Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-27
of un1ustifable extravaganza. The report
Lag 10 nv ynta of 13Q to Id


chairman of the committee on post offices
and post roads, called up the conference
report on the post Office appropriation bill
Some debate was occasioned by the action
of the conferees in agreeing to the Senate
amendment appropriating S43.Ooo a year 10
the Oceanic Steamship Company for carry
ing the mails from San Francisco TO the
Island of Tahiti. Mr.. Moon, the democratic
member of the House conferees, said he had
not voted with his colleagues in favor OF
agreeing to this amendment He said the
money was practically gift to the oceanic
Steamship Company, and he thought IL was
time the government began to look after
the interests of the people, and not pay out
money to steamship companies or railroad
companies without adequate service in re-
turn. Representative Robinson of Indiana
also attacked the appropriation.
When the matter was put to vote the
conferees were sustained without division.
This disposed OF the post Office bill and left
only the Military Academy bill in dispute,
all the other supply measures having been
agreed TO by both House and Senate.
Representative Cochran's Case.
AT 1:15 o'clock Speaker Cannon announced
that he was ready to rule upon the point of
order which was raised yesterday afternoon
against the resolution introduced by Rep
resentative w. Bourke Cochran of New
York calling for the appointment of a select
committee of five members of the House
to inquire into the charge brought by Rep
resentative Dalzell that he (Mr. Cockran)
had sold his services to the republicans In
1S6 Nearly every member of the House
was In his seat at this time and together
with the spectators in the galleries listened
intently to every word the Speaker uttered.
Mr.. Cannon said the resolution had been
offered as a matter of personal privilege.
He read Rule TX of the House, which says
that questions of personal privilege may
be raised when the integrity of the
House is brought into question as
whole or when the integrity of a member
of the House is questioned lin his repre-
sentative capacity. He said 1t was mani
fest that the gentleman from New York
could not interrupt the regular procedure
of the House by the introduction of extra
neous matter unless 1t should be shown that
the integrity of the House or a member of
the House lin his representative capacity
had been called into question. Assuming
that the preamble of Mr.. Cockran's reso-
luton esta blished what II purpOrted 20 es-
tablish, 1t was question whether or not the
House could take cognizance of the acts
related.
AS matter of fact. Speaker Cannon de-
clared that the charges of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania affected Mr.. Cochran
while he was neither a member of the
House nor a member-elect. The question
presented Itself to whether the House
could punish a member for what he had
done while not a member
In view of the constitutional Importance
or the question the chair yesterday had
uCCiHcu W OH tNe point OF OTOer. II
was his purpose to look up precedents in
the matter before deciding the question
The Speaker announced that he had found
the question had been often presented to
the House. There had been some differ
ence of opinion, but a weIl-defined line of
decisions held that the House could not
take action in regard to alleged miscon-
duct of member prior to his becoming q
member of the House.
Speaker Cannon cited a long list of cases
beginning with some back in 1870 and COM
ing down TO the more recent case of Brig
ham II. Roberts, who was expelled because
or his alleged polygamous cohabitation as
member of the Mormon Church in Utah.
The Speaker said that in all these cases
the offenses alleged had been committed
or were continued while the member
charged was a member of the House of
Representatives. and, therefore. affected
his integrity in his representative capacity
He said that 1t seemed to the chair that
even III the charge alleged on the floor
against Mr.. Cochran had referred to an
actual crime committed in 1896. and if that
crime had been an ascertained fact it was
very doubtful, from the precedents cited
whether the House could punish the mem
Der. Consequently it was also doubtful
III resolution of inquiry based on such
charges involved a question of privilege
under the rules of the House.
Not Privileged Question.
Speaker Cannon held that what had been
alleged by Mr.. Dalzell constituted no crime
1t was simply a question involving the
proprfety of the conduct of a private cti-
zen. and the House could not punish that
citizen II 1t desired to do So He also held
that under decisions Of the Supreme Court
IL was very doubtful if a committee of in
quiry under such circumstances could com
pei the attendance of witnesses or the Civ
Ing of testimony.
Under these circumstances concluded
the Speaker. the chair holds that the
resolution OF the gentleman from New
YORK may not be entertained question
of privilege
Complete silence followed the announce
nent of the Speakers decision and there
was close attention given when Represen-
tatve John Sharp Williams of Mississippi
the minority leader on the floor arose In
his place and addressed himself to the
chair.
with all due respect" said Mr.. VIII
decision of the chair"
Representative Payne of New York, the
republican floor leader, was quickly on
his feet. and moved that the appeal be
laid upon the table. Speaker Cannon put
the question of laying the appeal on the
table. The republicans voted aye Justify
but the democrats just as Justify shouted
''ro"
Speaker Cannon was about to announce
that the ayes seemed to have it, when Mr.
Williams called for a division. Mr.. Payne
supplemented this by call for yea and
nay vote, and II was ordered.
The Appeal Tabled.
The motion TO table the appeal was car
ried by vote of 169 to 125.
Representative Grosvenor next called up
the Philippine shipping bill and asked
unanimous consent that vote be taken
after two hours of general debate one hour
on a side. This motion was agreed to- and
Mr.. GrOsvenor, amid great outburst of
republican applause. yielded one hour to
the gentleman from Maine Mr.. Littefield
Members on the floor settled in their seats
and prepared to listen to vigorous and en-
pertaining speech. Folks in the galleries
leaned forward so as to catch every word
Mr. Littlefield began calmly, saying that
his remarks would be germane to the bill
under consideration. This bill has been
discussed for several days past and was un-
der consideration yesterday and Saturday
when Messrs. Dalzel and Cochran locked
horns
Mr.. Little1eld said ii had been the privi-
lege of the House during these days to
listen to an unusual and remarkable dis
play of parliamentary language, first on
one side of the chamber and then on the
other. The gentleman from New York Mr.
Cochran. through his splendid natural gifts
and magnificent talents, had contributed a
large share to the great oratorical display
Mr.. Littlefeld congratulated the democrats
and the republican members OF the House,