The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-08
Gar Of the Taken to Task by the Member From
the SunfIOWer State
JERRY IN ARAGE
Reed Hears What the Kansas
POpulist Has to Say and
Denies the Charges.

WASHINGTON, April THE mos,
interesting feature of the house session
loudy was passage between Repre4
sentative Simpson, the Kansas Popu.
llst, and Speaker Reed. Mr. Sinoneor
gave voice to the opposition to thu
speakers temporary policy of inaction
Whlch mas been smouldering in somt
quarters by'speaking to a question OF
privilege He finished a fiery denunci,
atlon OF the speaker by demanding that
ne appoint the committees of the house
at once, and gave notice that he would
prevent any more attempts to do bust.
ness by unanimous consent.
Several Republican members ar.
tempted to stem the tide Of Mr.. Simn.
sons attack, but Mr.. Reed seemed ia
oeslre TO hear it, and declined to inter,
1efe. He listened calmly to the speech
ana then, with his usual coolness and
lucldlty replied that the speaker was
merely the instrument of the house,
that he had enforced what he SUD-
posed to be the policy desired bv the
majority and that the house had mower
to command the speaker If II disan-
proved of his course The Republiosns
expressed their approval by a round az
handclapping.
Mr.. Simpson endeavored to secure
the floor Immediately after the rou+ins
business, announcing that he desired
to speak to a question of the highest
privilege. II have read an article In
the Forum by Senator Hoar which re-
fleets on the house of representatives
and as member of the house | desire
to enter my protest. he said. He was
induced to waive his speech until the
flood of resolutions was dealt with. but
then he sent to the clerk to be read an
editorial from a Washington newspa.
per This article declared that the
members of the house had been robbed
of their right to legislate by the speak
er, to whom it referred as a political
cannibal autocrat."
When the clerk read a reference ia
what the speaker Sin his own flowery
language calls retrospective legisla.
ton Mr.. Dingley interposed an OBJ
lection that Mr. Simpson had not
stated any question of privilege, but
the speaker decided that the member
from Kansas might continue.
The newspaper article was exceedingly
fiery in language, and when it had been
read, Mr.. Steele Rep., Ind) jumped ia
his feet, shouting This is no question
of privilege, and move that the house
now adjourn"
The Republicans were not ready to
adjourn and they cried mo, no."
Speaker Reed very calmly ruled "The
motion cannot be entertained at pres
ent."
When it was stated in a newspaper
during the. Fifty-first congress that
members were seen drunk on the floor"
Mr.. Simpson said, that was considered
a question of privilege" The point
which he now raised, he declared, was
one of higher privilege. Thereupon he
waived aloft copy of the Forum, and
proceeded to read rapidly from an ar
ticle by Senator Hoar entitled, HAS
the senate degenerated?" The extract
which he quoted is as follows:
The promptness with which the house Of
representatives deals with some important
questions is a good thing; but its capacity
tor prompt action is purchased at the price
OF the reputation Of public debts and the
suppression of constitutional rights personal
dignity and the official authority of the great
mass of It's members. Gentlemen occupy
end OF their term Of service, are not per-
mitted to make motion or to utter a word
to the assembly of which they are members
Perhaps wise legislation may be secured
while one house is conducted that princi-
pie; but | am afraid free government would
not endure if it were applied to both houses
Mr.. Simpson read very rapidly and
Mr.. Steele at the same time protested
in an angry tone, but the speaker paid
no attention to the member from In
diana.
Il represent large district" shout
ed the Kansan, tossing down the mag
azine, 'and the refusal of the speaker
to appoint the committees of the
house deprives me and my constituents
of the right to do business. l propose
to rise here and protest against this
autocratic dictation. 1t is reported in
the newspapers that the speaker SAYS
that the trouble is that if the commit
tees were appointed where one lust
claim passed there would be ten unjust
ones. Is this not a reflection on this
house?"
The speaker had come into Kansas
during the late campaign and had said
on the stump that for four years the
Seventh congressional district (Mr.
Simpson's) had been represented by
chaos. When the speaker refused to
appoint committees the house was
ruled by chaos. II demand that the
speaker. appoint these committees he
shouted. "As long as 1 am a member
OF this house no business shall be done
by unanimous consent and only in the
re gular FORM after opportunity for
consideration by the committees. The
members of this house have given the
speaker the veto power by the adoption
of the rules of the last congress. Tie
people might as well have saved them
selves the expenses of electing members
and given all the power to the speaker.
This is not legislative or a deliber-
ative body, and | insist that it's power
be returned to the house."
In conclusion he said that the presi-
dent had recommended that congress
enter on financial legislation, and the
returns from Chicago Cincinnati and
Detroit indicated that the people
wanted financial legislation.
There was a profound silence when
Speaker Reed began to explain his
policy. He said: 1.-The house will
perceive that the gentleman from Kan
sas (Mr. Simpson, has made no propo-
sition whatever upon the subject. He
has simply stated his own views. and
the chair has thought perhaps it was
best that the matter should be stated
ard that the house should consider it,
So far as the power of the speaker is
everyone who has made the
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