Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-20
PLAY WITH WHEELER SPEECH
House Members Still Find Amusement with
Alleged "Flunk,yism"
soUrtlL REPLIES IN A HUMOROUS VEN
Traces the Kentuckisn's '"Truculent
sycOphancy, to the House OF simon
Pure Democracy Amid
Applause.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-Again today the
general debate on the Indian appropriation
bill was devoted almost entirely to ex-
traneous topics. As on yesterday, the issue
raised by Mr.. Wheeler of Kentucky a few
days ago came in for considerable attention
and was the feature of the session. Mr..
Bromwell, an Ohio republican; Mr.. Kern,
an Illinois democrat, and Mr.. Fleming, a
Georgia democrat, added their views to the
literature Of the subject. but 1t was Mr..
Boutell. an Illinois republican, who enser.
tanned the house most. He was we'll
fortified with material, and with exceeding
good temper and a trenchant display Of
wit he traced the history of what Mr..
Wheeler had called "truoulent sycophancy,"
as he said, from the day the first democrat
purchased a bogus coat-of-arms from Queen
Lilioukalani, by the last democratic presi-
dent. He finally dismissed the whole sub
ject by saying it should be accepted abroad
as one of the ~'erratic and sporadic phases
Of American humor." &
Hamilton on Trusts.
Mr.. Hamilton, a Michigan republican, en-
liyened the session with an entertaining
speech on trusts. The other speakers were
Mr.. Little OF Arkansas, who discussed con-
ditions in the Indian Territory; Mr.. Cor
liss OF Mississippi, who spoke of the Pa
cinc cable; Mr.. Timmins Of Texas, on
statehood for Oklahoma; Mr.. Sulzer Of New
York, on increased pay for letter carriers;
Mr.. Fitzgerald Of New York, on the educa-
ton Of the Indians; Mr.. Jackson Of Kan
sas, on the election of senators by the
people, and Mr.. Newlands of Nevada, on the
bill to redeem silver dollars in gold.
Mr.. Corllss of Michigan delivered the
second installment of his speech in favor
Of the building of a government cable to
the Philippines. He argued against any
consideration of the Commercial Gable
c~ompany's offer to build a cable from San
Francisco to Manila, denouncing the cor
p~oration as an ally of the Eastern Exten-
sion Cable company, whose allied lines, he
said, embraced a system which aggregates
nearly 10000 nautical miles of cable, COW
ering the most extensive and powerful cable
and telegraph monopoly in the world.
Extend Present Monopoly.
He said their lines reached every con-
tlnent, except North America, and the pur-
pose Of the union with its American ally,
the Commercial Pacific Cable company, is
to e~ncircle the globe and to extend the in
fuence and advantage Of its present mo-
nopoly in the Pacific ocean and far east.
What have you to say to the allegation
Interrupted H. @. Smith Of Michigan. "that
your bill is in the interest Of the Western
Union Telegraph company"
Mr.. Corliss replied that he was glad the
question had been asked, he said: I'm the
Fifty-ffth congress the Pacific Gable com.
pany and the Commercial were seeking leg.
~islation for the privilege of constructing q
s~ubsidy4fed cable He had then con.
tended, he said. that If two great com.
panies. wanted the privilege 1t should b,
given to, the, lowest, and best bidder, or thai
O, government cable should be built. At tina
time, he said, the Western Union opposed
his idea and the Postal encouraged til,
idea of a government cable. The Postal ant
the Commercial had formed an alliance
with the Eastern company and was nov
opposed to a government cable. The West
ern Union and Atlantic Cable company wer'
now Threatened with a monopolhstic cabl,
combination.
For Popular Vote.
Mr.. Jackson of Kansas spoke in favor o
agitation against the senate to compel it L
rass the joint resolution for a constitutions
amendment for the election Of senator's b!
direct popular vote.
Mr.. Kern of Illinois, who announced tina
he represented a large German constit
uency and was himself a son of German
parents, protested against the attempt t
make political capital out Of the recen
speech Of Representative Wheeler, whicl
he characterized as an Insignificant Incl
dent"
MI. Boutell of Illinois congratulated Mr.
Kern on his accession to the band OF Amer
- ~
ranked so high. Mr.. Boutell then pro
ceeded with delicate humor, to trace tn
origin Of what Mr.. Wheeler had callet
"truculent sycophancy." First, he read
letter written by Thomas Jefferson In It'll
in which he authorized the purchase Of
coat Of arms for him, and from anothe
written four years later, in which he sal,
he would rather be dependant on Great Brit
ain than any other country or than none.
Down to Martin Van Buren,.
Then he passed. down to the days of Mar
tin Van Buren, and told Of the visit of hi
son John to the court Of ST. James, whicl
earned for him the sobriquet 'Princl
John by which he was known afterward
Mr.. Boutell said he felt sure hat when tn
daughter Of the president returned from tn
coronation of King Edward she would no
be known as princess Alice"
Mr.. Bouteli caused great amusement b,
reading a published account of the tour o
the United States by the Grand Duk
Alexis in 1871. dwelling upon the details o
his visit to Kentucky. where he was re
ceived "ofieially' and with great state
With exceedingly good temper he concludes
by expressing the hope that what had oc
CURED in the house within the last 'weel
other evidence of the erratic and sporadi
form which American humor sometime
took in the American house OF representa-
tives.
Mr.. Fleming of Georgia closed the incl
dent with a few remarks, explaining
wherein he took issue with Mr.. Wheeler.
General debate on the Indian appropria