Evening journal., 1905-02-14
CAUSED
IN THE HOUSE
Congressman Hearst and Sui
livan Indulge in Sharp
Personalities
OTHER MEMBERS WERE INDIGNANT

Washington, Feb 14.-Not in recent
years has the house witnessed such
spectacle as It did, with Mr. Sullivan,
of Massachusetts, and w. R. Hearst,
of New York, as the centSal figures.
Both INDUCED in personalities of the
gravest character, and so stirred the
house as to arouse among certain
members a feeling of the greatest in
dignation. Mr.. Sullivan heaped upon
Mr.. Hearst a TRADE of denunciation,
while the latter by implication charged
Mr.. Sullivan with completely in a
murder.
The affair grew out Of the recent
discussion of the freight rate question
in the house, when Mr.. Sullivan in
quired Of Mr.. Lamar, of Florida, who
was favoring the Hearst bill, why Mr..
Hearst did not defend his own bill,
this being followed by a criticism Of
Mr.. Sullivan in the New York Ameri-
can and Journal.
Mr.. Sullivan said: "The writer raises
the query whether my ignorance Of
pending measures was due to congeni-
tai incapacity or indifference to the
peoples rights. Congenital incapacity
is a serious charge, yet obviously one
which a person accused would not care
to discuss. II the charge is true, he is
not guilty but unfortunate. But con-
genital incapacity to understand is a
term that covers a wide range Of men
tai and moral deficiency. 1t covers the
case of the moral degenerate, the un-
clean, unproductive, shiftless members
of society, and it includes the man
from New York who. totally bereft of
the sense Of propriety, raises his pro-
flaming eyes toward the splendid temple
OF the peoples highest gift-the presi-
dency of the United States-blissfully
unconscious of the woeful contrast be-
tween the qualifications requisite for
that high Office and his own contempt
ible and moral equipment"
Mr.. Sullivan referred to Mr.. Hearst
as "the unknown man or political nov
fee whose only recommendation is his
inherited wealth"
The scheme of political assassina-
tion, he said, had been mapped out
evidently with the idea of destroying
the respectable elements of the Demo-
cratic party. He commended Mr.. VIII
liams. the minority leader, for refus-
ing to endorse the Hearst rate bill,
also "a refusal of that leader to stoop
to a controversy with a contemplate
opponent"
Mr.. Hearst arose to reply at once as
Mr.. Sullivan took his seat. He had to
wait some minutes for order His re-
ply was brief He declared that ne had
no desire to criticise Mr.. Sullivan, be-
cause if he had he would not have
done It in so puerile a manner. He
then sprang a sensation which threw
the house in an uproar. He charged
that John A. Sullivan was one of two
brothers who had kept a saloon in
Boston where a murder was committed
and that the two Sulliyans were in
dicted for manslaughter.
Il would like to ask the gentleman
from Massachusetts" calmly inquired
Mr. Hearst. what he knows about
that incident2'
Several appeals were made TO Speak
er Cannon to cause the two men tC
desist in their abuse of each other
Speaker Cannon. however, allowed
them to proceed. Mr.. Sullivan entire
ly concluded. but in the case of Mr.
Hearst the speaker on reconsideration
noting the temper of the house, decided
that an accusation Of homicide agains
a fellow-member was not parliamen
tary, because it was calculated to pro
woke disorder and disturbance. Al
most Immediately thereafter Mr.. Hears
took his seat, hurting defiance and de
claring that It would be his pride Il
continue his hostility to individual
such as he charged Mr.. Sullivan to be