The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-12
DEFEAT OF UNCLE JOE
An Adverse Vote on the Hy.
geographic Paragraph.
AMOS CUMMINGS CAUSTIC SPEECH
W hen the New Conferees Returned from
Conference with n Enlargement the
Fisht Of the Previous Night Was Renew
ed by Representative Dayton and Others.
Who Won n Complete Victory, Thus Con.
ciudins the Naval Appropriation Bill.

The colors of Uncle Joe" Cannon.
hero OF many hard-fought battles, went
down in defeat. The House. impatient
Of delay in adjournment reversed its de-
cisiOn about the appropriations for hydro
graphic surveys In the naval appropria-
ton bill, and left ;hr tactful old leader in
the lurch- Many members who thought
that his characterization of Chairman
Fess, OF the Naval Committee, was rather
severe Joined in the adverse vote. Mem
bers OF the Ways and Means Committee.
to some extent. also yielded TO the j-al-
ousies that always exist between the great
committees Of the House.
The victory was gained through the
alertness of Representative Dayton, of
West Virginia, who made, at an opportune
time, motion to recede and concur in
the Senate amendments, which had Drece-
dence over a motion for a compromise,
which Uncle joe had offered. Repre-
sentative Amos Cummings, of New York,
who was one Of the Naval Committee con-
ferees, from whom the appropriation bill
was taken the previous evening, made a
ringing speech. ridiculing Mr.. Cannon in
strong terms. This also materially helped
to carry the day.
There was a great deal of excitement
and hustle all the morning to learn the
outcome OF the new conference on the bill.
Members of the Naval Committee We're
laughing in their sleeves, as they had
hints of the proceedings in that confer
ence. They have gone up against a
stone wall and now know how good it is"
was a frequent statement regarding the
trio selected by Speaker Henderson to con-
duet the negotiations with the Senate.
Finally Mr.. Cannon sauntered along The
central corridor of the House, as placid
as a summers day. and Mr.. Moody and
Mr.. Shafroth were close behind him.
4 Modified Amendment.
The word went round that there had
been a disagreement, but that there was
an understanding that the Senate and
House could agree on a modified amend
ment, substituting the word ocean" for
photographic surveys, and providing
that the navy should only make surveys IN
the Philippines and in Cuba.
Ii was some time before the conference
report was presented, and in the mean
while the naval conferees who had been
superseded were girding themselves for
a fresh battle. When he was finally rec
ognized Mr. Cannon made a statement 10
the House, declaring that the proposed
amendment was in harmony with the in
structionS given by the House a week
ago not to agree to any surveys for the
coasts of the Great Lakes, the seaboard,
or the islands Of our new possessions. THIS
amendment would confine the naval sur
veys 20 the deep water of the ocean.
Mr.. Dayton was quick TO move to recede
and concur in the Senate amendment N
order TO bring the question squarely before
the House. This motion took precedence
over that of Mr. Cannon, and was ac-
companied by some sharp interchanges
between the two men.
The proceedings were followed very
closely by members on the floor. and each
development was warmly applauded by
, one or the other faction. During the
wordy controversy between Mr.. Cannon
and Mr.. Dayton for parliamentary advan-
tage, few minutes were yielded by NJ.
Cannon to Mr.. Moody, of Massachusetts,
who made a statement of apology that
brought out round Of applause from the
supporters of Acting Chairman FOss.
Mr.. Moody's Apology.
Il want to say a word or two personal
| TO myself" Mr.. Moody began. Il have
rot infrequently in its debates. ana until
last night no ore could justly accuse me,
and no one in PORT of fact has accused
RE, of saying a word which could be con-
strued as a reflection upon any member
OF this chamber upon either side Of it.
Unfortunately in the heat of debate last
night a single sentence escaped me which
/ cannot recall. but which can only regret
7 in nj
the floor Of this House, as l have done in
private, for the language fully and sin
cerely, and trust that those whose feel
ings were injured by it and the member
ship of this House themselves will. IL not
new. 1T some time accept the apology iii
| the same spirit in which it is offered.
As soon as Mr.. Moody had concluded,
Mr.. Cummings was gwen five minutes
| time by Mr.. Cannon. II hearI with great
| satisfaction the apology of the gentle
man from Massachusetts" said Mr.. Cum
mings. emphatically. 1T is an apology in
my opinion justly due and handsomely
| tcrdered. The conferees on the naval ap-
p.opriation bill had spent days of hard
work in conference with those who are
| known as the most adamaatinc COnferees
| in the Senate. II had won over them TOI
| this House the greatest victory, in my
| Opinion, that has ever Deen obtained iron
| any conferees since the foundation OF the
| government
| The Last Difference In the Bill.
| 1--WE came into conference on this prop
| osition. the last that was left We mad
| them give up three-fourths of their prop
| osition. until il finally receded with Onl!
| one single word-'hydrographic, and tina
| qualified in my opinion, so that it wa
| utterly impossible for the photographic
| Office, or any other Office, TO do NOR
than can be done under this proposition
of the gentleman from Illinois.
An outburst of applause on the Repub
lican side occurred here as Mr.. Cumming
| proceeded: The Chair, under instruction
| of the House, virtually took this matte
out of the hands of the Committee OF
| Naval Affairs and gave it to the Commit
| tee on Appropriations AND what hav
the representatives of that committe
| done? They come into this House prac
| tically violating your instructions, bu
technically keeping them. Rydrographi
survey was qualified by the word 'oceal
| survey and they could have done n
more under those words than will be in
cluded by what the gentleman propose
20 do here. The word photographic ha
been in naval appropriation bills sine
lsis; but the gentleman. in the height O
his Indignation over some letters whic
he had, mOle-like, unearthed and whic
he had retained here-he had Them whe
this proposition first came up but di
not read them-in the height OF his in
dignation, and influenced. possibly by
junketing trip which the Coast and Gee
| detic Survey had given him and some O
his colleagues daughter and applause
saw nj 10 impose upon this House las
night by saying that the word hydro
graphic gave the photographic Office IN
power to 90 out into SinnemahOning an
go upon the river StyN and make SUI
veys. when they knew they were misleaC
ing the House by such a statement. Tn
| photographic Office can make no othe
surveys under the provision that We Ia
than ocean surveys and the ocean SUI
veys would not take in the coasts.
Talked of JaekaIs and Lions.
81 want TO say again, referring to tn
matter of the gentleman from Massachu
sets. / thought We had a jackal n III
House here. Jackals always precede N
I