The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-09

The maturity report Of the Committee on
| Elections No. 1 Of the House Of Repre-
/ sentatives. declaring that William T. Al
/ drich. Republican. OF the Fourth Congress
sional district Of Alabama. was rightfully
elected and entitled to the seat occupied
! by CASTOR A. Robbins. Democrat was
adopted by the House yesterday afternoon
/ by vote OF 142 to 135.
When the additional Urgent Deficiency
/ bill for 1900 had been reported. the debate
was continued On the Aldrich- Robbins
case, Mr.. Hamilton Of Michigan speaking
( for the contestant.
! The debate for Mr. Robbins was closed
/ by Mr. Bartlett OF Georgia. leading mem
/ ter Of the minority on the Committee on
Elections No. l.
The vote on the minority resolution re
! ported by the committee was taken at 30
O'Clock. in accordance with previous ar
rangement. The resolution declaring Rob
bins elected to the seat was rejected by
vote CT 1874 to 1873.
/ The majority resolution reported by the
committee DECLARING William f. Aldrlch
entitled to the seat was then agreed to- On
the arm Of Mr. Mann Of Illinois. who had
charge Of the case. Mr. Aldrch appeared
at the bar OF the House and was sworn in.
for the third time thus succeeding Mr..
Robbins
Private Pension BIiIs.
Mr. Dalzell OF Pennsylvania Submitted
from the Committee on Rules an order
providing for the consideration of private
pension bills. bills to remove political dis
abilities and the charges of desertiOn, on
the second and fourth Fridays OF each
month, the object being to do away with
Friday night sessions, which have fire.
quently resulted in the transaction Of no
business. The order further provides that
on each such bill twenty minutes debate
should be allowed.
Mr.. Richardson Of Tennessee enquired
about the latter feature, which was new to
him. he said.
Mr. Dalzell said that the reason for it
ought TO be apparent. that the same inhu-
enCes which made the Friday night session
futile could prevent the accomplishment
Of any business at the day sessions. If IN
limited debate were allowed. The provi-
sion was the re-enactment of a rule that
had prevailed in previous Congresses.
Mr.. Richardson. expressing his surprise
at the terms OF the order. said there had
never been any such rule regarding debate
in force. and therefore the minority could
not agree TO the passage OF the resolution.
He taunted the Republicans with the fact
that with clear majority. and an increas-
ing one treferring to the seating OF Al
drich) they found it necessary to abolish
the night sessions and take two day ses-
sions in each month to pass pension bills
for the old soldiers. He would move to
strike out the twenty minute limitation,
because there was no necessity for IT;
there would be no iiiibustering against pen
sion bills on the part Of the minority.
Mr. Mahon OF Pennsylvania protested
against the rule. It virtually wiped out
the work Of he two committees on claims
aud war claims which had not yet sin
gle day for the consideration Of measures
reported from them They had before them
claims Of old soldiers who were Infinitely
more worthy Of consideration than the de-
serlers covered by the rule.
Mr.. TaIbert Criticized.
The reason for its presentation, Mr..
Mahou said. was the fact that the gentle
man from South Carolina (Mr. TalberO
had set himself up against his associates on
the Democratic side and the Republicans
by demanding a quorum Friday nights.
while he sits by day after day, seeing great
bills. appropriation and others. pass with
out the preteuce Of quorum. The gen
tleman. said Mr. Mahon represented 1000
out Of the q, Geo voters in his district. Il
hope that some Republican or Popuist Will
run against him this fall show up the
rotten record OF his district and | will
take great pleasure in the Fifty-seventh
Congress to vote to throw him out Of the
House"
While Mr.. Mahon was making this state
ment Mr. Talbert was loudly yoCiferating
IaF Will he haaf inc NJ he
Speakers gayel The Speaker, who. when
aroused has a voice OF even greater power
than Mr. Talbert brought the gavel down
with a bang and silenced him with the
statement. The gentleman is out Of or
der. and the Sergeant-at-A Arms will take
charge OF him unless he resumes his seat
Securing the floor. Nj Talbert said that
the disposition Of the majority was shown
in the statement OF Mr.. Mahon. They pro-
pose to throw me out in violation OF the
law and OF the Constitution. as they have
Just done with the gentleman from Ala
bama" The reason, he said was that he
had exercised his legal. constitutional
rights as a member Of the House. And If
the Republicans thought they could frighten
him from doing what he believed to be
right. they did not know him. He de-
nounced the majority as hypocrites be
cause while protesting love for the old sol
diers they refused to leave their pink
teas and poker parties to spend two hours
once week passing pension bills for
them"
MIR. GrosVenOr's Humor.
Mr. Grosyenor humorously referred to
MIR. Talberts regard for the Constitution
as sort OF riparian growth" " inasmuch
as up TO this session Of Congress
his conscience had never been disturbed
regarding the presence Of quorum. Re
ferring to the proposition to throw Mr..
Talbert out OF the next House, Mr.. Gros-
venor said that II he did not so vote he
would apologize to the whole world and
give as the reason for his vote that the
committee had reported in his favor. which
in his opinion would be the only possible
Justification for it.
Speaking on the subject OF the resolu-
ton. Mr.. GrosyenOr said that he had be-
come converted to the support Of serv-
ice pension law. special legislation was
not always viewed with favor, as he had
occasion TO know, and he hoped that the
Pension Committee would bring into the
House two or three general propositions
that he could support.
Mr. Dalzel said that. taking everything
into consideration. he thought the record
made by both sides OF the House upon the
matter OF attendance on Friday night ses-
sions was one to be proud Of He ac-
knowledged that with the exception Of Mr.
Talbert the Democrats held the same
views regarding pension legislation as
a