The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-15
STATEHOOD BILL
CANNON'S THEME
Speaker Comes to His Own
Defense in the
House.
RESENTS SMITHS CHARGE
SENSATIONAL SCENE RESULTS
BILL is PASSED.

REPRESENTATIVES,
messed a more dramatic scene than it
witnessed today, incident to the adop-
ton of the conference report on state
hood.
At the close of a wearisome days de-
bate on the sundry civil bill, the geologi-
cal survey occupying the major por-
ton of the time, Mr.. Hamilton of Mich
igan, chairman of the committee on
territories, called up the conference re-
port on the statehood bill In antici-
patton of something unusual most of
the members were in their seats while
the galleries were comfortably filled.
a round Of cheers greeted the chair
man of the committee when he moved
the adoption of the report. Earlier in
the day he had endeavOred to call up
the report, but found that the papers
had not reached the house from the SEN
ate At that time he stated that he
did not expect any debate, believing
that the report would be adopted with
out discussion. While there was no
discussion on the report itself, a most
unexpected episode ensued.
Smith Makes Charges.
Mr.. Moon of Tennessee, the ranking
member Of the minority on the commit
tee on territories, had made a state
ment in relation to the position of the
Democrats on the compromise agreed
upon in conference. He was frequently
interrupted with applause and was then
followed by Mr.. Marcus A. Smith, the
delegate from Arizona, who took Oc-
casiOn in a guarded way to insinuate
that there had been undue influence
used in postpOning an agreement.
Smarting under what he believed to
be a direct insinuation against him,
Speaker Cannon impetuoUsly left the
chair, calling Mr.. DalZeli to the desk
and taking a position Unconsciously in
the aisle opposite the seat which he oc-
cupied for many years until chosen
speaker, he asked the speaker pro TEN.
for five minutes to explain his position.
ThunderS of applause greeted the
speaker as he stood with hand
Uplifted, his head shaking, waiting for
quiet in the house. Again and again
waves of applause swept over the cham
Der. Democrats and Republicans partic-
ipatins
Finally order was restored and then.
measuring every word, Speaker Cannon
said
Mr.. Speaker. as member of the
/ house of representatives., during this
session as at all other sessions, I have
represented constituents and acted for
the whole peopIe according to my best
judgment. The coming into the union
Of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
meets my approval. If 1 had my choice
and were supreme, l would infinitely
prefer to see Oklahoma and the Indian
/ Territory come in separately with an
aggregate population Of two and one
half millions. with four senators. rath-
er than to see New Mexico and Arizona
come together, and God knows rather
than to see them come singly with
about 100000 population and four sena-
tors.
Views Not Secret.
My views are not secret: I have
sought to the best Of my belief to voice
them. You have the result before you.
Although every man in the Indian Ter
TitOry should vote against statehood for
the new proposed state of Oklahoma.
notwithstanding that protest the state
would be and will be formed under this
enabling act"
Mr.. Smith Of Arizona rose.
Mr.. Cannon do not yield at this
moment. There is no separate vote
there. There is q separate vote, how
ever. as TO the other two. So much for
that. 1 do not propose to go into the
merits of this proposition. l would not
have taken the floor had not the hon
ora bic gentleman. the delegate from
Arizona (MT- Smith made the remark
that there was a high penalty for the
governor of that territory to attempt to
influence legislation, or for one legis-
latiVe body or its membership To at
tempt to traffic in the Iegislat ton with
the other I'm order to secure other legis-
latiou. If / correctly state him.
That remark could have had
but one motive and one meaning. and
that meaning is that some one in the
house has sought to affect legislation
I'm the house as a matter of traffic in
order to secure action upon this mat
ter in the senate. That imputation. inn
piled so far as it reflects upon the
speaker of this house. and. 50 far as I
know or believe. upon any ether meIn-
Der Of this house. is unworthy of the
gentleman that uttered it and without
founda ton in fact. cloud applause)
IF il was necessary to furnish proof
of this statement, / look about me here
on my own side of the house, on MEM
bers with whom I disagreed touching
the progress of the bill from time to
time and upon the other side of the
house. and I pause and invite any MEM
Der present who has tine least intima-
ton. knowledge. or even belief. that the
statement implied in the insiHuItion of
the gentleman is true, to say so"
When Speaker Cannon flushed the
house was in an uprCar. II could not
be controlled nor did the presiding Off
GER make any effort to do SO Members
who had sat in silence dur ng the de-
livery of the speech, Democrats and Re
publicans alike. crowded around the
speaker to shake him by the hand and
tell him how glad they were that the
long drawn out fight for statehood had
been happily ended in a compromise
and that his speech voiced the senti-
ments of the members.