The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-30
THE ARREST :. OF MEMBERS
 / Congressman ileY is Among ths. Number.
 -H- ARRAIGNED Y FORE THE HOUSE
 - ,, Democrats Declarel That They Were Discriminated Against.
 <-- Speaker Cannon says that He Has the Right to Issue warrants and Compel the Attendance
 of Members.

meeting was held today in the House of Representatives. It grew out of ar rests made by the Sergeant-at-Arms and his officers and hauling members be- fore the bar of the House in order to complete a quorum under call of the House last evening. The journal set forth the names of the members who had been placed under arrest and who upon presentation at the bar of the House were discharged from arrest and permitted to vote.
 Mir Gaines of Tennessee stated that he had left the house at 6 o'clock upon mission of humanity, to inquire after a sick brother. He had gone to his house and was notified that a call of the House was on. He went into the cafe at his hotel and saw a number of members there and notified them that there was a call for a quorum.
 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 Republicans im- mune and he desired to serve notice that the 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 AO "OhA0 uO G@0Aifs AAOub6 Ot ihV f1OuS5s
 MT. Fucker (Mo. ), another of those brought before the House. followed similar lines, except to call the Ser geant-at-Arms "usurper" with no au- thority to arrest. .''
 Lonsworth Not Presented.
 He told how a member of the Pres ident's family last week Cmeaning Mir Longworth) with number of members under call of the House had been ar- rested by the sergeant-at-Arms but had not been presented before the bar of the House, and he insisted that the dis- continuation ought to stop.
 Mir. Wallace of Arkansas explained that he had been serving on a com nnittee of investigation ana had gone of reviewing the testimony taken. He had been Informed by telephone that 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. Mir. Wiley (AIa-) and together they were presented to the bar and ex- cused. He thought he should he . b. solved.
 Mr. Payne (N. Y.). the floor leader of the majority, then rose to move the previous question on the approval Of the Journal It became apparent that the events of last night were the out- come of plan on the part of the lead CTS of the Republican side to keep the Republican majority present to enact legislation. MT. Payne said that there was no animus whatever back of the arrests but a practical application of a rule that had been dormant for years.
 MT. Payne lectured the House. He said 1t was the primary duty of she the House daily and remain until the House adjourned. He recalled that in former Congresses members forfeited their days pay for absence and in sew eral instances members had paid as high as six hundred dollars for their non attendance.
 Olmstead is Turned Down.
 Mir, Payne yielded to Mir. Clmstead (Pa.). who moved to amend the mo- tion to approve the journal by strik- ing out all references to the arrests made yesterday. The amendment was lost. The journal was then approved yeas. 22s; nays. [; present. IS.
 MT. Murphy (Mo.), who was amqng those who were brought before the bar of the House. then rose to question of the highest personal privilege to argue the right of the speakersto issue a warrant of arrest without direct au- thority of the House He contended that the rules of the House did not give the speaker power to issue war rants for arrest and that arrests muse follow by order of the House to the sergeant at arms.
 Speaker Cannon replied by unani- nous consent He explained the rea- son for the directions issued to the sergeant at arms to bring in absentees He stated that the chair had examined with great care the rules and the nrecedents relating to the issue Of warrants and as the rules gave the chair the right to verbally authorize the sergeant at arms to bring in ab- sentees. 1t must per SC give him still greater right to compel attendanee in writing.
 Then citing the rules in vogue and particularly the one passed in the 54th Congress under which the warrant was issued. Speaker Cannon with much deliberation said; "The chair under the rules. believes that the gentle man was legally arrested" The speak CTS gavel came down with bang and the incident was closed.