Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-04
Retiring Speaker Cheered by
Both Sides.
VOTED HOUSES THANKS
FEW DEMOCRATS WANTED THE
AYES AND NOES
Memorable Scene When the House Ad-
Journed-Legislators Joined in
Singing America"

The decks were clear for the final aAs
Journment at noon when the House recon.
vened at 10 O'clock this morning The
, storm which eliminated early this morning
when Mr.. Cannon delivered his scathing
arradgnment of the methods of the Senate
during the consideration Of the conference
report on the general deficiency approprla-
ton bill, had passed and everything prom
ised a serene and peaceful ending Al
though members had had little more than
time to go home for baths. fresh linen and
breakfast in the interim since the adjourn
ment shortly before daylight, they were
pack IN their places for the closing cere-
monies The leaders on both sides were
among the earliest arrivals
AS Is usual, the scenes in connection with
the closing attracted vast crowds to the
Capitol. They besieged the portals of the
House even before me doors were open,
and when the seats in the galleries were filled
ehey stood in long lines outside waiting pa
tiently for a chance Of admittance. The
veteran chairman of the appropriations
committee Mr. Cannon, with a red carna-
tton in his buttonhoe, came into the hall
with his arm around Mr.. Dalzell just as
Speaker Henderson, whose long career in
Congress was to end in two short hours
ascended the rostrum. The Speaker de.
spite the strain of the last few days. looked
smiling and serene as he faced the House.
gavel in hand. Mr.. Richardson, the minor.
ity leader, who has been conducting tho
long filibuSter, was on his feet smilina
back at the Speaker. The democratic mf-
nority were determined to make good theip
threat, made when Mr. Butler of Missouri
was unseated last Thursday and filibuster
to the end Of the session.
The Monotonous Roll Call.
As soon as the Speakers gavel fell he an.
nounced blandly that no quorum was pres.
ent, and thereupon Mr.. Payne. the majority
leader, moved a call Of the House.
The calling Of the roll, which seemed to
visitors in the galleries to have been going
on continuously for the past week, began.
The buzz of conversation in the galleries,
checked momentarily by the bang Of the
Speakers gavel, was resumed. Members
on the floor talked and laughed, and the
cracked voice of the reading clerk arose
hoarsely above the din The Speaker sey.
eral times was compelled to admonish the
House to preserve order. SO that the clerk
could hear the responses.
As the roll call was concluded a remarkae
BILE scene occurred. Speaker Henderson,
yielded the gavel to Mr.. Cannon. the incom.
ing Speaker. AS the latter took the chatr Z
the members broke into a burst of an.
plause in which the galleries Joined. It was
quite as much a compliment to the retiring
Speaker as to Mr.. Cannon. The Speaker re-
tired to his room in the rear Of the hall
and Mr.. Cannon then announced the motion
for call Of the House defeated. 17-134.
Thanks to Retiring Speaker.
Amid intense silence Mr.. Payne. the ma.
jority leader. then arose and offered the fol.
lowing resolution Of thanks to the retiringi
Speaker: Resolved, That the thanks o.
this House are presented to the Hon. David
B. Henderson, Speaker Of the House Of
Representatives for the able. impartial and
dignified manner in which he has presided
over it's deliberations and performed the 1
arduous and important duties of the chair
AS the reading was concluded Mr.. Coch.
ran (Mo) was on his feet demanding
recognition. but the chair ruled that Mn
Payne was entitled to the floor. The maS
jority leader faced the minority as he an.
nounced that he considered 1t a high honor
and privilege to be permitted to offer this
resolution. pointing out that 1t was not the
first time that such a resolution had come
from the majority side. He cited the I'M (;
stances Of Clay, Polk. Banks and the late J
Speaker Reed.
Mr.. Payne's remarks were as follows:
"Mr. Speaker. feel 1t a high honor and
a high privilege to be permitted to offer
this resolution to the retiring Speaker q
the House of Representatives; and it -
not the first time, Mr.. Speaker, that this
resolution has been offered by a member
Of the majority party, although similar
resolutions have been offered and passed.
by every Congress, commencing with the
first Congress in our history.
There are numerous cases in which the
resolution has met with opposition, in which
there have been votes in opposition, and In
which a member in sympathy politically
with the majority has offered this resou4
ton. In the Fifth Congress such a prece-
dent occurred, when Speaker Dayton waA
retiring; in the Sixth Congress as to
Speaker Sedgewick in the Tenth Congress
to Speaker Varnum; in the Twelfth
Congress when that man who has Illuminated
the history of his country, Henry Clay.
was retiring from the Speakers office Zap.
plause); again in the Twentieth, when
rnd air in
Twenty-ffth Congress, when James x.
Polk laid down the gavel, still he was re-
fused unanimous vote of thanks during
that Congress; in the Thirty-fifth Congress
Speaker Orr; in the Thirty-sixth Congress
Speaker Pennington; In the Forty-seventh
Congress Speaker Keifer, and In the Fifty
first Congress that great Speaker, that
great statesman. that man who. recently
called from the scenes of life, Is mourned
by the nation, Thomas B. Reed Qoud ape
plause). was refused this recognition. And
so we are not without precedent when the
House honors itself by honoring the great
office of Speaker of the House by passing
such resolution as this.
"And of the long line Of Speakers, beare
ing in mind the history Of each of hie
predecessors, what Speaker is more entitled
to this recognition as he lays down the
insignia of his office. for his impartialitys
for his readiness to recognize the oppost-
tion and the members of the opposition, al
well the members of his own party. for
the dignity with which he has conducted
the affairs of his office, for his high char
acter in that Office, than David B. Hendef~
son." prolonged applause on the republi.
can side)
Democrats Net Responsive.
AS he concluded with a glowing tribute
to Speaker Henderson the whole republican
side broke into hearty applause. But there
was dead silence the democratic side.
When Mr.. Payne demanded the previous
question and Speaker Pro Tenn. Cannon put
the question there was a second of oppres.
sive silence. All eyes were on the demo.
cratic side
From the rear row Mr.. Cochran (Mo.y
arose quickly and in a loud voice cried
Division and then the .'ayes and noes"
From the republican side came si5ilant
sound like hiss.
'.The gentleman from Missouri demands
the ayes and noes" announced the chair.
'.As many as are In favor OF ordering the
ayes and noes viii rise and stand until they
are counted.
Mr.. Cochran was already on his feet. Mr..