The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
". BOURKE COCHRAN SAYS
TITS HOLLOW MOCkERY
AND A PLAY ON WORDS"
Denounces the Age Disability Pen
sion Order in an Impassioned
Speech in the House.
IAN EVENT IN CONGRESS
Galleries Are Crowded to Hear the
Eloquent New Yorker-Re-
publicans Reply

WASHINGTON, April 9.-The recent ex-
ecutive order of the President relating to
age as evidence of pensionable disability
to-day furnished the text for an impas-
stoned appeal by w. Bourke Cochran, of
New York. TO the members OF the House
20 uphold the dignity of that body by re-
fusing to submit TO what he alleged to be
the usurpation of the legislative authority
OF Congress by the executive.
In anticipation of Mr.. Cockrans speech,
almost every seat on the floor was occupied
and the galleries were filed to overlooking
Mr. Cochran held his audience through
out and his remarks frequently punct-
uated with loud applause from both sides
OF the chamber. He characterized the
Presidents Interpretation of the law as
hollow mockery and a play on words'
and said that this was known by the man
vino wrote 1t, as shown by the order itself.
He declared that Congress, on account or
its pisillanimous failure TO do its duty TO
itself had lost caste. so much so that the
newspapers of the country outside or
washington now print only paragraph
or two of its proceedings
The action of the President. he said, had
been justified by the secretary OF the in
terror by the precedent of President Cleve-
land but IL that be so, then in Gods
name let us condemn that act of Mr..
CleveIa nd's as vehemently as the act of any
Republican President The disposition to
Justify everything because Mr.. Cleveland
did It," he said, was the highest compH-
ment that could be paid TO a man by Con-
gress. but the confidence which Mr.. Cleve-
land enjoys" he asserted, 'only adds to the
danger of the act and does not lessen it."
II. he said. the Presidents order is recog
nized by the House what fragment of
power is there left to the House?" BY one
stroke OF the pen. he declared. the Presi-
dent had appropriated $50 100000, and he
said 1t was matter with which Congress
must deal If ii has any regard for its own
powers or If il be animated by a shadow
of loyalty for the Constitution which
created IT. He vigorously asserted that
I'VE are here at the parting of the ways.
and inquired ''if the order be tolerated
is there that the executive order cannot
usurp? What fragment Of control over
the country's purse?
IN SARCASTIC TONES.
After attacking what he declared to be
the Presidents usurpation of power of in
terpretation when he said that the order
appealed TO members on both sides of the
House Ito consider the enormity of this
proposal which. he said. affected the lib
erty and safety of the government. In
his opinion the steady decline in the dignity
of the House had attracted much atten-
tion.
In sarcastic vein he declared that the
President allowed Congress the privilege of
declaring war. and he was loudly APP
mia dad INV he re he
But the President makes war when he
chooses to-
amid more Democratic applause, IF we
cannot rescue ourselves from the degrada-
ton and decrepitude into which we seem
condition TO be lamented rather than to
be discussed" Tears, he said. belonged TO
women for conditions which were helpless.
dignity and power of the House, he main
tanned. were within the control of its own
loyalty on our part TO restore us not merely
to an important but to a dominant posi-
tion."
MEMBERS FLAYED.
Mr. Cochran fayed the members for per-
hitting the Senate to grow up at the ex-
pense OF the House by persistently assert
ing its rights. He charged that the House
had been remiss in its duty in not asserting
its rights He received vociferous applause
declared, Notwithstanding Speaker Can
mons utterance that public opinion must
come to the rescue of Congress. ''the public
opinion of the United States is here. We
are its agents, its creation. Raising his
voice to high pitch. he said that the
House is the sanctuary of our constitu-
ticra temple We are the priests TO whom
Il is Entrusted. and he added. pointing his
finger the speaker, you, sir, are the
high priest, responsible for the method III
which the trust shall be discharged
Mr.. Cochran closed amid a storm of APP
plause by appealing to both sides of the
beyond which the aggression of the Senate
or OF the executive shall not CO." AS Mr..
Cochran took his seat he was surrounded
BY members from both parties who warm
before order was restored.
The President and secretary of the in
terror found warm supporters in Messrs.
Dalzeu Grosvenor, Gibson, Calderhead.
Lacey and Hepburn The first named main
tanned that IL made no difference how many
millions of dollars were involved in the
Presidents order because the secretary OF
the interior distributed the money voted by
Congress pursuant to the rules of evil
dence established by the Pension Bureau.
Mr.. Grosvenor believed that the country
and the old soldiers would approve the or
der and that the money necessary for put
ting IL into effect would be included in
the forthcoming deficiency bill.
The debate occurred on a resolution in
PRODUCED by Mr.. Cochran directing the COM
mittee on the judiciary to investigate the
recent pension order. IL had been reported
from the committee rules with a recon-
mendation that il lie on the table and this
was adopted by the narrow majority of
three votes, the speaker having his vote
recorded in the Affirmative Three Repub-
ucans, Messrs. Cushman. Littlefield and Nc
Call. voted with the Democrats against
tablfng the resolutions