The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-05
Future Speaker of the House Says
They Amount to Legislative
Blackmail.
ANY SENATOR CAN KILL BILL.
Unless Changes Are Made, Lower
Body Will in Time Become
Simply Mere Tender
Doing What Is Dictated.

Washington. March i.-'rhe speech of Rep
resentative Cannon. chairman of the Appro-
o'clock this morning In the House the
conference report on the general deficiency
appropriation bill, protesting against leg
islative blackmaii' and insisting on the
right of a majority to rule the Senate, in
view of the fact that he is to be the Speak
er of the next House. is regarded as fore
shddOwing contest upon this question.
The scene when Mr.. Cannon delivered this
speech was the most remarkable of this
Congress i'll the House.
Late the hour was the weary members
were set on fire with enthusiasm and they
cheered his utteranCeS until the great nall
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, i'll pursuance OF
existing law, unless by unanimous consent
of both bodies. II any Of these bills contains
legislation it must be by unanimous consent
of the two bodies. and the uniform practice
has been-sO far as I know-the invariable
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 appropriation bill, the body
proposing the legislation recedes
ONE POINT AT STAKE
I'm this case. the trouble in arriving at
an agreement all clustered about one
Amendment. There Were many amendments
of legislative character proposed by the
Senate: there We're many amendments COW
ering hundreds of thousands of dollars of
claims, pure and simple. proposed by the
Senate.
''One by one the legislative propositions
and the claims disappeared the Senate
receded, until we came to amendment to
pay the State of South Carolina $4,000.
"A word as to that In May last, on the
omnibus claim bill. a basis was fixed for the
adjustment of the accounts Of Virginia and
Baltimore and South Carolina with the
United States. growing out of the War of
1s12-lsl5. The auditing officers of the treas
I.,.- t.I
accounts of Virginia An indefinite appro-
priation was made TO pay the respective
States whatever should be found due by the
auditing officers. Upon that basis and under
that legislation the sum OF 100000 in round
numbers has been paid TO the State of Viz
ginia.
to-day. the auditing officers in the adjust
ment of accounts of the War of 1872 found
due to the State of South Carolina the sum
OF 81 cents Now. the Senate of the United
States. Notwithstanding the law. proposed
legislation on an appropriation bill to the
extent OF granting to the state of south
Carolina &I.cJo The House COnf5rees OBJ
jected, and the whole long delay has been
over that one item.
In the House Of Representatives. with
out crticiZing either side or any individual
member, We have rules. sometimes invoked
by cur Democratic friends and sometimes
By oGrselves-each responsible to the people
after all is said and done-by which ma
jority, right or wrong. mistaken or other
wise. can legislate.
I'm another body there are no such rules.
In another body legislation is by unanimous
consent. In another body individual
member of that body can rise in his place
and talk for one hour, TWO hours. ten hours,
a Senator on the Republican side in a
former Congress talked to death n river
and-harbor bill. There comes a time con-
stantly in the settling of bills when You
must do so and so or 50 and so. else your
bill cannot pass and this with reference 10
the great money bills.
NV tn ,tar
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 one body. in
my opinion. cannot legislate without unan-
imous consent.
There was the alternative-in my opinion
this applied not only TO the deficiency bill.
but To the naval bill or ar agreement as
10 the naval bill. Your cOnferees had the
alternative of submitting To Legislative
blackmail at the demand, in my opinion. of
one individual shall not say WHEREOF of
letting these great mony. bills fail.
This bill contains many important matters
your appropriations for public buildings.
legislation lately had all alcnG the line of
the public service to the extent of $1,000
OOo.
Now. I have taken the House into my
confidence touching this matter. II IS my
duty to do. l am getting TO be somewhat
aged man | pray God that my life may
be spared until an intelligent and right
eous sentiment. North and South. East and
West. pervading both of the great parties,
will lash anybody into obedience to the
right of the majority to rule. Majorities
and minOrities shift back and forth. All
says somebody, did that work in reference
10 the matter of statehood. and did you
believe in statehood?' l did not believe in
statehood. and l am putting now the
strongest case against my own party. but
a majority of the people. voiced in the Sem
ate and the House. had the right to haze
its will expressed.
Gentlemen. | have made my protest. l
do 1t in sorrow and humiliation. but there
these conditions. must change its method
of procedure or our body. backed Up by the
people will compel the change. else this
mere tenderar a mere bender of the prec-
nant hinges of the knee TO submit to what
any one member OF another body may de-
mand of this body as Il price for legisla-
ton"