Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-05
CANNON FLAYS The SENATE
Calls Attention to Evil of Unanimous
Consent Practice,
SPECIES OF, LEGISLATIVE BLAcKaAll
Says Il is Time for People 10 Take
Matter in Hand and Demand
that Majority shall
Rule,

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 de-
hciency appropriation bill, protesting against
Legislative blackmail' and insisting on the
right of majority to rule in the senate,
in view of the fact that he is to be the
speaker of the next house. is regarded as
foreshadowing a contest upon this ques-
tion. The scene when Mr.. Cannon deliv-
cred this speech was the most remarkable
in this congress. As late as the hour was
the members were set on fire with enthusi
asm and they cheered 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 sem
ate the great money bills can contain moth
ing but appropriations in pursuance of eX-
isting laws, unless by unanimous consent
Of both bodies.
If any Of these bills contain legislation 1T
must De by unanimous consent of the two
bodies and any attempt to change the uni
form practice has been disastrous so far as
L 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 ihe
legislation receded.
Cause of Disagreement.
In this case the trouble in arriving at an
agreement was because all claims for
money clustered around one amendment. II
there were many amendments of legis-
there were many amendments covering
hundreds OF thousands of dollars OF claims,
6ne bv Sno ons sipie ~ 9s1pGseo ny ths senate
the claims were disapproved and the senate
receueu, until we came to an agreement to
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
lSl2-l5, The auditing officers OF the treas
ury. IN pursuance Of that law adjusted the
states whatever should b become me- due by the
under that legislation the sum of S5OO, 900 in
I 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 or the war OF 1872 found due
to the state of South Caroline the sum OF
| 81 cents. Now, the senate of the United
states, notwithstanding the law, proposed
| legislation on an appropriation bill to the
Carolina $4,000. The house conferees OBJ.
| 1ected and the whole long delay has beer
over that one item.
Rules in the House.
In the house of representatives. without
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-
majority. right o or @ WroSg' mistaEen Te1Sh oI
otherwise, can legislate.
In another body there are no such rules
| unanimous consent IN another body M
individual member of that body can rise
in his place and talk for one hour, two
| hours. hours IL fo
matter of history that a senator on ths
republican side in former congress talked
to death river and harbor bill.
There comes a time constantly in tn,
| settling of bills when you must do sd anC
so, or so and so, else your bill cannot pass
ana this with reference to the great none
| pills In my opinion such condition ex
listed as to this bill and clustered abou
There was also an amendment put on Il
the bill In another body which involved
legislation to the extent of granting tn,
its war claims. The senate receded, bd
your conferees were unable TO get tn,
treasury against the law to the state O
South Carolina
EVIL of Unanimous Consent.
BY unanimous consent another body leg
islates and in the expiring hours OF tn,
session We are powerless without tina
l sink" Unanimous consent comes to tn
center of the home, unanimous consen
comes through SJaIuary nal ana TO III
house doors, and comes practically to tn
we can have no legislation without tn
approval of both bodies, and one body, ii
unanimous UNI consent There was tn
alternative-in my opinion this applied no
only to the deficiency bill, but to the nava
bill. Your conferees had the alternative o
submitting to legislative blackmail at tn
demand, in my opinion, of one Individual
| / shall not say where-nr of letting thes
great money bills fail: Now, what are W
many important matters-your appropria
tions for public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Iatel
had all along the line of the public servic
Now, l have taken the house into my con
fdence touching this matter, as II Is m
duty 10 do. / am getting to be somewha
aged man pray GEd 5,Ian that my life may
sentiment, north and south, east and ives
pervsdes both of the great parties, will las
anybody into obedience to the right OF th
majority to rule. MaJoHttes and minor
, ties shift back and forth,
Majority should Rule.
) All, says somebody, did that work in re
{ erence to the matter of statehood
and did you believe in statehood? | did nC
, believe In statehood, and / am putting no
the strongest case against my own part!
but a majority of the people, voiced In n
7 senate and house. had the right to have Il
7 | will expressed.
= Gentlemen, l have made my protest
y do II in sorrow and in humiliation, bl
: there II is and In my opinion another bod
e under these methods must change 4
D | method OF procedure or our body, backt
| up by the people, will compel the chang
else this body, close to the people, shall b
? the pregnant hinges of the knee to subm
| to what any one member of another bod
may demand OF this body as a price for lei
q islation.