The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-15

step to do this Is to discredit the expansion
policy. The first play will be made in the
next session. The senate has its anti-ex-
pansion leaders among the republicans.
Senator sHoar will renew his fight which
ne began last session. The Duke of Wei
iington from Maryland, the corpulent Ma
son from Illinois, the pessimistic Pettigrew
WIN be looking for trouble at the very OPEN
Ing OF congress. VIII Speaker Henderson,
a new man at the helm, be successful in
combating the silent influence of Tom Reed?
Fight Against Roberts
Speaker Henderson, anticipating the fight
TO be made against the seating of Repre-
sentative Brigham Roberts, the bigamist
member from Utah, is gathering rulings
and precedents on the matter of unseating
members in the lower house In order to
know what precedents to cite when the
matter shall come up, Speaker Henderson
mas asked ex-Journal Clerk Harry Smith
10 search the records of congress for him.
There Is no better posted man in or out of
congress than Mr. Smith. 1t was he who
nrst framed the famous cloture rule for
which all credit is given to Mr.. Reed. 1t
WIZ be interesting reading some day how
Mr. Smith framed this rule and how Mr..
Reed refused to admit it in the rules be-
cause ne feared the result and reaction
from 1t. Even when he adopted It, it was
verbally accepted, and not Incorporated In
the written rules of the house.
mot only has Mr.. Smith been at work to
discover some precedent by which Mr. Rob-
erts could be prevented from taking his
seat, but Judge Culberson also, who for
years was chairman of the judiciary COM
mittee of the house. Neither find any
precedent which will apply to this case. In
spite of the fact that nearly every woman
Joins In a petition through one way or an
other to have the polygamist unseated. he
nh fA1lx falr 1,f- fla
squabble along with the most Christian
representative from the other states
Speaker Henderson holds the same opinion
as that expressed by Judge Culberson, the
sage from Texas, that the only way to pre-
vent the Mormon from taking his seat upon
the opening day of the session Is for some
member to arise in his seat, and when Mr..
Roberts steps up to take the oath, the OBJ
Jecting member must say: ''Mr. Speaker
I object to Mr.. Roberts taking his seat on
this foor.'
Reference to Credentials
That done, the speaker will have to refer
Mr.. Roberts credentials to the committee
on elections. This committee will then in
quire into his qualifications and report on
them to the house. This will keep Mr..
Roberts out of his seat until all the other
members have been sworn in The objec-
tion can only hold good to this point, for
the moment Mr. Roberts presents his cre-
dentials, there being no contest, the speak
er is bound-as the committee on elections
is-to at once admit his right, else OPEN
ly violate the constitution. The committee,
however, can, upon motion, take up the
case with a view to unseating a member.
Mr.. Smith holds that the easiest way to
get rid of Mr.. Roberts Is for the house to
declare his seat vacant, which can be done
by majority vote, and refer the case
back to the district in Utah.
II will take tWo-thirds vote to unSeat
him on charges of disqualiflcations, and in
view of the party fight which will come
up this will be quite impossible. The re-
publicans If they possess the nerve and will
stand the political consequences can de-
clare the seat vacant by majority.
Root Returned First
Secretary Root was the first member of
the cabinet to renig on speech making and
to return to Washington. The excuse
given for quitting the party was the ne
cessity to be here when the Philippine
campaign should open. Secretary Long
wanted to return. but the president relies
on him and Postmaster General Smith as
his chief supporters in speech making and
persuaded them to continue with him to
Dakota Secretary Root is not fond of
speech making, and made his objections
known at the first cabinet meeting he at
tended. At the last cabinet meeting just
before the tour west was begun the men,
bers who were to accompany the president
were surprised by the announcement which
the latter made in this way: 81 expect you
are all thinking of the speeches you are to
make on this trip" 1t was the first in
timation any of them had of this, and all
of them went home that night and put on
their thinking caps.