The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-27
AN IMPORTANT AMENDMENT
PHILIPPINE CLAUSE IN THE ARMY
BILL CHANGED AGAIN.
Restrictions to BE Placed ON the Sale
of Lands and the Granting Of
Franchises and Concessions.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The House was
the scene Of a sensational incident late
this afternoon which threw that body into
a violent state Of excitement. For an hour
the storm ragged. ending abruptly when an
adjournment was taken, on motion Of Mr.
Payne, the floor leader of the majority
Mr. Lentz, an Ohio Democrat. who has
created many sensations during his serv-
ice in the House, stirred the Democrats
TO fever pitch by rising to question
OF privilege. and alleging that a speech
he had turned over to the public printer.
under general leave TO print, had been
withheld from the record and had been
turned over to General Grosvenor. Of Ohio.
by the speaker. The nature OF the speech
was not developed during the events that
followed. but it was learned that IT was
an attack upon Senator Hanna and the
methods by which he was elected to the
Senate. The speaker explained that II had
been represented to him that the speech
violated the privileges of the House. ana
he had directed that 1t should be withheld
until he could look over it. Pressure OF
business had prevented him from doing 50,
however, and only twenty minutes before
he said. he had directed that the speech
81 iitO tue i<tOAds DtAtf4hb AAoN a. - ~~f<*-
tanned anything offensive it could be strick-
en- out of the record by the House later.
Intense excitement followed. Several
points of order were made by Republicans.
but the speaker declined to sidetrack the
matter in that way. holding however. that
10 proceed a proposition of some kind must
be before the House. Thereupon Mr.. Rich
ardson, the Democratic leader. offered a
haf fha Eer "a
no right TO withhold speeches. Against
this the question of consideration was
raised by Mr.. Lacey. and by a strict party
vote the House decided not TO consider IL
Amid still greater excitement and con-
fusion Mr.. Richardson offered another
resolution condemning the speakers action
in strong terms and directing that the
speech be delivered forthwith" TO the
public printer. Again Mr.. Lacey raised
the question OF consideration. and again
by strict party vote the House refused TO
consider 1T. At this point further pro-
ceedings were cut of by an adjournment
taken on motion OF Mr.. Payne. the floor
leader of the majority. and again sustained
by a strict party vote The controversy
probably will be resumed tomorrow.
Earlier in the day partial conferences
| report on the Indian appropriation bill was
agreed TO and the bill was sent back 20
| conference. The Western members msde
an Intellectual effort to accept the Senate
amendment appropriating 100000 for irrl-
cation experiments on the ella river In
Arizona, but they were defeated--5S TO 81.
The conference report on the naval bill
was beaten on account Of the item creating
| assistant chiefs of bureaus In the Navy
Department. and motion 10 accept the Sen
ate amendment authorizing the construc-
ton OF three additional submarine boats
| was pending when the row above-mcn-
toned was precipitated by Mr.. Ientz