Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-21
BAKER GETS EXCITED
NEW YORKER SAYS OPPONENTS
ARE AFRAID OF TRUTH.
Remarks Printed in Record Cause SEN
sation in the House-Speech is
Ordered Stricken Out.

appeared in the Congressional Record of
last Friday purporting to have been deliv-
cred In the House by Representative Robert
Baker of New York during the discussion of
the postal appropriation bill. In this speech
Representative Baker attacked Representa-
tive Joseph w. Babcock of Wisconsin per-
sonally, the latter's name appearing several
times in the speech and in documents print
ed in connection Herewith.
1t seems that Mr. Baker was recognized
during the postal debate for few minutes,
and secured unanimous consent to extend
his remarks in the Record. This extension
appeared in the Record of Friday last and
the assertions made therein and the advant-
age taken of the leave to print aroused the
Ire of members of the House, who feel that
a gross injustice has been done to the gen.
tleman from Wisconsin.
Representative Hepburn. in a resolution
reciting the fact that Mr.. Baker had in
serted the matter in the Record under leave
TO print, and that no such utterances are
contained in the printed speech would have
been allowed in the House. moved to ex-
punge from the Record all of the speech of
the gentleman from New York.
Spirited Discussion.
Before the matter was finally disposed of
great deal of party feeling had been dis
played. Representative Williams of Missis-
sippi, the minority leader made an effort
to have portion of Mr. Bakers speech re-
tanned in the Record. He admitted that
those paragraphs of the speech which re-
ferred personally to Mr.. Babcock were a
violation of the rules and ought to be
stricken out. He commended, however, that
there was much in the speech which was
pertinent to the postal discussion and not
personal in character. This much he de-
clared should be retained. Mr.. Williams
SAID that Representative Baker is new
mo hny md r,rSI II
was violating rule of the House In insert
ing the personal matter in his written
speech. Mr.. Williams then began to read
the paragraphs which he wished retained.
He had read two paragraphs when Repre-
sentative Hepburn interrupted
The latter asked Mr.. Williams If he did
not realize that he was out of order in at
tempting to get into the Record a portion
OF a speech, motion to eXpunge which the
House was about to vote on. Mr. Williams
said he was not trying to insert ANYTHING
wrong in the Record and that IL the House
voted to expunge the whole of Mr.. Bakers
speech he would ask unanimous consent
that 50 much of his speech as contained ex-
tracts from Mr. Bakers statements should
also be stricken out. This ARRANGEMENT
seemed to satisfy Representative Hepburn,
but Mr. Payne of New York, the floor lead
er of the republicans, objected and raised
a point of order. Mr.. Payne said he did
not believe there should be any attempt to
edit the Baker speech. 1t had no place in
CHAIRMAN Cannon sustained the point of
ORDER and Mr. Williams then asked if time
would be allowed in which to offer an
amendment to strike oft only the objec-
uonaple paragraphs of the Baker speech
Representative Hepburn answered this
with motion for the previous question
which shut off all further debate On a viva
Voce vote the chair announced that the mo-
eion 1or the previous question had been car
RED Representative Williams called for
teliers. but Representative Hepburn headed
TINS OF by call for a yea and nav vote.
men TINS was about to be taken Repre-
QeaYored to get the attention of the chair
lie did not succeed. however, but shouted
in a loud voice:
Are You Afraid of TRUTH,
what's the matter with you fellows?
Are you afraid of the truth? Won't YOU
let me have a moment"
Inc heavy pounding of the gavel brought
ORDER IN the House. and the previous oues-
tioh was ordered by a vote of 100 to ia
Inc Hepburn resolution to strike out the
ehtire speech was then agreed to with
only a few dissenting voices.
In Representative Bakers printed sDeoch
as IL appears in the Record of Friday
charges are made that Representative Bah
cock used his mailing frank to send tons
0r mai matter into the third district of
Wisconsin for the purpose of increasing
the rates of pay to the railroads operat-
ing In his district. 1t was alleged that
during March. April and May of 1903 MIR.
Babcock sent sometimes as high as one
ton of mail matter a day into his district
and that much of it remained in the base
ment OF the post offices for many months
thereafter 1t was alleged that these
heaVy shipments were made during the
period when the mails were being weighed
TO determine the allowances to be made
to the railroads for mail matter carried
during the next four years There are
cock In the Baker document
During the discussion of the matter in
the House this afternoon Representative
Babcock sat quietly In his seat His In
teIests will be well taken care of by Mr.
Hepburn
Mr.. Babcock when seen by Star re-
Porter. said that the matter contained IN
Representative Bakers speech was taken
from pamphlet which was circulated in
Mr. Babcock's district during his recent
fight with the La Toilette faction.
A Satisfactory Answer.
The answer of my constituents to those
charges" said Mr.. Babcoek, was my re-
nomination by an overwhelming vote"
Mr.. Babcock said 1t was evident that
there was deliberate design to injure him. as
copies of New York newspaper contain
ing the Baker speech were circulated today
al the Capitol through all of the CLOAK
rooms. Hobbies and press galleries of The
Senate and House. The circulators of the
paper tried to secure permission to place
copy each members desk In the House,
hut that permission was denied by the
Spe aker.
The leaders of the House are considering
a proposition TO frame regula atoms which
will prevent in the future the abuse of the
leave to print privilege. They contend that
something should be done to prevent mat
ter which is clearly in violation of the rules
Of the House getting into the Record in
the first place. They realize that the harm
done by the first printing of such matter
cs mot be wholly righted by expungng ii
afterward.
One of the significant features of the at
tack on Mr. Babcock this morning is the
fact that It comes the eve of the re-