The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-06
IiIInen Opens Up Extra Session Criticising Speech in House
DEFENDS THE SENATE RULES
Others Take the Matter Up and Gen. sure the Coming Speaker-SeVeral New Senators Sworn In-Gor-
 man Being Given Ovation.

WaSnlngtOn, March 0.-ln oDeulence lo the Presidents proclamation the senate of the Fifty-eighth congress convened in extraordinary session at noon today. An immense crowd witnessed the interesting ceremony. Echoes of the Fifty-seventh congress had not died away. when Presi- dent Pro Tenn. Frye called the body to order, and soon thereafter the senators who were reelected and those who were to take their seats for the first time, with the exception of MT. German, who had seen long service In the senate, were sworn in. Friends and admirers of the senators loaded down their desks with beautiful floral tributes. One of the feat ures of the opening services was an oya- tion accorded MT. German.
 MT. Cannon's speech in the house of representatives early yesterday morning in presenting the conference report on the general deficiency bill in which he charged that the senate conferees had resorted to legislative blackmail and att tackled the rules of the senate, formed the subject of some fervid remarks by MT Tillman and by the senate conferees Messrs. Hale, Allison and Teller
 Mir. Barnes, assistant secretary to the President, appeared in the senate early in the session with a message from the President. The message was not read
 MT. Hoar announced that he intended to move an executive session unless Mr. Tillman decided to speak.
 Tillman Crltcises Cannon.
 MT. Tillman then began his remarks, referring to the speech of MT. Cannon in fla hca4c frI Ia ol,o aofa 1ad remarkable" MT. Tillman said he did not know that there had ever been a similar one delivered in either branch of con gress. He then quoted from MT. Cam non's speech in the house early yester- day morning, in which he gave the reasons for the house conferees receding from their position with respect to the claim of South Carolina of $47,0O0, grow ing out of the war of 1S12-15
 There were two issues, he said, in- volved in that speech one affecting the dignity of the senate and the other affect ing his own official integrity. responsi- bility and personal character. The speech he said, was wholly indefehsible, inde- cent and an outrage" He read from Jeffersons manual regarding the comity that must obtain between two branches of a legislature. and asked whether 1t had not been grossly violated in this case. Power" he said, had made some of these men drunk"
 He then gave a history Of South Caro- linas claim. Answering Mir Cannon's criticism with respect to legislating by unanimous consent, Mr. Tillman said that nothing in the house of representa- tives seems to go except by unanimous consent of a few leaders
 Defines Unanimous Consent.
 "The unanimous consent of the mem- bers," he said. had fallen into innocuous desuetude, and the unanimous consent he speaks of so strenuously here Is the unanimous consent of those in control"
 South Carolina in this matter, he de- clared, had been an outcast with no voice here, and nobody for forty years to ask that she shall receive recognition or justice.
 MT. Tillman quoted the law authorizing the payment of interest on South Caro- lina's claim, and said 1t was that which led the committee on appropriations to act simply because 1t meant to do ong-delayed act of justice to South Carolina and undo the wrong which had been done. That is the cause of this cry of 'blackmail. said he, and which caused the charge that the senate forced the house to make a gift to South Caro- lima of s47,O0O
 Mr.Tillman then said he had the greatest respect for MT. Cannon, who was the watchdog Of the treasury, and had saved the country millions of dollars.
 MT. Cannon had objected to the matter said MT. Tillman, simply because he called t legislation on an appropriation bill. MT. Tillman drew a picture of the scene in the conference while the com mlttee was discussing his item and said: The watchdog of the treasury came ,n shut his massive jaws down on this claim and said: Whenever you all get ready to rub that out wake me m He said he was only speaking meta phorically.
 MT. Tillman then spoke of the determi- nation arrived at by him. q simply shut my Jaws down on the proposition" said he, that I would have that money ar have an extra session. and I was in position, under the rules of the senate to force it..
 Hale Will Let It Pass.
 MT. Hale of Maine said he would let the matter pass into oblivion, disagreea- ble as it was. but it affected him be- cause he had charge of the deficiency bill Speaking very deliberately, MT. Hale said there had been no legislative black mail and that there was no necessity. none whatever said he. speaking with emphasis, flor the conference to be brought into the speech of Mir. Cannon" MT. Hale, to set Mir Tillman right de- clared that he had never visited the con- ference room and that he did not obtrude himself on the committee. The appro- priations committee he said had acted on the ,claim a matter of fair and even-handed justice. MT. Hale said it never has been thought that one house of congress should arraign the other. It has been never thought or said before that the process of one house is black mail and that either house have become so insufferable that one house will preach a crusade against the other with the threat that the people will stand behind the house that makes the proposition.
 MT. Cannons use of the words leg islative blackmaiP ' MT. Hale declared, were unfortunate, improper and a breach of the privileges" He was fol- lowed by MT. Allison, also a member of the conference committee, who said he commended and approved every word Mir Hale had said respecting the re- markable speech made In the other house at the close of the last session."
 The conference, he declared had been conducted in good temper. The senate