The San Francisco call., 1898-05-04
Call Office, Riggs House,

WdSQ1HSlOIl, May
 What promised to be an uneventful and uninteresting session of the House was thrown suddenly, after three hours of consideration of private bills, into session of spirited speechmaking among Democratic members that savored at times much of acrimony. The storm was precipitated by Lewis (DO Of Washington, who referred in the course of a speech to the recent vote of Cum mings of New York in support of the war revenue bill, with it's incorporated bond feature. He made reference to Cummings assertion that this period was a time for placing country above party, intimating that the New York member had served the Republican party and perhaps contributed to the satisfaction of unpatriotic monopolists and capitalists.
 This brought an impaSsioned speech in reply from Cummings, interspersed with some sarcastic comments that in- tensifed the interest and called an out pouring of members from the cloak rooms.
 Clark O) of Missouri entered the lists and proceeded to criticize unre servedly the six Democrats who had voted for the revenue bill on it's pas sage and questioned their Democracy. Fitzgerald of Massachusetts and Me Aleer of Pennsylvania, two other Dem- ocrats who voted for the bill, were heard in defense of their votes and in refutation of the imputations of the Missouri member. Just before the re- cess until the night session was taken the leader of the Democrats, Bailey of Texas, spoke briefly in deprecation of the speeches of the Democratic mem- bers as being subject to misconstruc- tod tfxva nf ences within the party than really ex- isted. He reviewed the record to show that no appreciable ground for such construction existed.
 Lewis D) of Washington, recognized during the consideration of a private pen sion. addressed the House. cautioning it against freely removing disabilities from those who participated in the civil war, and, proceeding, spoke generally in de- nunciaton of men and corporations who would seize upon the existence of war as an opportunity to form trusts and use the extremity of the Government to se- cure improper profits. Lewis cautioned the House against yielding too readily to the cry of patriotism as justification for the passage of so-called emergency meas ures. He declared patriotism was being used where reason did not exist to force unmeritorious propositions through the House. He referred to members who speak magnifcently and voted unhap- pily,' and begged the House not to for get to look always to the fundamental principles and justice underlying every proposition.
 During his speech Lewis referred to the statement of Cummings D.) of New York in speaking of his vote on the rev. enue measure that now was a time to place country above party. and, contin- uing, intimated that Cummings was ready to put country above the Democratic party, but not above the Republican
 Cummings, replying, declared with much force that he was, in the time of the country's need. and at all times, an American and a Democrat.
 .'I admire" said the New York member, good naturedly, "the gentleman from Washington. His raiment is spotless, his hirsute adornments are exquisite and even his spats are effulgent, all In de- lightful accord with the finish and bril- liance of his intellect"
 Proceeding, he declared 1t was the duty of members intent upon asserting that their Governments agents were corrupt in administration, first to produce thelr rush to an indulgence in bald assertion without substance of basis. Slander of the Government, either by direct asser- tion or insinuation, was too serious an oc- cupation to be entered upon lightly Speaking of his support of the revenue measure embodying the bond provision the President to issue the bonds in the nature of a popular loan. rather than to deny the express authority of the coun- try in war emergency with a pond IS
  the absolute dictation of a syndicate later on.
 Lewis disavowed any purpose to reflect seriously upon the patriotic mo- tives of the New York member. He said that his references to him were only in- cidental and his criticism had been press had declared had already used, and expected to use the war emergency as source of pnholy profit ,. 1-in at eN-PrpSident (lCV6- land and denied that he was a Democrat. Speaking of Cummings speech. Clark said 1t was the most outrageous that had been made on the floor of the House. He characterized the votes of Mir Cummings and other Democrats who voted for the bond bill as unpardonabie He said that they should be read out of the party. He said Cleveland was nomi- mated because the Democrats thought he was the only man who could be elected; Addressing the Republican side he said that they talked of the war a Repub- ncan war This he denied.
 I've took you by the scruff of the neck and dragged you into It., he said. It's
 The Democrats, he said. had right tG claim the war, together with the Popu- lists and Silver Republicans. who are with the Democrats in almost everything Mr Clark made a patriotic reference to Commodore Dewey
 he reciprocated fully all the kind things said concerning him by the gentleman from Missouri. Continuing, he briefly pointed out in a pointed anecdote that the Missourian was himself responsible for Missouri having advocated the last nomination of MT. Cleveland.
 Fitzgerald CD.) of Massachusetts said he was one of the six Democrats whom the Missouri member had assumed to read out of the Democratic party. The revenue bill was in some particulars not strictly in line with Democratic principles, but he had voted for it as an emergency measure necessary in this critical period. and he had supported 1t just as the mem Der from Missouri and all Democrats had supported the $50. .000 900 defense bill, which was not technically Democratic. McAleer D.) of Pennsylvania, one of the six members of his party who sup ported the revenue bill, declared himself never more satisfied with vote than he was with the one cast in support of the bill. the immediate passage of which he considered the country's need demanded. He denied the right of any man who ad- nitted himself to be a Democrat exactly in accord with the Populists to question his Democracy.
 Cochrane CD of Missouri thought in