Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-06
ANYTHING But LOVE TAPS
Littlefsld and Hopkins Exchange Singing
Oratorioal Blows in the House,
BURltleA REPORT PREcIPITATEs DEBATE
Man from Maine Argues Against the
Reapportionmen Bill of the Cen
sus Committee because Some
states Lose Representation.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-The feature OF
| the debate upon the reapportionment bill
in the house today was two-hour speech
| by Mr. Littleneld OF Maine in favor of the
| Burleigh bill to increase the membership
OF the house to 1856. He had a number of
sharp exchanges with Mr.. Hopkins, chair
man Of the census committee. In which he
sustained his reputation as hard hitter
and vigorous debater. The other speakers
today were Messrs. Shattuc, republican of
Ohio; Kluttz, democrat of North Carolina;
Fox, democrat OF Mississippi; Sutherland,
popullst of Nebraska; Linney, republican
of North Carolina; olmsted. republican OF
Pennsylvania, and Mers, democrat of Ih-
diana.
| During the course Of the day Mr.. Hop
kins expressed a willingness to accept an
amendment to his bill which would give
additional representative each sto Florida,
| Colorado and North Dakota, the three
states with majority fractions unrecognizcd
| in his bill. He claims assured victory for
his bill. but the advocates Of the Burleigh
bill insist almost as confidently that the
Hopkins bill will be beaten.
| Speaker Henderson was again delayed at
home by illness and Mr.. Dalzell Of Penn
! sylvania, by designation of the speaker,
presided. The debate upon the reapportion-
1
Maine was the first speaker. He declared
that the Hopkins bill could be properly en-
| titled IAN act to cripple the state of Maine
| In its representation in the house and In
| the electoral college," He resented what
| he termed Mr.. Hopkins assault" upon the
state Of Maine.
| Charges of Pettifo9ging.
| Mr.. Littlefeld sarcastieally called Mr.
| Hopkins attention to the men, who, like
Lovejoy and Fuller, had gone to Illinois to
| give distinction to that state. Yet he
said, "the gentiemans speech yesterday was
saturated with pettfogging assault upon
Maine
"If there is any member of the house who
| is an expert on pettifogging 1t is the gen.
tleman from Maine" retorted Mr.. Hopkins
| "The gentleman from Maine" replied
| Mr.. Littlefeld never defended a criminal
but he has prosecuted several and he is
prosecuting one now" daughter and ap-
plause.)
THAT is Just the sort of remark
should have expected from the gentleman
Judging by his previous course upon this
floor" answered Mr.. Hopkins.
| The report of the minority was, Mr.. Lit
tlefeld said, that no state should lose a
| representative under the new apportion-
ment.
MIR. Littleield called attention to the
paradoxes Of Mr.. Hopkins system of COM
putatons. The system seemed designed
he said, to play battledore and shuttiecock
with the state of Maine. "In it goes and
out It goes" said he, whether the repre-
sentation goes up or down"
"The Burlelgh bill is predicated upon
the same process" retorted Mr.. Hopkins.
After a sharper exchange than usual
| nit NJ he nhai oLl
call them to order and to call attention
to the rule which provides that the gentle
man on the floor cannot be interrupted
without the consent of the chair and also
| to the rule that members cannot address
each other by the second persons. 1.-The
gentleman has already interrupted me
about twenty-five times in violation Of the
rule" observed Mr.. Littlefeld as he was
about 20 resume.
"And the gentleman from Maine has yio-
lated the rule with reference to the sec
ond person about fifty times" excla ;med
Mr.. Hopkins
"The gentleman is becoming exceedingly
technical and sensitive" retorted Mr.. Lit
tletield.
Hopkins, Too, is Sarcastic.
IL Will refer to him later in the third
person and later still / anticipate that he
will have shrunk sufficiently to permit me
to refer to him In the fourth or fifth per-
son, and perhaps in the end can ellmi-
nate him altogether" daughter and ap-
plause)
Proceeding. Mr.. Littlefield argued that
the constitution in providing for decennial
apportionment contemplated an Increase of
the membership until the house should be-
come unwieldy. The increase was neces-
sary to keep pace with the growth of popu-
lation.
Mr.. Shattuc Of Ohio followed Mr.. Little
field. He insisted that in making the re-
apportionment the representation should
be reduced in all states whore tho right to
vote is abridged. He claimed ten states
abridged the suffrage to an average Of 20
per cent. They were: California, TT per
cent; Connecticut, 5.3 per cent; Delaware,
14.3 per cent; Louisiana. ass per cent
Maine, SO per cent; Massachusetts, SO per
cent; Mississippi, 40 per cent North Caro-
lima, 1851 per cent; South Carolina, As per
cent, and Wyoming, S,4 per cent
Mr.. Kluttz of North Carolina a member
Of the census committee, argued in favor
Of the Hopkins bill. He favored 357 be-
cause he thought the house was already
large enough and because on that basis
there would be no partisan advantage to