The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-28
HOT IN The HOUSE
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AT
DAGGERS DRAWN.
OVER EXPULSION OF BUTLER
DEMOCRATS BLOCK THE REPUBLI-
CAN LEGISLATION.

Congressman FIem1ng introduced n
Resolution Protesting Against the
Unseating of Butler When There
was no Quorum Present at the
Time the Vote Was Taken-DeAr-
mOnd Scored the other side-DaI-
yell the Particular object of tint
DispIeasure of the Democrats.
Washington, Feb. 10.-The Democrats
of the House to-day carried out their
threat, made yesterday. that if Mr..
Butler was unseated they would do
everything in their power to block
legislation from now until Congress ex-
pires. March 4.
The result was another stormy ses-
sion, prolonged from II o'clock this
morning until almost o'clock this
evening. Roll call succeeded roll call,
and at every pause party passion man.
ifested itself in bitter and acrimonious
denunciation.
Two special rules were brought in to
expedite appropriation bills and to con-
tinue the legislative day of yesterday
in order to reduce as much as possible
the minoritys power to obstruct legis-
lation. During the debate on the rules
the Democrats voiced their condemna-
ton of what they denominated as the
outrageous action OF the chair. The
Republicans declared that they were
willing to assume responsibility for
what they had done, and explained the
necessity" of the drastic rules pre-
scented to-day
Mr.. Dalzen declared that unless this
course was pursued the Democrats
could consume 1877 hours. or seventeen
legislative days, on roll calls on the
Senate amendments to the apprOprla-
ton bills.
Death KneIl of Measures.
1t was agreed on both sides that
the present situation sounded the death
knell of practically everything except
the appropriation bills. The friends
of the omnibus public building bill,
who yesterday were threatening to de-
feat the rules if they were not modi-
fed to include their measure, were
placated by a promise, which it was
understood was given, that their bill
would be covered by a special rule to
be brought in later.
All overtures from the Republican
side to the Democrats to induce the
latter To, abandon their hhhusteHa have.
been fEuitless, and there is every tr-
dication that they will continue their
present tactics to the end of the ses-
sion.
During the early part of the ses-
sion Mr.. Fleming Democrat, of Geor-
gia. rising to a question of the high
est privilege, sent to the clerks desk
and had read the following resoIu-
ton:
FIeming's Resolution.
Whereas, it appears from the Con-
gressional Record of Feb. 26, 1903, that
by actual count and announcement by
the Speaker pro tempore quorum was
not present when the resolutions were
voted upon declaring that James j..
Butler was not elected and that George
c. r. Wagner was duly elected
representative of the Fifty-seventh
Congress from the Twelfth Missouri
district and that the point of no quo
rum was duly raised upon the vote
on each of said resolutions, and that
the same in each instance was over
ruled by the Speaker pro tenn in vio-
lation of the constitution, the rules of
the House and practice of all parlia-
mentary bodies,
Resolved, That the announcement
by the Speaker pro TEN. that said res
olutions were adopted was in fact I'M
true, and that the said James Butler
is still entitled to his seat in this
Wagner is not now entitled to the
same"
DaIzelI Recognized Payne.
Mr.. Payne, the Republican leader,
was recognized, despite the protests of
Mr.. Fleming that he could not be TAX
en- off the floor, and he moved to lay
the resolution on the table. The Dem
ocrats forced a roll call on the notion
which prevailed, 161 to 107.
H. 81 I'D
vote of 1873 to 104. The speakers We're
Messrs. Dalzell, Grosvenor and Can
non for, and Messrs. Richardson of
Tennessee, Underwood and DeArmond
against.
The entire Democratic side broke
into tumultuous applause when Mr..
DeArmond arose. In bitterly sarcas-
tic terms he arraigned the other side,
ridiculing the "pathos' in the voice
of Mr.. Grosvenor and eXcoriating Mr..
DalZell for his action while in the
chair last night, declaring that the
Republicans now had one who could
always be relied upon to do that
which no one else would do.
Richardson and Cannon Closed.
Mr.. Richardson closed for his side
in a brief but energetic speech, and
Mr.. Cannon closed for the Republic
cans. The appearance of Mr.. Cannon
was greeted as that of Mr.. Dear
mond, with tremendous applause from
his side of the House.
The Democrats, he declared, in fit
of pique, because Butler had been un-
seated, refused to play" and in re-
vengeful retaliation proposed that
Congress should end in doing nothing.
But the Republicans, he said, proposed
to move on (Republican applause) and
do their duty"
Under the operation of the rule, the
agricultural, sundry civil, postoffice
and military academy appropriation
bills were sent to conference, and the
conference report on the Indian appro-
priation bill adopted. The Democrats
forced thirteen roll calls in the trans
action of this business.
The House, took a recess until IL
o'clock tomorrow.