The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-05


passage of a joint resolution authoriz-
ing the acceptance by the United States
of the cession of a tract of land from
the state of Massachusetts needed to
extend the lines of the Boston navy
yard.
1t was now 11:45 by the clock, but the
| doorkeeper, with long pole set back
the hands ten minutes. This raised a
| loud laugh.
Immediately afterward was a most
dramatic episode. General Wheeler, who
| has carefully refrained from exercising
| his privilege as a member of the house
| pending the determination of the ques-
| ton as to his right to his seat in the
! house, arose from his old seat down
near the front of the democratic side,
| and loudly asked for recognition.
Mr.. Speaker" he called
! The speakers face was flushed slight
! ly but he looked straight ahead as if
he did not hear.
| Il ask unanimous consent to speak
| for five minuteS,' shouted the general.
| but the speaker disregarded him. Every
| eye was now riveted upon the diminu
tive figure of the grizzled old veteran
| of two wars.
The situation was intensely dramatic,
| but Payne, floor leader of the ma jority,
| hurried to the rescue.
| He moved a recess for ten minutes.
| IeHulHS Lnal, l aSk lJl UNANIMOUS
consent to speak for three minntes,"
| demanded Wheeler.
The speaker then turned toward him
for the first time, and looking straight
into the gray eyes of the general, ignor
! ed his request completely, putting the
motion of Payne and declaring it car
ried.
AS the hands of the clock pointed to
! seven minutes to T. although ii was
/ 1IV thraa minutes llJa hour tln
| committee appointed to wait upon the
| president marched down the aisle. The
| speaker had retired to his room and
| Payne, speaker pro tenn, was in the
| hair DALI. l. IN he ceaier, announc
| ed the committee had fulfilled its duty
and the president had made reply he
| had no further communication to make.
THE president requested us to state"
/ he continued, that the 55th congress
| had performed it's extraordinary DUTIES
manfully and he requested me to ex-
| tend to each and every member the best
wishes for safe return to home
| But five minutes remained. In it
was enacted one of the most dramatic
scenes ever witnessed in the hall of
representatives. Payne summoned
Dockery. dem, Mo, to the chair and
he in turn recognized Bailey the mi
| nority leader in this congress. to pre-
sent resolutions thanking the speaker
| for the impartial manner in which he
| had presided over the deliberations of
! the house. A great hush fell upon the
vast concourse in the galleries as Bal
! ley began to speak. He said:
1t is an admirable trait of the Amer
| lean character and it is one which will
| tend to the permanence of our institu-
| tions, and no matter how we may con-
| tend against each other over our differ
ences of opinion, each is always ready
to accord to the other whatever praise
may be deserved. This commendabla
spirit has led some shallow men to
| criticise us because thev could not COM
prehend how we could so strenuously
i combat the principles of our adversaries
and still respect those adversaries them
selves. These men do not know that a
large majority of the men in every part
of this country sincerely believe that
| a large majority of the men in every
| other party are earnestly anxious to
| promote our country's welfare (ap-
| plause), and it is out of this broader
| spirit that a custom has grown which
! is as old as the house ITSELF that in the
closing hours of every session there
shall be offered a resolution like that
which l now send to the clerks desk"
The resolution was read as follows:
Resolved That the thanks of the
house are rendered to the Hon. Thomas
B. Reed for the able. impartial and dig
nified manner in which he has presided
over it's deliberations and perfected the
arduous and important duties of the
chairman"
The reading of the resolution was
greeted with tumultuous applause.
Mr.. Speaker" continued Mr.. Bailey.
I'VE have not always agreed with the
distinguished occupant of the chair and
we have taken more than one oc-
casion to emphasize our dissent: but
which have confronted us in this con-
gress and remembering, too, the in
tense excitement which they aroused
throughout the country as well as in
this hall the wonder is that those &C.
casions We're so few and in this hour
of impartial retrospect l do not hesi-
tate to say that he has been so fair to
us and our side as any of US, We're our
positions reversed. would have been to
him and to his side Cloud applause).
The chair called for a rising vote.
Every member was on his feet and the
resolution was unanimously agreed to
amid prolonged applause.
Mr.. Dockery, when the applause had
subsided, appointed Bailey, Bell, pop.
Col, and Payne to escort the cpeaker
to the chair. A moment later, as the
speaker emerged from the lobby es-
corted by the committee. the cheers
that greeted his appearance made the
rafters ring. slowly the speaker as
cended the rostrum. Carefully Mr..
Dockery informed him Of the action of
the house. and then reinquished the
gavel to him. Then the speaker faced
the house, and returned his thanks for
the honor that had been conferred upon
/. him.
At the conclusion of his remarks the
speaker declared the house adjourned
without day. Half dozen times
during the progress of his remarks the
speaker was obliged to pause, owing to
the spontaneous applause which arose
from all sides, and when he concluded
with the announcement that the house
stood adj1u@ael sine die. the applause
ap6 chaars uprp Tba