The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-17


Washington, February 13-Not inl
recent years has the House Witnessed
such O spectacle as it did today with
Mr.. Sullivan, of Massachusetts,, and
VIM. r. Hearst of New York as thel
central figures. Both INDUCED inl
personalities of the gravest character
and so stirred the House as to arouseI
among certain members a feeling of
the greatest Indignation. Mr.. Sulli-
var heaped upon Mr.. Hearst a tiradeI
of denunciation, while the latter byl
implication charged Mr.. Sullivan with
completely in a murder.
The affair grew out of the recent
discussion of the freight rate ques-|
ton in the House when Mr.. Sullivan
inquired of Mr.. Lamar, of Florida,
who was ~favOring the Hearst bill,
why Mr.. Hearst did not defend his
own bill, this being followed by al
criticism of Mr.. Sullivan in the New
York American and Journal.
Several appeals were made to-
Speaker Cannon to cause the two
men to desist in their abuse of each
other. Speaker Cannon, however, al
lowed them to proceed. Mr.. Sullivani
entirely concluded, but in the case
of Mr.. Hearst, the speaker On recOn-j
s]ideration, noting the temper of thel
House, decided that an accusation OF
homicide against a fellow member
was not parliamentary. because it
was calculated to provoke disorder
and disturbance. Almost Immediate
ly thereafter Mr.. Hearst too his seat,
hurting defiance, and declaring that it
would be his pride to continue his
hostility to individuals such as he)
charged Mr.. Sullivan to be.
Mr.. Sullivan read the article in
the New York American of February
sth, in criticism of himself, which
he aid had beer called for an in
fraction Of Mr.. Hearst's monarchical|
dignity and thereby had been con-
signed to the political assassination of
Nj. Hearst'S paper.
HI article in question, Mr.. Sul]i-
van said, touched his representative
capacity, "and is a deliberate insult
to one member by another
>'A' HO@- N
writer raises the query whether my
ignorance OF pending measures was
due to congenital incapactity or in
difference to the peoples rights. Con-
genital incapacity is q serious charge
yet obviously n which a person
accused would not care to discuss.
II the charge is true. he is not
guilty, but unfortunately, a nd it IS
-nro1,- orinXynIiC poicfnrf11nn NOT m
be able to appreciate the value of the
legislative services of the gentleman
from New York. But congenital
incapacity to understand is a term
that covers a wide range of mental
and moral deficiency. 1t covers the
case of the moral degenerate. the I'M
clean, u~nproductive. shiftless mem
bers of society, and it includes the
man who, totally bereft of the sense
of proportion raises his %profaning
eyes toward the splendid temple of
the peoples highest gift-the pres
idency of the United States-bliss-
fully unconscious of the woeful con-
trast between the qualifications re-
auisite for tina high office and his
own contemplate moral equipment
Mr.. Sullivan referred to MIR. Hearst
dS the u1hIlO"R IIidl oI pOIlllCdI
novice whose only recommendation is
his inherited wealth."
The scheme of political asassina-
ton, he said, had been mapped out
evidently with the idea of destroying
the respectable elements of the Dem
ocratic party. He commended Mr..
Williams. the minority leader, for
refusing to endorse the Hearst rate
bill, also "a refusal of that | eader
to stoop to controversy with a con-
temrtible opponent" MIR. Sullivan
sent to the clerks desk to be read
an estimate of Mr.. Hearst's character
made by a California representative
in 1897.
AS soon as Mr.. Sullivan con-
cluded Mr.. Hearst rose to reply.
He denied that he either inspired
or suggested the publication referred
to. but said he assumed all respon-
sibility for it.
Replying to Mr.. Sullivan's criti :
ciSm that Mr.. Hearst had been guilty
@" Sck of action in the House, Mr..
Hearst said he was proceeding in the
way he thought most effective to his
constituents. He did not know any
way by which a man could be less
effective for his constituents than
IN emitting chewed wind on the floor
of the House" Mr.. Hearst began
a review of the attack upon him
by Representative Grove Johnson of
California, w hen he was interrupted
by Mr.. Payne, IN. Y.,l who alleged
the remarks were supplementary.
"I ask for fair play" demanded Mr..
~Griggs, (Ga.)