The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-02
THEY LAUGHED.
Jerry Simpsons Plea For a
Bankruptcy Bill,
Because Promised Prosperity
Has Not Come,
GREETED WITH MIRTH
He Stirs Up-AnOther Hot Fight
Over Committees.
Refers to Speaker Reed as a
Billy Goat.

Washington, June 2.-There was a
lively session of the house yesterday
at which the policy of Speaker Reed
and the Republican majority was made
the subject of attacks by the minority
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee and Mr.
Simpson of Kansas led the onslaught
for the minority. The majority posi-
ton was ably defended by Mr.. Hen
dersOn CRep. Ia) and Mr.. Grosvenor
(Rep. o.
Mr.. Richardson opened the attack on
the inaction of the house and protested
vigorously against the present method
of doing business.
AT present we are" he said, with
our hands tied, with no committees,
none of the cOnvenienceS or necessities
of legal action; nothing but the com
we shall do and shall not do. The
house never was in such a dilapidated
and disorganized condition for such a
length of time
How long was it before the commit
tees were appointed in the Forty-second
congress?" asked Mr.. DalzeH CRep.
PAD
Congress met on the 4th of March
and the committees were appointed in
December replied Mr.. Richardson,
but congress was in session only four
days.
THAT is the fact I wanted to bring
out" said Mr.. Dalzen.
Mr.. Richardson proceeded to recall
the time which had elapsed in each
congress before committees were APP
pointed, showing, as he said that the
period had varied from Is to 80 days
Mr.. Simpson (POp. Kan.) remarked
upon the spectacle presented by the
house because of the refusal of the
speaker to obey the rules and appoint
the committees
I'VE must come" he continued, "to
the committee on rules as supplicants.
over $500 bills have been introduced
at this session, l. 500 for the relief of the
old soldiers. The Republicans" said
he. claim to be the especial guardians
of the old soldier. Why don't they con-
slider these measures? Then, there is
the bankruptcy bill, for the passage of
which there is a great demand through
out the country"
rs there any greater demand now
than there was in the last congress? ''
interrupted Mr.. Watson (Rep. Pa
There is retOrted Mr.. Simpson,
because the prosperity you promised
has not materialized and the people
now seek the relief you promised the
tariff would give them through the
bankruptcy courts" Oaughter)
Mr.. Terry (Dem. Ark) contributed
some brief remarks to the bills in which
he described the majority as having
lain down and been "bucked and gag
ged'' by the speaker.
Mr.. Henderson then came forward
with a rather elaborate defense of the
speaker and the course of the majority
generally. He said that the majority
stood ready to finish the work it was
called here to perform whenever it
came from the other end of the capitol.
Gentlemen seemed to forget, he said,
that a new congress assembled March
4, called together by a patriotic presi-
dent to meet the condition in the treas
ury. In nine days the house had sent
a bill which would furnish ample rev
enue and give an ample balance an
nually.
The majority had discharged it's duty,
which was. perhaps, the chief reason
it did not meet the approval of the mi
nority.
why this hell in a teapot" asked
he. 1T is boiling over from the realms
of Kansas"
In reply to the criticisms of Mr.