Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-12
cANNoN's ARRANGEMENT.

The arraignment against the men,
bers oil the senate and all who make
use of filbustering methods In lesls-
lation made by Congressman Cannon
was one of the most unique speeches
delivered in the house during the last
session of the Fifty-seventh congress.
For years the filbustering methods have
been used by the members OF the SEN
ate, but at no time have the people OF
the country witnessed so complete a
holdup game as that carried out in the
senate during the past two months.
The cause for the arraignment was
found in the action of Tillman of South
{ Carolina, who, upon the conference re-
port on the general deficiency appro-
priation bill, proceeded to talk the
measure to death. AS chairman of the
appropriations committee Chairman
Cannon was especially interested In
the passage OF the measure and real
izing that it was doomed to the legis-
lative graveyard, was more than this
veteran legislator could endure.
at is nothing more or less than legis-
latiye black-mail," said Congressman
Cannon in referring to the intermlnable
speeches, land they must CO..
{" am getting to be somewhat aged
man." declared the next speaker.
II pray God that my life may be spared
until an intelligent and righteous SEN
timent, north and south, east and west
pervading both OF the great parties
will lash anybody into obedience to
the right of the majority rule. Major
ities and minorities shift back and
forth. All, says somebody, did that
work IN reference to the matter OF
statehood, and did you believe in
statehood? | did not believe in state
hood, and am now putting the strong
est case against my own party, but
majority OF the people, voiced in the
senate and the house, had the right
to have its will expressed.
Gentlemen, have made my protest.
LIDO it in sorrow and humiliation, but
there its. And in my opinion another
body under these methods must change
its method of procedure, or our body,
backed by the people, will compel the
change; else this body, close to the
people, shall become mere tenderer
"a mere bender of the pregnant hinges
of the knee, to submit to what any
one member of another body may de-
mand Of this body as a price for legis-
lation."
Though the session had been a pro-
longed one and the hour was nearing
morning the charge made by this veter-
an legislator aroused no uncertain en-
thusiasim among the members of the
house. His Indignation at the sight
OF one man bringing to a standstill the
legislative machinery of this great gov
eminent, and hold it for hours, because
of some real or fancied personal within,
was but that Of the people of the ma
ton. His plea for the time when there
will be no means of interfering with
the rule of the majority, was but the
endorsement of one OF the cardinal
principles OF this government and the
expression Of the desires OF the citi
zens of the United States on this mat
ter. BY the foundation principles of
this government, it is the right OF the
majority to rule, and no man or law
that interferes with the proper appli
cation of that rule should be tolerated
in the legislative halls of the senate
any more than in the other depart,
mentS of the government.