The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-18
POWER OF SPEAKER
NOW LEGISLATION is CONDUCTED
IN CONGRESS.
CUsHMAN's WARM REMARKS.
REPUBLICAN, MEMBER SHOWS UP
STATE OF AFFAIRS.

set Forth by MIR. Cushman of
washington in a Very Vigorous
Address-Scems to Be Worse Than
in Car Reed Days-Republicans
Home to Force Reciprocity Bill
Through To-day.
washington, April 1.-THE general
debate upon the Cuban reciprocity bill
closes tomorrow at o'clock and it is
the intention of the House leaders if
nossibIe to force a final vote upon the
massage of the bill before adjournment
tomorrow night. All day long the lead
srs were counting noses and preparing
generally for the final struggle to-
morrow. The Democrats are SO badly
snlit up on this proposition that a eau
Gus was held tonight.
The opponents of the bill occupied
most of the time of the debate to-day,
the feature being a vigorous speech
by Mr.. Cushman, Republican, of Wash
ington, against the measure. Mr.. Cush-
man arraigned the Committee on Rules
and the House leaders in a breezy and
at times sensational fashion. A portion
of his criticism was in semi-humor-
GUS vein, but some of it was decidedly
caustic.
Mr. DeArmond, one of the leading
Democrats of the House, delivered a
forceful speech in favor of tariff reduc-
ton on trust articles. The other
speakers were Messrs. Pierce of Ten
nessee: w. w. Kitchin of North Car
DINA; Douglass of New York, and
Lacey of Iowa, for the bill, and Messrs
jenkins Of Wisconsin, Gaines of West
Virginia, Warner of Illinois, Gardner
of Michigan, Jones of Washington, and
Loud Of California against it.
Mr. Loud declared that directly and
Indirectly Cuba has already cost the
United States one thousand million
dollars.
DeArmond Was Cnustic.
Mr.. DeArmond of Missouri employ
ed his vitrolic comment upon the atti-
tude of members with. his accustomed
freedom Calling attention to the fact
that members on both sides, whether
they opposed or advocated the measure
justified their course by an appeal to
their party principles, he remarked
that viewed from these diverse stand
points, the measure was indeed a re-
markable departure in legislation. He
commented upon the statement of Gen.
Grosvenor a few days ago that later
the high rates of the Dingley law
would be reduced and revised by the
friends of that act. If the rates were
too high he saw no reason why the
reduction should not occur now, and
in this connection referred sarcastic
cally to the Babcock bill to place steel
on the free list. Its author had voted
against the bill in committee, and he
minated broadly that the purpose Of
its introduction was to hold up the
steel trust and other kindred trusts
for the benefit of his party in the COM
ing campaign.
Mr.. Cushman's Warm Remarks.
Mr. Cushnan declared that ma
jority of the Republicans of the House
We're opposed to the bill, although a
majority were undoubtedly convinced
that it would be better for them to be
in favor of it.
He intimated that the speakers posi-
uon was responsible for the charge of
attitude of many members and fol-
lowed this statement with a very out
spoken and almost sensational criti-
ciSin OF the powers exercised by the
speaker. He declared that he was
prepared to make the statement that
no Dill, public or private, could be con-
Si1ered without the speakers approval,
there is any one here who desires
10 deny that statement Mr.. Cushman
SAID pausing, Il am here to bear val
uaoie testimony for his benefit. Who
Is me speaker of this House who sets
up ms immaculate judgment against
.nat Oh the members?" he asked, and
men proceeded to describe, amid the
applause Of the &c, NJ
HepuDllcans, how bill after its intro
uucuon was finally worked through
,1 ~ to the calendar. "Calendarl
mat IS misnomer. 1t ought
oe called a cemetery. Haughter)
Ut iol thereln lie the whitening bones of
.esSiatlVe hopes Laughter.) When
une Dill is reported. what does the
member who introduced it and who is
asndrged by his constituency to secure
US passage do? Does he consult HIM
Sen about his desire to call it up?
~ ~ Does he consult the committee
edt recommended it? No. Does he
Sohsult the will of the majority of this
nouse! No. l will tell you what he
uoes. He either consents that that bill
nay ole on the calendar, or he puts his
, nnaILlod and his individuality in his
iriVCAet and goes trotting down that
tl..e pathway that leads to the Speak
Az room. Aye the Speakers ROOM
,,a i lhe glory that clustered around the
+ auN OF holes in King Solemon's
1onpie looked like thirty cents (pro-
iionsed laughter and applause)-yes
-oohed like twenty-nine cents, COM
a psied with that jobbing department
la elIs government" applause and
ar ur Cushman then quoted Cassius'
fusion to Caesar as the Colossus of
'ie world, and continued:
House Rules Denounced.
,;, make no onslaught on the indi-
s ruual. l have high regard for the
f dn of this House personally, and
va MN politically, but the fact is that
nave adopted set of rules in this
youy that are an absolute disgrace TO
legislative body of any republic.
T5 ap'ause on the Democratic side)
9srsS.are un-Republican, they are un-
1a+-.aI9ICcratic, they are un-American.
raa pP'duse on the Democratic side.) We
to-da.he patriotic duty in this body
new OIL rising up and formulating a
mead VeciaraFon of independence. We
pats,I 10 restore this House to the great
the lc plane on which the fathers of
div,5 epupHe placed It, where every in
On ual member on this floor stands
ever. equal and an exact plane with
hero other. applause. } We operate
Under a set of rules confessedlv
dwsss to belittle the hopes and
menu. we ambitions of the individual
Tina . OF this body, and at the same
of a., w vest more power. in the hands