The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-05
speech by Chairman Of the Appropri-
ations Committee That Fired tho
House with Enthusiasm.
WHO SECURED $4,000 TO PAY A
DEBT OF THIRTY-FoUR CENTS.
One-Man's Power i'm the Upper Branch
of Congress-Neeessfty Of "a Change
I'm Rules Made Plain.

WASHINGTON, March 4--The speech OF
Representative Cannon, chairman OF the
appropriations committee, delivered after
$3.50 O'Clock this morning in the House on
the conference report on the general def
cheney appropriation bill protesting against
| Legislative blackmail,"- and insisting on
the right of majority to rule in the Sem
| ate. in view of the fact that he is to be the
| speaker of the next House, is regarded as
| foreshadowing a contest on this question.
The scene when Mr. Cannon delivered this
| speech was the most remarkable of this
| Congress in the House. Late as the hour
was the weary members were set on fire
| with enthusiasm, and they cheered his ut
| terances until the great hall resounded
with their shouts. Mr.. Cannon said:
Gentlemen know that under the practice
| of the House and under the rules of the
/ Senate, the great money bills can contain
| nothing but appropriations, in pursuance
| of existing law, unless by unanimous con-
sent of both hedies. IL any of these bills
| contain legislation, il must be by unani-
nous consent of the two bodies; and the
uniform practice has been-so far 1
know. the invariable practice has been with
the exception OF one amendment upon this
bill-that when one body objected to legis-
lation proposed by the other upon an APP
preparation bill the body proposing the leg
| islation recedes.
I'm this case the trouble in arriving at an
| opinion all clusters about one amendment
| There were many amendments of legis-
lative character proposed by the Senate:
| there were many amendments, covering
hundreds of thousands of dollars of claims
One by one the legislative propositions and
the claims disappeared as the Senate re-
eeded until We came to an amendment to
pay the State of South Carolina $4,000. A
| word as TO that. In May last on the omni-
bus claim bill. basis was fixed for the adj,
| Justment of the accounts of Virginia and
| Baltimore and South Carolina with the
| United States, growing out of the war OF
| 1sl2-15. The auditing officers of the treas
ury, in pursuance OF that law, adjusted the
| accounts of Virginia An indefinite appro-
| priation was made to pay the respective
| States whatever should be found due by
! the auditing officers. On that basis, and un-
der that legislation the of $l00,0 in
| round numbers has been paid TO the State
| of Virginia. Under the same law, which is
the law to-day, the auditing officers. in the
| adjustment Of accounts of the war OF 1872,
| found due to the State OF South Carolina
| the sum of "a cents Now the Senate OF the
/ United States, notwithstanding the law.
bin to the extent of>granting to the State
of South Carolina $4,000. The House con-
ferees objected and the whole long delay
| has been over that one item.
ONE-MAN RULE IN SENATE
| I'm the House of Representatives. with
out criticising either side or any individual
member, we have rules sometimes invoked
by our Democratic friends, and sometimes
by ourselves-each responsible to the peo-
pie after all is said and done-by which a
majority, right or wrong. mistaken or 9TH
erwise-can legislate. In another body there
are no such rules. In another body legisa-
ton is had by unanimous consent. In an
other body an individual member of that
body can rise in his place and talk for one
| hour, two hours ten hours twelve hours.
1t is a matter of history that senator on
the Republican side i'm a former Senate
talked river and harbor bill to DEATH
There comes time constantly I'm the
| settling of bills when you must do and
so, or SO and so, else your bill cannot pass.
and this, with reference TO the great money
bills In my opinion, such a condition. ex-
this one amendment There was also an
| amendment put on TO the bill I'm another
body which involved legislation to the
tent OF granting to the State of Vermont
$4,000 in adjustment of her war claims.
| The Senate receded, but yoir conferees
were unable to get the Senate to recede
upon this gift from the treasury, against
| the law, to the State of South Carolina.
by unanimous consent another body leg
isates and in the expiring hours OF the
session We are powerless without that
| L sink Unanimous consent comes TO the
center of the dome; unanimous consent
| comes through Statuary Hall and TO the
| House doors and comes practically TO the
| House. We can have no legislation without
the approval of both bodies, and the one
| body, in my opinion, cannot legislate with
out unanimous consent. There was the al
tentative; In my opinion this applied not
| only TO the deficiency bill, but to the naval
bill, or an agreement as TO the naval bill.
| Our conferees had the alternative OF SUBJ
hitting to Legislative blackman, at the de-
mand, in my opinion, of one individual-I
shall not say WHEREOF of letting these
| great money bills fail. Now what are
going TO do about it. This bill contains
many important matters. your appropria-
| tions for public buildings. legislation all
| along the line of the public service, 10 the
| extent of $20.00,0oo.
Now. l have taken the House into my
| confidence touching this matter. as IL Is my
what aged man. l pray God that my life
may be spared until intelligent and a
| righteous sentiment, North and South. East
| and West, pervading both of the great par
| ties. will lash anybody into obedience to
the right of the majority TO rule Maori
ties and minorities shift back and forth.
Ah says somebody, did that work I'm refer
ence to the matter Of statehood and did
you believe in statehood? ] did not believe
| In statehood, and | am putting now the
strongest case against my own party but
majority of the people, voiced I'm the SEN
ate and the House had the right TO have its
| will expressed.
do IL I'm sorrow and in humiliation, but
there Ii is; and in my opinion, another body
under these methods must change its meth
cd of procedure our body, backed up by
the people, will compel the change: else
this body, close TO the people, shall BECOME
a mere tenderer, mere tender OF the preg-
nant hinges of the knee 10 submit 10 what
any one member OF another body may de-
mand of this body as a price for legisla-
tion." prolonged applause and cheers.l