The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-12
HOT TIMES IN HOUSE
.rs PREROGATIvEs TRAMPLED
UPON By SENATE.
WARM SPEECHES MADE
THE GAME BADLY BUNGLED BY
THE CONGRESsaEN.

Instead Conference Was Asked
sor-The House Claims Paramount
night over Revenue Legislation.
Tovxney of Minnesota Makes Hot
ArYument-SuIzer Stirs Up "a BOer-
british Discussion, and Makes an
Attack on Assistant Postmaster
General Heath.
Washington, Feb. n.-This was field
dav in the House, being by far the live
rcst day during the present session. A
,,ary interesting debate over the constitu-
tional limitations on the power of the
eeratA over revenue legislation initiated
IN, the House, was precipitated when Mr..
Pavne. the chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, brought in the resolu-
+ion of the committee to disagree to the
substitute proposed by the Senate as an
amendment to the war revenue reduction
act and to ask for a conference with the
Senate. Mr. Tawney of Minnesota cham
nioned the course of the House and its
paramount right over revenue legislation,
but was unfortunate in not bringing for
ward a resolution to return the bill to
Senate had transcribed its power in sub
stituting an entirely new measure for the
bill of the House.
The subsequent debate showed that had
this course been adopted the proposition
would have commanded a large vote. IN
stead, however, he insisted upon divis-
ion of the resolution, and after the first
portion-to disagree-had been adopted he
made the point of order that the second
motion was not in order because the Sem
ate in its substitute, had invaded the con-
stitutional perogative of the House. The
result was that the members were not
confronted with the direct issue and the
House voted 233 to So, to ask for con-
ference.
Mr. Tawney in his contention that the
Senate had violated the constitution,
spoke in impassioned tones and his words
brought several Republicans to their feet.
Mr. Hopkins interrupted Mr.. TawneY
to declare that in his opinion the consti-
tuition had not been violated. In effect
the Senate's proposition was only an
amendment.
Mr. Richardson of Tennessee, made the
point that Mr.. Tawney's point of order
came too late, the House already having
considered the Senate substitute by de-
Gliding to non-concur in it.
Mr. Payne, chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, pointed out that every
1 item in the Senate substitute would have
4 been germane as an individual amend
ment to the original House bill, but he
said the point of Mr.. Tawney could not
be made parliamentary practice That
question was one for the consciences of
3 members, not for the Speaker 20 decide.
\ ExSpeaker Grow of Pennsylvania, and
Dr. DazeH of Pennsylvania, took the
same view.
n Mr. Bailey of Texas, contended that the
proper method of procedure would have
been to return the bill to the Senate with
n the declaration that it had transcribed
4 its power.
The Speakers Decision.
Speaker Henderson at this point gave
his ruling. Two points of order were
pending. First, the constitutionality of
the Senate's action; second, the point that
4 the point of order came too late. IL the
/ latter could be made at all, it could be
made at any time. AS to the former, he
said, it had been decided again and again
that the question was one for the House
not the Speaker to decide. He, therefore,
overruled the point of order. This left
the question as to whether the House
t'toe'lN eiSh LOI d COulGIthCe DtlOIS lllt
House The Speaker decided it was de-
batabe.
MIR. Richardson of Tennessee suggested
that just as relief from the enormous war
tax burden was about to be realized, a
hne-drawn parliamentary issue was
raised
Mr.. Payne demanded the previous ques-
ton Which was ordered, without division
MI Richardson demanded the yeas and
mo 10
ence Of the Senate.
The motion was carried 233 to 49,
The House went into Committee of the
Whole and resumed the consideration of
the diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill.
Sulzcr Put His Foot i'm 1t.
Later in the day during the consdera-
Ton Of the diplomatic and consular bill
an impassioned pro-Boer speech by Mr.
Suizer OF New York. drew from Mr.. Ma
non OF Pennsylvania, a recital of the rails
ing OF fund of about 1900 for the bene-
III OF the widows of Boer soldiers at a
meeting held in this city at which Mr.
edlzer presided. He declared that after
the terrapin and cold bottles get in their
work only SIS was left for the Boer
widows
Ihis stung Mr. Suzer to reply at length
ne SAID he had no connection with the
7AePehdlture of the fund, to which he had
couu ibuted $l75, and a very lively row
Aollo~ed, the Climax of which was reach
ca When Mr.. Sulzer had read an anony-
.nous letter, which made a sensational
personal attack upon Mr. Perry S. Heath
e taee assistant postmaster general. who
was ~as secretary of the Republican National
Lonnhlttee during the recent campaign,
ouais slng him with being Neely's sponsor
@uo mo then denying it after the arrest of
neo'y ~, land also making allegations against
~ meath IN connection with government
ueposlts in New York bank. Mr.. Sulzer
SIar sed Mr.. Heath with being responsible
80 ~ lhe circulation OF the stories about
is B connections with the fund for the
Boer widows.
mt' Knox Of Massachusetts,, declared
Ia. " was Contemplate" to attack a
Sesenuefnan who could not reply, through
IN, ~ medium of an anonymous letter, and
aS'eu mat the infraction Of the rules be
hp0'eo to the House and stricken from
-, 'ecord. In the course of the debate
,itL ms motion Mr.. Suizer declared that
r,o,'ou ush the communication was anony-
,,(,,t, ne tathered every word OF It, and
A ~ ~ oe responsible for Il as a member
Da,,.. House, end as an individual. The
10 laIs hllbustered against the motion
sior.ip uhge the letter from the Congress
io,,rr,.- record, and finally forced an ad-
nI,t,i,lnent' the effect being TO permit
auon OF the letter in the Record.
boer-Britisb Discussion.
nf fitzgerald OF Massachusetts, apropos
al f.a