The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-29
LAST DAY OFTHE
SECOND SESSION
Williams Pays Tribute to
Speaker Cannon.
MEMB ERS SHOW LOVE
"God be With You Till We Meet Again,
They Sing. Enormous Expen-
ditures of RooseYeIt's Ad-
ministration Shown Up
in Senate.
(By the Associated Press }

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, April 2S.-The closing
today of the second session of the
House of the Fifty-eighth Congress
was made notable by the demonstra-
ton which was evoked by resolution
offered by Mr.. Williams, the minority
leader. testifying to the courtesy and
fair and impartial manner in which
Speaker Cannon had presided over the
House. The resolution was not OF the
perfunctory kind, but was expressive
of the kindly feeling which men in the
House of all parties entertained toward
him.
In a graceful speech the Speaker de-
clared his appreciation of the resolu-
ton.
Many conference reports were
agreed to on bills which had been in
dispute between the two houses in
Guiding that on the bill for the gov
ernment of the canal zone. The only
debate Of any Importance was on the
bill providing for the restoration to
the Naval academy of three cadets
who had been dismissed for haZing,
the House voting overwhelmingly
against it.
When the resolution for adjourn
ment was presented Mr.. Williams
(Miss.), the minority leader, remarked
that while the Democrats personally
would feel very glad to get back to
their homes, they would regret lor a
time the non-action of the majority of
the House that seems anxious to leave
| the post of duty and leave a situation
bristling with legislation that ought to
be considered. Mr.. Payne said that he
felt assured that after seven years of
uninterrupted Republican rule the
country will say that every important
interests has been carefully guarded
by the Republican party by the legis-
lation of those seven years"
Williams on Speaker Cannon.
The time was within five minutes of
the hour set for adjournment when
Mr.. Williams, amid impressive silence,
was recognized to present resolution
expressive of the appreciation of the
House for the fair and impartial man
ner in which the Speaker had presided
over that body. The resolution refers
to the sturdy common sense and genial
good humOr which have been display
ed by the Speaker, "and which have
induced the members of the House it
self, in degree almost unprecedented
in imitation of him, to display the
same sterling American characteristics
in their deliberations and mutual deal
ingS.
Mr.. Williams said that it was a
great thing to be a Speaker of the
House of Commons of the American
republic, but that it was a greater
thing mot to permit the fact of pro-
motion to that place, one of the most
exalted in the world, to turn ones head
in the slightest degree or to defect
one from the course hitherto pursued,
of being plain American citizen, with
extraordinary common sense and a re-
markable fund of that most charac-
tertistic of all American qualities-ge-
NAL humor."
This utterance provoked vociferous
applause from both sides of the House
and the galleries. Mr.. Williams then
convulsed the House by referring to a
conversation he once had with the
Speaker, in the course of which he
said:
"M.r Speaker, I will always think
that you are as fair as l believe you
will be- The Speaker, he said, re-
piled, John 1 am going to be as fair
cies of American politics.
Mr.. Williams declared that the
Speaker did himself injustice when
he put that limitation upon his state
ment, but" Mr.. Williams said, "it
was characteristic of the frankness
and candor of the man to put in the
limitation"
The Speaker Replies.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted on a rising vote and the
Speaker was escorted to the rostrun
amid frantic applause. He was Visitblv
affected when he thanked the House
for the resolution saying it touched
him more than he could express He
said among other things:
In the nature of things the cor
tests on the Hastings and in the Hall
of the House are spirited and earnest.
would be less than human did / not
say that while for the time being | CO.
operate with the majority, after all the
minority has a function to perform
almost equal in importance to the
function of the majority, and it is G
matter of qualification not only to me
now. but as | recollect it at the close
of the various Congresses of which i
have been a member, that when the
heat of contest has died away there
ever remains respect upon each side
for the other, for the efforts of in
telligent, patriotic, brave men who
represent their constituents according
to their respective judgments"
The Speaker at 2:10 adjourned the
House and was given one of the great
est demonstrations of regard ever wit
messed in the House of Representa-
tiVes.
AS to a man the members rose and
sang america" the occupants of the
galleries joining in. Speaker Cannon
took a position near the lobby door
on the Republican side and the mem
bers filed past and bade him good