The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-10
RIGHTS OF HOUSE
BEING USURPED
IN IMPASSI0NED APPEAL
BOURKE COCHRAN ATTACKS THE
NEW PENSION ORDER.

New York Congressman in Most
Vigorous Terms Denounced the
Tendency of the Executive to Ar
rogate to Itself the Privileges
That Really belong to the Legis-
lative BOdy-By a Narrow MsjOrity
only Was the Order Supported.
Washington, April 9.-The recent
executive order of the President re-
lating to pensions on age disability to-
day furnished the text for an impas-
stoned appeal by w. Bourke Cochran
of New York to members of the House
to uphold the dignity of that body
by refusing to submit to what he al
legged to be the usurpation of the leg
islative authority of Congress by the
executive order.
In authorization of NIn Cockran's
speech almost every seat on the floor
was occupied, and the galleries were
filed to overf1owing. From the mo-
ment Mr.. Cochran began to speak un-
til he had concluded he held his au-
dience in a manner that gave evil
dence of their interest in his first
speech since he returned to Congress.
If, he said, the Presidents order is
recognized by the House, what frag-
ment of power is left to the House?"
BY one stroke of the pen, he declared,
the President had appropriated $780,
100000, and he said it was a matter
with which Congress must deal if it
has any regard for it's own powers or
if it be animated by a shadow of 10y
atty for the constitution which created
1t. He vigorously asserted that 1--WE
are here at the parting of the ways"
and inquired "If this order be toler-
ated without protest by the House,
what power is there that the execu-
tive order cannot usurp. What frag-
ment of control over the country's
purse?"
This Congress Is Feeble.
Continuing, he said that "this pre-
tense of Interpretation of the law is
but hollow mockery and play of
words" and he added, "It is known
by the man who wrote it as such"
In his opinion, the steady decline in
the dignity of the House has attract
sd much attention. In sarcastic vein
ne declared that the President allow
eu congress the privilege of declaring
Var and he was loudly applaudedl by
the Democrats when he added:
But the President makes war when
he chooses to-"
- Ihls condition was hopeless" he
S4aI' amid more Democratic applause,
~ we cannot rescue ourselves from
1te degradation and decrepitude into
~H'[h we seem to be hurrying, then
We nad better leave the condition to
,',,,.'i '"iitehted rather than to be dis
baI Inc Congress, he declared,
au Iau SO lost caste, that to-day there was
llot paper outside of washington thai
s%%oe 81 more than one or two paragraphs
49, Its proceedings. "Why has this
Goe.ile come upon us? Why has this
0''ePlIude overtaken us?"
>h"nId stand on Its Rights.
Amid an outburst of Democra +ic an
RfIt@uS' ne declared that when the
I"use e,3 shall stand on it's rights "the
si,d r,'t5T t5 VIII be the security of liberty
itI." 'ne progress OF human
~. ig lhen fayed the members for per
l'.illlhg the Senate to grow up at the
a as5on.3ee l,,a.5e OF the House, by persistently
fba IIlg ITS rights. He charged that
jr muse had been remiss in its duty
cniv.5 'oei Ilus ltS rights. He re-
fgu Voclferous applause from both
,'at,9S,,oI 80 oI the chamber when he declared
ro,.,,. ,,.M outstanding Speaker Cannon's nt,
n 4nee mat public opinion must come
[,iS. ne rescue of Congress. "the nuhiic
" Vl'',on ION or the United States is here
inc. l Ie lts agents. it's creation" Rails
th.f t[ voice TO a high pitch, he said
,l.. .ue House is "the sanctuary of o,,,
n-,.s4i., utlonal temple. We are the
70 whom it is entrusted ana ;,
spaalllanne ,lned pointing his finger at the
resr.1. rpvaNer you, sir, are the high nriest
~. toilFlole 1e for the method in which
g. rust shall be discharged +"
dar ueclared that the President,s or
bv "as the usurpation of power "not
~, nppIopriation, but by internretsN
siIa1, winch he attributed to the "pus-
.a,,t,llrnous antil failure of Congress- tn az ifc
nr ~ 10 itself" Congress had control
~ ne purse, and If it would exercisa
.leeo .{Sonlroi' he insisted. every nriv,-
T1o st IIst belonged to 1t win come bacl,
49, uwelt at length on the insiiepaS,1a n
ti75ult OF the House to Originate ra,,a,,1,e
mat right inDers 10 assert
Attacked Rules of House.
re attacked the rules 81 +b. rzo,.o
r. 'q - salo that II the members were no1
Cd" IgJusted' g we ought to be abolish
t1e also spoke of the system in