The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-04
STOOD BY PRESIDENT
HOUSE SAID HE HAD RIGHT TO APP
POINT COMMISSION.
APPROPRIATED $4,000 FOR 1T
BENTON OF MISSOURI MADE
STRONG OBJECTIONS.

Republicans and Many Democrats
Thought the President Justified In
Appointing the Coal Strike Conn
mission and CONNIE nded Him for
Having Done So - Congressman
Benton Regarded the Action ms
Contrary to the COnStitution-Can-
non Advocated the Appropriations
Washington, Dec. 3.-The House to-
day passed the bill to appropriate $780,
900 to defray the expenses of the An
thracite Coal Strike Commission and
then adjourned until Friday, when the
London dock charge bill will be con-
sidered.
There were two hours of discussion
on the commission bill, during which
the Presidents course in creating the
commission was highly commended.
except by Mr.. Benton, Democrat, of
Missouri, who contended that the
commission was created without au-
thority of law or constitution. There
was some criticism of the feature of
the bill allowing double salaries to
members of the commission now in
government employ. and because the
bill left the amount of the compensa-
ton of the members to the President.
But all amendments were voted down,
and the bill was passed without divis-
ion.
Before the discussion began, Mr..
Gaines of Tennessee stated that he de-
sired to offer an amendment. The chair
having ruled that amendments were
not in order at this time, Mr.. Cannon,
in charge of the bill, agreed that the
amendment should be read for infor-
nation. 1t proved to be an amendment
to place anthracite coal on the free
list
81 presume the eleventh command
ment might also be read" remarked
Mr.. Cannon sententiously, and he pro-
ceeded to say that he had no desire
to discuss the bill. 1t showed on its
face what it was. 1t merely provided
for the payment of the expenses OF
the Coal Strike Commission.
BentOn's Stand Against 1t.
Mr.. Benton of Missouri a member
of the Appropriations Committee. to
whom Mr.. Cannon yielded, declared
that he could not support the bill
AS an original proposition containing
authority for the creation of a COM
mission to settle the coal strike, Il
would have received his support. But
this bill proposed to place in the
Presidents hands $4,000 for the pay
ment of the expenses of a commission
for which there was no authority
statutory or constitutional. The Presi-
dent had no legal authority for the
creation of the commission. If he could
appoint a commission to settle the coal
strike without law he could appoint
a commission 10 settle our commercial
or trade relations with Germany, or
| any other sort of commission that
seemed good to him.
II know" said Mr.. Benton, that to
refer to the constitution is eto place
myself in the role of a back number
Nevertheless, 1 do have respect for the
constitution and the laws, and do not
approve of this sort of proceeding"
do you think the President should
have waited until Congress enacted a
law for the creation of a commission p
asked Mr.. Homerway of Indiana.
President Acted UnIayvfuIIy.
"I believe it was unlawful for the
President to act as he did," replied
Mr. Benton, ana ne proceeded 10 say
that his second objection to the bill
was that it placed 900 in the Pres
ident's hands without any Limitation
whatever.
Mr.. Livingston of Georgia and Mr.
Underwood of Alabama supported the
bill, although they agreed that the
Presidents action was irregular. Mr.
Bartlett of Georgia said the President
had acted periodically. Mr.. Cochran
of Missouri. Mr.. Feeley of Illinois, Mr..
Gaines of Tennessee and Mr.. Maddox
of Georgia endorsed the action of the
President.
Mr.. Cannon, in charge of the bill,
argued that it should pass in the
form in which it was presented. If
the Presidents action had been with
out authority of law or constitution,
Mr.. Cannon said, 1t had been taken in
response to an overwhelming public
sentiment 81 sometimes think" he
said, that a just and righteous pub
lie sentiment coming up from the whole
country of S0,000,00O people which be-
gets action is for the express purpose
it represents larger than, the consti-
tuition"
The bill was then passed without d.
vision, although there were several
\dissenting voices on the Democratic
Side. The House adjourned until Fri
day.