Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-06-01
MEMBERS OF HOUSE
RESENT ARRESTS
SAY SPEAKER CANNON EX-
CEEDED HIS AUTHORITY.
SIMPLY ENFORCED RULES
Uncle Joe Cites Authority for Order
ing Sergeant-at-Arms to Bring in
Absentees, and Ends Incl
dent with Gavel.

! Washington, May 30.-An experience
meeting was held Tuesday in the
house Of representatives 1t grew out
of arrests made by the sergeant-at-
arms and his officers and haling men,
bers before the bar of the house In
order to complete a quorum under a
call of the house Monday evening
The journal set forth the names OF
the members who had been placed un-
der arrest by the officers and who upon
presentation at the bar of the house
were discharged from arrest and per-
mitted to vote.
Mr.. Gaines, of Tennessee, stated that
he had left the house at six o'clock
upon a mission Of humanity to inquire
after sick brother. He had gone to
his house and was notified that 'call
OF the house" was on. He went into
the cafe Of his hotel and saw a num-
Der Of members there and notified
them that there was a call for a quo
| rum. He responded with others and
| was overtaken by an officer of the
house, who placed him under arrest,
and he was presented to the bar of
| the house. He wanted to take this
! opportunity to ask why the Democrats
were singled out for arrest and the Re-
publicans immune and he desired to
serve notice that officers Of the house
| must treat all alike. So far as he
| was concerned, he did not care for the
| arrest, for he was doing duty to the
| sick, which he would do again, house
or no house.
Says Official Shows Favors.
Mr.. Ruckner (Mo.) another of those
brought before the bar followed on
| similar lines, except to call the SER
geant-atarms "a usurper with no au-
| thority to arrest" He told how
member of the presidents family last
week (meaning Mr.. Longworth) with
number Of members under a call Of
the house had been arrested" by the
| sergeant-at-arms, but had not been pre-
| sented before the bar Of the house,
| and he insisted that the discrim.na-
! tion ought to stop.
| Mr.. Sibley (Pa.), who was included
with those who had been apprehended.
rose to deny an assertion of Mr.. Ruck-
er that bicycle cop" had endeavored
| to arrest the party who were driving
motor car through the streets OF
Washington at high rate of speed in
| order to answer the call Of the house.
| Mr.. Rucker said he was glad to Know
that his friend from Pennsylvania
! (Mr. Sibley) had been arrested but
once. He characterized the arrest Of
himself and his colleague, Mr.. Muir
ply (Mo), as foul and contemplate"
! and that so far as he was concerned
he could afford to go home with his
head erect as to the work he has done
in the present congress.
Asks to Be Absolved
Mr.. Wallace (Ark.), explained he
had been serving on a committee Of
investigation and had gone home to
supper" to get an early start Of re-
viewing the testimony taken. He had
been informed by telephone that a
"call of the house" was In progress,
and had responded, voting on the bill
then before the body. Later he had
been placed under arrest with his
friend, Mr.. Wiley (Ala.) and together
they were presented to the bar and ex-
cused. He thought he should be alb
solved.
Mr.. Payne IN. Y.), the floor leader
of the majority then rose to move the
previous question on the approval of
the journal. 1t became apparent that
the events Of Monday night were the
outcome OF a plan on the part of the
leaders of the Republican side to keep
| the Republican majority present to
enact legislation. Mr.. Payne said there
was no animus whatever back of the
arrests, but practical application OF
rule that had been dormant for
years.
Mr.. Payne lectured the house He
| said it was the primary duty of the
members to attend upon the sittings
Of the house daily and remain until
the house adjourned. He recalled that
/ In former congresses members for
feited their days pay for absence and
In several instances members had paid
as high as $500 for their nonattend-
ance.
Mr.. Payne yielded to Mr. Olmsted
(Pa) to amend the motion to approve
the journal by striking out all refer
ence to the arrests. The amendment
was lost. The journal was then ap-
proved, yeas 223, nays 7, present 1s.
Questions Speakers Authority.
Mr.. Murphy (Mo), who was among
those brought before the bar of the
house then rose to question Of the
highest personal privilege to argue the
right Of the speaker to issue a war.
rant of arrest without direct authority
OF the house. He contended that the
rules of the house did not give the
speaker power to issue warrants for
arrest and that arrests must follow, by
order Of the house to the sergeant-at-
arms.
Citing the rules in vogue and parttc.
ularly the one passed in the Fifty
fourth congress, under which the war
rant was issued, Speaker Cannon with
much deliberation, said:
''The chair. under the rules, believes
that the gentleman was le gally arrest
ed The speakers gavel came down
with a bang and the incident waa