Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-27
56TH CONGRESS-.
Considerable Excitement in
Both Senate and House.
lentz Declares His Speech Was
Withheld from the Record.
Senator Allen Makes Sensational Remarks Con.
corning Admiral Sampson.

Washington, Feb. 2G-The House was
tire scene of d sensational incident.
tate, this afternoon, which threw that
body into Il violent state of excitement
FOR an hour the storm ragged, ending
abruptly when an adjournment was
taken, on motion of Payne, the floor
leader of the majority. LentZ, the Ohio
Democrat. stirred the Democrats to a
fever pitch by rising to a question of
privilege and alleging that IA 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 Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio.
by the Speaker. The nature Of the
speech was not developed during the
'eVents that followed. but it was
learned that ii was an attack upon
Senator Hanna and the methods by
which he was elected to the Senate.
The Speaker explained that il had been
to him that the speech Vio-
lated the privileges of the House and
he had directed that ii be withheld un T.
til ne could look over il. Pressure Of
business had prevented him from do
ing so. however. and only 20 minutes
before, he said. he had directed that
the speech go into the record. believ-
ing that if il contained anything Of
fensive it could be stricken out Of the
record by the House later.
Intense excitement followed. Several
points OF order were made by the Re
publicans but the Speaker defined 10
side track the matter in that way,
L. ,l1t a
proposition of some kind must be be
fore the House. Thereupon Richardson,
the Democratic leader. offered a ieso-
luton declaring that the Speaker had
no right to withhold speeches. Again
The question of considerable was rails
"a by Lacey and by IA strict party vote
the House decided not TO consider il.
Amid still greater excitement and con-
fusion Richardson offered another res
CLINTON condemning the Speakers ac-
ton. Again Lacey raised the question
81 consideration ana again by a strict
party vote the House refused to con
S.der it. Al this point further proceed
| ingG were cut .oif by an adjournment
taken on the motion Of paynt. the floor
lead der of the ma joIity, and again sus-
tanned by a strict party vote. The con
troVersy probably Will b. resumed to
morrow.
At the opening of the session Of the
House. today. the Senate. bill to au-
thoriZe the attorney general upon the
request of the secretary of the interior
to appear in suits relative To school
lands was passed.
Payne. chairman of the committee on
ways and means, from that committee
reported the Sulzer resolution calling
upon the secretary of the treasury for
information regarding the imposition
'of countervailing duties on Russian
sugar with the recommendation that it
lie on the table. He entered the motion
to lie on the table. That motion was
not debatable
Sherman, n. Y. presented a partial
conference report upon the Indian APP
preparation bill, which was agreed to.
The House further insisted upon it's
disagreement to the amendments still
in issue except the two irrigation
the Senate.
conference.
second conference report upon the
naval appropriation bill.
Dayton demanded the previous ques-
ton upon the adoption of the report
but the demand was refused As to 16.
The control of the floor then passed to
Hepburn who opposed the feature of
the report accepting the Senate amend
ment relative to the detail of assistant
bureau chiefs in the navy department.
During the course of the debate the
old controversy between admirals
Sampson and Schley was made the
subject of comment by Berry. Ky. He
referred to the long standing contro-
versy and said it was still the evident
purpose of the navy department to
confer the highest honor upon the man
who was "farthest away" at the battle
of Santiago. Berry sent to the clerks
desk and had read Admiral Simpsons
alleged recent letter to Secretary Long
as to the inadvisability of giving war
rant officers in the navy commissions
on account of their lack of social re-
fnement.
Sulzer, N. Y. said he endorsed every
thing Berry had said. He sent to the
clerks desk and had read an editorial
clipping denouncins Admiral Sampson.
The report was then voted down
without division. Hawley, Texas.
moved that the House recede and con-
cur in the Senate amendment authoriZ-
ing the construction of three additional
Holland submarine boats at a cost not
to exceed $4,000 for each boat.
The debate was interrupted by n
rather sensationtional episode. Lentz,
Ohio. rose to a question of privilege
Continued on page 80