Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-05
CANNON MAKES A THREA7
Sounds Warning Note Against En-.
croachment of Senate.

croachment of Senate.
Washington, March 5.-The confer
ence report on the general deficiency
Dill, the last appropriation bill, was
presented in the house at o'clock this
morning by Cannon. In brief speech
Cannon protested against Legislative
| blackmail," by which the house con-
ferees had been compelled to yield to
the dictatton of single senator (Till-
MANI and accept an appropriation of
| $4,000 to pay an alleged claim of
South Carolina against the govern
ment. The speech aroused the house
| to pitch of genuine enthusiasm which
mad not been witnessed in the house
during this congress. An officer of the
government, he said has ascertained
the claim amounted to only 81 cents,
yet upon the alternative of this gift
from the treasury, or the failure of the
great appropriation bill, the house had
submitted to this "blackmail"
The report was adopted, Isl to l6,
until 10.
Called It BIackmail.
Mr. Cannon will be the next speaker
of the house. His speech Is regarded
as foreshadowing contest upon the
question Of the right of the majority to
rule. He said in part:
Gentlemen: You know that under
the practice Of the house and under
the rules of the senate the great money
plils can contain nothing but appro-
pratlons In pursuance of existing law,
unless by unanimous consent of both
bodies.
If any Of these bills contains legis-
lation. 1t must be by unanimous con-
/ sent of the two bodies; and the uniform
practice has been, With the exception
OF one amendment upon this bill, that
when one body objected to legislation
proposed by the other upon an appro-
priat!on bill. the body proposing the
legislation recedes.
In this case the trouble in arriving
at an agreement all clustered about the
amendment to pay the state of South
Carolina $4,000. In May last, In the
omnibus claim bill, basis was fixed
for adjustment of the accounts of vtr-
ginia, Baltimore and South Carolina
with the United States growing out of
the war Of 1912. The auditing officers
OF the treasury. in pursuance of that
laW' adjusted the accounts of Virginia.
An indefinite appropriation was made
70 pay the respective states whatever
should be found due by the auditing
ofHcers- Upon that basis and under
lhtto legislation the sum of 100000, in
ginia.
Under the same law. which is the
law today. the auditing officers found
due to the state Of South Carolina the
sum of 81 cents. Now the senate NOT
withstanding this law, proposed legis-
1ation on an appropriation bill, to the
extent Of granting South Carolina
$4,000. 0i''''l
House conferees objected. and the
whole long delay has been over that
one item. In the house, without criti-
clslng either side or any Individual
member, we have rules sometimes in
Noked by our democratic friends and
sometimes by ourselves. In another
pody there are no such rules In am
other body legislation is had by unani-
nous consent. An Individual member
of that body can rise In his place and
aalR ror one hour or twelve hours. 1t
IS matter of history that senator on
me republican side in the former con-
Press talked to death the river and
harbor bill. There comes a time con-
Ftantly in settling of bills when YOU
must do SO and SO. or SO and So or else
your Dill cannot pass; and this with
reference to the great money bills. In
my opinion such a condition existed as
to this bill. and clustered about this
one amendment. There was also an
amendment put on to the bill In an
other body, which involved legislation
to the extent Of granting to the state
or Vermont $150,000 in adjustment of
ner war claims. The senate recedad:
but Your conferees were unable to get
me senate to recede upon this gift
from the treasury against the law to the
state Of South Carolina.
Senate Is a Despot.
"By unanimous consent another BODY
legtslates and in the expiring hours Of
the session we are powerless, without
mat unanimous consent Help me,
Cassius. or sink Unanimous consent
comes to the center Of the dome. 1t
comes through statuary hall and to
the house DOORS and 1t comes practical
~ to the house. We can have no legis-
lation without the approval of both
bodies; and one body, in my opinion.
cannot legislate without unanimous
consent. Your conferees had the alter
native Of submitting to legislative
blackmail, at the demand. in my
opinion. of one Individual shall not
say WHEREOF Of letting these great
money bills fail. Now. what are we
going to do about 1t? This bill con-
talns many important matters; your
appropriations for public buildings;
legislation lately had all along the line
of public service to the extent of $780,
100000 Gentlemen, / have made my
protest. do 1t in sorrow and in humil-
ation. but there 1t is; and in my opinion
another body, under these methods,
must change It's method of procedure,
or our body, backed up by the people,
will compel change. Else this body,
close to the people, shall become a mere
tenderer, mere bender of the preg-
nant hinges OF the knee, to submit to
what any member of another body may
demand Of this body as price for legis.
alton"