The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-11
CONGRESS- HAS
WAR OF WORDS
Messrs. Gaines. and Ma
hon Engage in Vitu-
peratlon.
THE WORD "LIE"
PASSES FREELY
Personal Encounter Averted by
Friends-House in an Uproar.
The Speaker is Powerless.
Dove, of Peace Finally
Aights-Curtain Falls
on Tablcau.

WASHINGTON, D. c., January TO-
The House late to-day took on the ap-
pearance Of the closing days OF the Fifty
fifth Congress-, commonly known AS the
war Congress," when alterations be-
tween members wero frequent
blr. Gaines, OF Tennessee. and Mr.
Mahon, OF Pennsylvania, were only pre-
vented from meeting In n personal en-
| counter by the intervention OF the other
| members. Mr.. GaInes was making a
speech on his bill to dock" members
pay for absence from the Ho,Wa, and
was being twitted by both sides of the
chamber to his evident embarrassment.
when he charged Mr.. Mahon with being
| absent from the House 05 per cent. OF
the time.
Previous to this sweeping assertion Mr..
| Gaines had read excerpts from the record
in relation to the Withholding OF pay IN
the Fifty-third Congress. AMI rhe part
AIR Mahon had played at that time.
When Mr.. Gaines had concluded Mr..
Mahon rose. He explained how, In the
Fifty-tirird and the Fifty-ffth Congresses,
| he had had 1900 due him. and that the
then Speaker. Crisp, had given an order
on the sergeant-at-ar7ns for the amount,
which was paid. Then coming to the
crux of Mr.. Gaines's charge, Mr.. AIahon
! thundered.
ANY man who charges me with being
away from this House s. per cent. OF the
time tells an untruth.'
Mr.. Gaines started down the aisle from
his seat NO man can tell me ] lie"
exclaimed the Tennessean.
Then Mr.. Mann, OF illinois, who was in
the chair, took hand in the alteration.
Both men were ordered to their seats,
Mr.. Mahon obeying the command while
~ nj a-n
the centre OF the chamber shaking both
fist and head at the Pennsylvania.
When order had been restored, Mr..
| Mahon again arose. Having heen caii-
toned by the chsfr that IL was against
! the rules 10 address member in the Sec
of,d person he measured his words, say
Ing he would speak IN the fourth per-
SON" He then said:
THE charge of the gentleman from
Tennessee that 1 am away from this
House ninety-five per cent. of my time
is deliberate falsehoodl'
With rush Mr.. Gaines reached the
centre of the chamber. making directly
toward the gentleman from Pennsylvania,
insisting as he went that no man could
call him a liar without personal clias-
tlscment
The House was in an uproar by this
time, the chair adding to the noise. IL
not to the confusion. by pounding the desk
with his gavel. His efforts finally caused
the head Of the gavel to fly off. and 1t
bounded into tine body OF the House, al
most striking one OF the members
fhe rush OF Mr.. Gaines upon his ad-
Versary brought dozen members be-
fore the Speakers desk. Afessrs. Ollie
James. of Kentucky; Taylor, of Alabama. :.
Bell. of Georgia; Williams OF Mississippi.
the minority leader and Stafford, of WIS
consin. grabbed Mr.. Gaines, who, resist
ing vigorously, was borne back TO his
seat Mr.. Mahon. standing in the first
aisle on the Republican side, seemed to
wait for the impact which never came.
With Mr.. Gaines back in his seat, the
Pennsylvanian continued his speech of
explanation as to how he came to be
connected with the invoking OF an old
statute compelling members to forfeit
pay for time absent from the House. He
said that the charge that he was away
from the House ninety-flye per cent. OF
the time WAS lie on It's face and that
he was there ninety-fivc per cent OF the
time. as every member who cared to
inquire could ascertain.
Mr.. Lacey. OF Iowa, had read the
statute relating to the docking Of men,
bers' pay. and he was followed by Mr..
Grosvenor, of Ohio. who explained the
reasons for the statute Mr. DeArmond,
views of the Judiciary committee on the
statute be printed.
Blessed Are the Peacenakers.
While this colloquy was in progress,
the friends of AIessrs. Gaines and Mahon
We're engaged in an effort to bring about
hirl Do