Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
POLITICS IN. THE HOUSE
Democrats Who Voted for Bonds Crit
cised.
The Discussion Opened by Mr.. Lewis
Cummings-Mr. Bailey Closes.

What promised to be an uneventful and
embarrassing session of the House yestef-
| day was thrown suddenly, after three
| hours consideration of private bills, into
a session Of spirited speechmakng among
democratic members that savored at times
much of acrimony. The storm was precip-
itated by Mr.. Lewis (wash9, who referred
in the course of a speech to the recent
| vote of AIR. Cummings of New York in
support of the war revenue bill with it's
| incorporated bond feature. He made REF
erence to Mr.. Cummings assertion that
this period was 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 and patriot
| ic speech in reply from Mr.. Cummings in
| terspersed with some sarcastic comments
| that intensified the interest and called an
| outpouring of members from the cloak
| rooms.
Mr.. Clark (Mo.) entered into the lists
| and proceeded to criticiSe unreservedly the
| six democrats who had voted for the reve-
nue. bill on its final passage, and question
| ed their democracy.
Messrs. Fitzgerald (Mass) and McAleer
| Pa-) two other democrats who voted for
/
| votes and in refutation of the imputations
OF the Missouri member
| just before the recess until the night
session was taken the leader of the demo-
| Gratis, Mr.. Bailey (Tex.), spoke briefly in
| deprecaton of the speeches of the demo-
| cratic members being subject to mis-
construction Indicative of more serious
dinerences within the party than really
| existed. He reviewed the record to show
| that no appreciabe ground for such con-
| struction existed.
| The House was notified of the Senate's
| action in passing bill providing for a vol
| unteer brigade of engineers and the en-
| Istment of 10000 volunteers specially ac-
customed to tropical climates.
Mr.. Lewis Denunciation.
| Mr.. Lewis (Wash.), recognized during the
| consideration Of private bill, addressed
the House, cautioning it against freely re-
moving disabilities from those who partic-
pated In the civil war, and, proceeding
| spoke generally in denunciation Of men and
corporations who would seize upon the ex-
| !stence OF war as an opportunity to form
| trusts and use the extremity of the govern
| ment to secure improper profits Mr. Lew
| Is cautioned the House against yielding too
| readily to the cry of patriotism as iIstiti-
| cdIoii LOT the passage of so-called emer-
sehcy measures. He declared patriotism
| was being used where reason did not cyst
| 10 force unmeritorious propositions through
| the House. He referred to members who
SPOKE magnliicently and voted unhappily''
ana begged the House not to forget TO
| look Always to the fundamental PRINCIPLES
ana Justice underlying every proposition.
| during his speech Mr.. Lewis referred to
statement from Mr.. Cummings IN W
| In speaking of his vote en- The revanna
| measure that now was time to Mace
| country above party. and, continuing in
| tLIated that Mr. Cummings was ready to
put country above the democratic party
put not above the republican party
rms, with the insiruation that the emery
! efcy measures had proven less patriotic in
t,ans than beneficial to trusts. corpora
lions and monopoists, brought a reply
from the New York member
Mr.. Cummings Replies
| Mr.. Cummings, replying. declared with
| much force that he was, in the time of tho
| country's need and at all times. an Amerl-
can and a democrat. Il admire" added
the New York member, good humoredly
| the gentleman from Washington. His raj
| ment IS spotless. his hirsute adornments
are exquisite, and even his spats are eff
auigeht an In delightful accord with the
| nnlsh and brillianee of his intellect"
Proceeding, he declared it was the dutv
| OF members, intent upon asserting that
| ther governments agents were corr,pt in
administration, first to produce their evil
dence lay 1t before the House. and not to
| rosh to an Indulgence in bald assertion
| without substance of basis. SANDER of the
| government, either by direct assertion or
|
| to be entered upon lightly Speaking of his
support of the revenue measure embodying
| the bond provision, Mr. CUMMINGS said If
| were better TO authorize the President to
| issue the ponds in the nature of a popular
| lean than to deny the express authority
| and the country in war emergency with
oond issue probably unavoidable and sub
| Ject to the absolute dictation of a svpai
| cate later on. If the bond issue nv a dem
ocratic administration made necessary in
| tlme OF profound peace had resulted in a
| loss OF Ss.oO0,OO0 it was a lesson and a
| mandate now to guard against probably a
| greater loss and greater ground for scan
aai IMAM that resulting from the Cleveland
| bcnG issue.
Mr.. Cummings reference to the last ad-
| Hinlstration as democratic brought a storm
Or protests from democratic members and
| MI. cummings ploughed through the storm
| 10 cry that he had been thrice nominated
| egates with their eyes open to the fact that
| thelr candidate bore gold badge
| turning to the democrats, Mr.. Cum
Mlnss dehed them to deny his statement,
| ana charged them with ramming Cleye-
! land down the throat is of New Workers over
| their vigorous protests.
| returning to his reply to Mr.. Lewis, the
new Yorker eloquently supported his vote
| Tor the war revenue bill, and in closing de-
cared that democracy had been always
| ana was patriotism and his vote was in
accord with the underlying principle of his
party He was frequently applauded. and
| storm OF applause swept over the House
| when he concluded.
Mr.. Lewis DfxavOws.
MI. Lewis, replying, disavowed any pur-
pose to reflect seriously upon the patriotic
motives of the New York member, that his
| reference to him was merely Incidental and
| MS chief criticism had been directed at
| those coal operators and other monopolists
| whom the press had declared had used
already. and expected to use, the war
emergency as a source of unholy profit at
| distress.
Mr.: Lewis related charge that the coal
trust had sold for s. per ton coal to be con-
veyed by English ships to the Spanish.
ana Commodore Schley had been compelled
coal.
Mr.. Clark's Attack.
Mr.. Clark CMo.) made quite a vicious
attack upon ex-President Cleveland, and
denied that he was democrat. Speaking
| OF Mr.. Cummings speech. Mr.. Clark said