The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-05
AIMED AT TILLMAN
WAS A FIERCE SPEECH IN THE
HOUSE BY CANNON.
is LEGISLATIVE BLACKMAIL
WHEN CLAIMS ARE FORCED BY
ONE INsIsTENT VOICE.

weighed Against the Custom of the
Senate Demanding Unanimous
Consent for the Passage of a
Measure-TaIked of the South
Carolina War Claim, which Was
Really but 81 Cents-Had Been So
Figured Out.
Washington, March 4.-The speech of
Representative Cannon, chairman of
the Appropriations Committee, deliver
ed after $3.50 o'clock this morning in
the House, on conference report on
the general deficiency appropriation
bill, protesting against Legislative
blackmail," and insisting on the right
of a majority to rule in the Senate. in
view of the fact that he is to be the
Speaker of the next House, is regard
ed as foreshadowing contest upon
this question.
The scene when Mr.. Cannon delivered
this speech was the most remarkable
of this Congress. in the House. Late
as the hour was; the weary members
were set on fire with enthusiasm and
they cheered his utterances until the
great hall resounded with their shouts.
Mr.. Cannon said:
Gentlemen know that under the
practice of the House and under the
rules of the Senate the great money
bills can contain nothing but appro-
priations in pursuance of existing law,
unless by unanimous consent of both
bodies. If any of these bills contains
legislation 1t must be by unanimous
consent of the two bodies; and the uni
form practice has been-so far as
know-that invariable practice has
been, with the exception of one amend
ment upon this bill, that when one
body objected to legislation proposed
by the other upon an appropriation
BILL the body proposing the legisla-
ton recedes.
The south Carolina Claim.
"In this case the trouble in arriv-
ing at an agreement all clustered about
one amendment. There were many
amendments of a legislative character
proposed by the Senate; there were
many amendments covering hundreds
of thousands of dollars of claims pure
and simple, proposed by the Senate.
One by one the legislative provisions
| and the claims Disappeared as the Sem
i
| amendment to pay the state of South
| Carolina $4,000.
"A word as to that. In May, last,
on the omnibus claim bill, basis was
| fixed for the adjustment of the ac-
counts of Virginia and Baltimore and
South Carolina, with the United States,
growing out of the war of 1S12-15 The
auditing officers of the treasury, In
pursuance of that law, adjusted the
accounts of Virginia An indefinite
appropriation was made to pay the
respective states whatever should be
found due by the auditing officers.
Upon thas basis, and under that Leg
islation, the sum of 100000 in round
numbers has been paid to the state of
Virginia.
Under the same law, which is The
law to-day, the auditing officers in the
adjustment of accounts of the war of
1912, found due to the state of South
Carolina the sum of "a cents. Now, the
Senate of the United States. notwith-
standing the law, proposed legisla-
ton on an appropriation bill to the
extent of granting to the state of
South Carolina $4,000. The House
conferees objected, and the whole long
delay has been over that one item.
How IL Is In the House.
an the House of Representatives,
without criticising either side or any
individual members, we have rules,
sometimes invoked by our Democratic
friends and sometimes by ourselves
each responsible to the people after all
said and done-by which a majority,
right or wrong, mistaken or other
wise, can legislate. In another BODY
there are no such rules. In another
body legislation is had by unanimous
consent. In another body an individ-
ual member of that body can rise in
his place and talk for one hour, two
hours ten hours, twelve hours. It is
q mattery of history that a senator on
the Republican side, in a former Con-
gress, talked to death a river and har-
Dor bill
There comes a time constantly in
the settling of bills when you must DO
so and so, or so and so, else your bill
cannot pass, and this with reference
to the great money bills In
my opinion such condition existed as
to this bill, and clustered about this
one amendment There was also an
amendment put on the bill in another
body, which involved legislation to the
extent of granting to the state of Yer
mont $150,000 In adjustment of her war
claims. The Senate receded, but your
conferees were unable to get the Senate
to recede upon this gift from the
treasury, against the law, to the state
of South Carolina.
Unanimity Needed In the senate.
by unanimous consent another body
legislates, and in the expiring hours
of the session we are powerless with
out that unanimous consent. Help me.
Cassius, or l sinki' Unanimous consent
comes to the center of the dome:
unanimous consent comes practically
to the House. We can have no legis-
lation without approval of both Sides
and one body, IN my opinion. cannot
legislate without unanimous consent,
There was the alternative in my opin-
ion. to be applied not only to the de-
ficiency bill, but to the naval. bin, or
an agreement as to the naval bin.
Your conferees had the alternative of
submitting to Legislative blackmail at
the demand, In rpy opinion, of one in
dividualAI shall not say WHEREOF Of
letting these great money bills fail.
Now, what are we going to do about
It? This bill contains many important
matters-your appropriations for pub
lie buildings, legislation lately had all
along the line Of the public service, TO
the extent OF 1000, 900.
VIII Appeal 90 the People.
NOW, have taken the House into
my confidence touching this matter, as
Il Is my duty 10 DO / am getting 10
be a somewhat aged man. I pray God
that my life maybe spared until an IN.
telllgent and a righteous sentiment,
North and South, East and West, per-
vading both OF the great parties. will
lash anybody into obedience into the
right Of the majority 10 rule. Major