Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-01-11
LIKE A WAX
IN CONGRESS
Gaines and MahOn Nearly Come
to Blows in the House Whole
Assembly in An UprOaT.

WASHINGTON, Jan, 1l.-Congress-
man Gaines (TennJ attempted to as
sault Mr.. Mahon (Pa.J ON the floor OF
the house during the session.
Mahon had declared that u statement
Gaines had made was not true, and
Gaines had to be forced into his seat
and held there. while congress was in
an uproar.
The house for II time took on the APP
p%earance of the closing days of the
Fifty-fifth congress, commonly known
as the "war congress-" when alterca-
tions between members were frequent.
Mr.. Gaines and Mr.. Mahon were on
ly prevented from meeting in a person
al encounter by the Intervention or
members. Mr.. Gaines was making a
speech on his bill to 'dock' members
pay for absence from the house and
was being twitted by both sides of the
chamber, to his evident emDarrass-
ment, when he charged Mr.. Mahon
with being absent from the house 80
per cent of the time.
Mr.. Mahon remained silent through
out Mr.. Gaines speech, with thesexcep-
ton of interfering a remark or two at
the beginning. When Mr.. Gaines had
concluded Mr.. Mahon rose. He ex-
planned how in the Fifty-third and
Fifty-fifth congresses he had $1,000
due to him and that the then speaker,
Crisp, had given him an order on the
sergeant at arms for the amount, which
was paid.
Then, coming to the cruX OF Mr..
Gaines charges. MI. Mahon thundered:
ANY man who charges me with be-
ing away from this house 50 per cent
of the time tells an untruth."
Mr.. Gaines started down the aisle
from his seat. mo man can tell me l
lie" exclaimed the Tennesseean.
Both men were ordered to their seats,
Mr.. Mahon obeying the command,
from the center Of the chamber, shak-
ing both fist and head at. the Pennsyl-
vanian.
Everything was in confusion, the
chairman of the committee of the
whole, Mr.. Mann, pounding his gavel
so hard that the head flew off on to
the floor.
Mr.. Mahon finally rose to a question
of personal privilege. He stated that
he did not desire to impugn the mo-
tive which prompted Mr.. Gaines to ut
ter what was an untruth about his abb
sence from the house, but he desired
to say that his informant was incor-
rect.
He had no desire to offend the gen.
tleman from Tennessee, whom he
classed among his friends, but he
wanted Mr.. Gaines to understand that
the person from whom he obtained his
information misrepresented the facts.
Not to be outdone in chivalry, Mr..
Gaines Immediately arose and, show
ing deep feeling, said that the gentle
man from Pennsylvania had always
been his friend, but that he had been
goaded beyond endurance not only at
the present time, but on a former oc-
| casion. He regretted extremely the
turn affairs had taken.
"Are you satisfied with that?" he
asked of Mr.. Mahon.
For answer Mr.. Mahon rushed across
the chamber. and the two men clasped
hands amid loud applause.
The house passed the army appro-
priation bill and began the consldera-
ton of the Notifications bill.
The senate passed the railroad bill
limiting the hours of railway employ
ees to sixteen hours of service. followed
by ten hours of rest, by a vote of 20
to 1.
Senator Tillman gave notice he would
address the senate tomorrow on the
Brownsville ARRAY, and Senator For
aker announced he should endeavor to
get a vote on the investigation resolu-
ton the same day.