Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-15
REEDS CONSOLATION.
Speaker Thinks Human Nature
Has Not Changed in
This Century.
REPLY TO DE ARMoND's CRITICISM.
Finds John Randolph Denouncing the
House Rules Back in 1SI6-Diherence
Between Theory and Practice-House
Refuses to Consider Immigration-Vest
Makes Some Sharp Remarks Relating to
Persons-Nicarauga Canal Talk.


Persons-Nicarauga Canal Talk.
Washington. Dec. 15.-During the ses-
sion of the house yesterday Grow of
Pennsylvania, the patriarch of the
house. made short historical address
by unanimous corsent upon the origin
of the committee Of the whole on the
state of the union. in which there was
no limitation upon the latitude of de-
hate. Grows remarks caused Robinson
Of Indiana TO rcDroach the majority
because TO new code OF rules had been
prepared for this congress. He charged
that Henderson of Iowa had promised
when the old ra!es were temporarily
adopted at the first session that a code
Of rules would he prese II ed within thir-
ty days. Henderson Indignantly denied
the charge. he pointed olt that n had
only expressed his opinion that new
code OF ru es would be presented within
thirty days. Il urged it in comm. ttee."
said he, emphatic ally, and l Dn't want
this charge thrown into my teeth
now because the comm. ttce OF which I
am a member cid not agree with me.
1t is a coward-y thing 10 do
D-Armond Attacks tho speaker.
DeArmond got the floor and proceed
ed to contrast the condition of affairs
in the house at present with the days
Of which Grow had spoken. when there
was full opportunity for discussion. He
declared that the speaker held the bal
ance of power on the committee on
rules. and ii was he who in fact had
determined that IL was better that no
new code of rules should be presented
and adopted by this housa. He was ex-
ceedingly ironical in his references to
the decaderce of the old time privilege
of full debate. 1t had become the
fashion, he said, to bring in repressive
rules to cut off debate upon every i'm
portant question, and ass rtcd that the
rules under which the house was now
operating, which could not have been
adopted permanently, had become
permanent by the attitude of the
speaker.
Speaker Replies to the Criticism.
The speaker from the chair replied to
his critics follows: The gentleman
from Missouri has permitted himself to
make statements in regard to the rela-
tions between the speaker and the other
members Of the committee on rules that
am happy to state are not justified by
self to have been treated to an unusual
discourse upon the lack CT lib rty given
to the citizen. 1t so happens ir this
world that there are many citizens. II
so happens that in the house of repre-
sentatives there are many members, and
that while in theory every man can oc-
cupy all the time in d Sc urse, in actual
practice he has to occupy it in sub
ordination to the rights Of every other
member. to the rights of the body itself,
and to the prosecution of public busi-
ness.
No Limitation in Actual Practice.
In actual practice. also, the house
may have noticed. that however much
despotism is exercised by the rule there
is no subject in the heavens above or in
the earth beneath that has not been
discussed, even in tn $ pTeSent congress.
GLauEhter.l Now IL the gentleman from
Missouri VIII turn to the annals of con-
gress, away back in 1916. during the
period of liberty such as he thinks he
desires. he viii find that John Randolph,
who certainly was heard enough to be-
come famous for a century. was COM
planning about the despotism of the
rules at that period, and was also COM
planning that even the arch inquisitor
himself would have been satisfied with
the wickedness Of them. SO you see
that human nature is the same in all
time" Laughter and applause on the
Republican side