au-
tocratic dictation.
The Speaker had come into Kansas dur
ing the election and had said on the
stump that for four years the th CON
gressional district tSimpson's) had been
represented by chaos. When The Speaker
refused to appoint committees, the House
~ demand that the Speaker appoint
these committees" he shouted
There was profound silence when
Speaker Reed began to explain his policy.
He said:
The House will perceive that the gen
tlcnan from Kansas Simpson, has made
no proposition whatever upon the sub
iect He has simply stated his own
views. and the Chair has thought per-
haps it was best that the matter should
be stated and that the House should con-
slider.
so far as the power Of the Speaker Is
concerned, every one who has made The
subject a matter of consideration under
stands that his power is solely the power
is solely the power OF the House. and the
House can at any moment change the
action which its representative sees fit
to indulge in.
The House has the power at all times.
and while the rules of the House require
certain committees TO he appo .nted. there
has been allowed to the Chair reason
able amount of discretion as to the time
when they should he appointed.
Opportunity is always allowed to the
Chair TO find out something about the
members so that he may do the duties
which are imposed upon him in the most
intelligent way of which he is capable.
vi is not n rare case that the Speaker
has not appointed the committees at
once. A Congress which was called to-
gether under circumstances something
y %