The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-15

S1A"hlhS x1dD0S.
washington, January 1O.-Tbe bonse
1d'e To-Day took on the appearance of
the closing days of the 55th congress
commonly known as the war CON
sress' when alterations between mem-
bers were frequent.
Mr.. Gaines, of Tennessee and Mr.
AahCll, of Pennsylvania. were only
prevented from meeting in a PERSONA
by the Intervention of other
mFe1IlDers. Mr.. Gaines was maxim q
d speech on his bill to dock members
pay lot absence from the house. am.
was oe1ng tWltted by both sides of the
to his evident embarrass-
ment, when he charged Mr.. Nahon
with being absent from the house o.
per cent. of the time
PREVIOUS TO this sweeping assertion
MI. Gaines had read excerpts from the
record IN relation to the withholding
OF pay IN the 53rd congress and the
part Mr.. MahOn had PLAYED at thor
time. ~
When Mr.. Gaines had concluded Mr.
Mahon rose. He explained how N
tne o3rd and 55th congresses he had
mad $1,000 due him and that the then
speaker, Crisp, had given him an order
on the sergeant at arms for the
amount, which was paid. Then COM
ing to the crux of Mr.. Gaines charge
Mr.. MahOn thundered:
ANY man who charges me with he
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
die.' exclaimed the Tennesseean,
Ihen Mr.. Mann, of Illinois, who was
In he chair took a hand in the alter
cation.
Both men We're ordered to their seats
MI. Mahon obeying the command,
while Mr.. Gaines stood two seats awav
from the center of the chamber shak-
ing both fist and head at the Penn
sylvanian.
h order had been restored. Mr..
MahoH again rose. Having been eau
toned by the chair that it was against
the rules to address a member in the
second person he measured his words
saying he would speak in the fourth !
person. He then said:
The charge of the gentleman from |
tennessee, that l am away from this |
u IS per cent. of my time is n de-
I1berate falsehood."
With a rush Mr.. Gaines reached the |
center of the chamber making Directly !
toward the gentleman from Pennsyl- |
vania, insisting as he went that 70
man could call him a liar without per-
sonal chastisement.
h house was in an uproar by this
the chair adding to the noise if
not to the confusion by pounding the
desk with his gavel. His efforts final
caused the head of the gavel to fly
and 1t bounded into the body of
mouse, almost striking one of the
members.
Inc rush of Mr.. Gaines upon his ad-
versary brought a dozen members be-
the speakers desk. Messrs. Ollie
Jones, of Kentucky Taylor, of Ala
oama, Bell, of Georgia, Williams, CT
Mississippi, the minority leader, and
Stafford, of Wisconsin, grabbed Mr..
Gaines, who, resisting vigorously, was
borne back to his seat. Mr.. Mahon.
standing in the first aisle on the renub-
lean side, seemed to wait for the i'm
pact. which V came. With Mr.,
Gaines back in his seat, the Pennsyl-
vanian continued his speech OF ex-
olanatiOn as to how he came to be
connected with the invoking Of an
I'D statute compelling members to fc~-
lett pay for time absent from the
house. He said that the charge that he
was away from the house 50 per cent.
II the time was a lie on its face. and
hat he was there 90 per cent. of the
as every member who cared TO
inquire could ascertain.
Mr. Lacey, of Iowa. had read the
statute relating to the docking of mem
'ers' pay and he was followed by Mr..
i~rosvenor, of Ohio, who explained the
'easons of the statute. Mr.. Dearmond.
Il Missouri, asked that the minority
of the judiciary committee OF
he statute be printed.
While this colloquy was in progress
friends of Messrs. Gaines and
iahon We're engaged in an effort 10
ring o a reconciliation. in which
hey were successful. Mr.. Mahon rose
a question OF personal privilege. He
tated hat he did not desire 10 i'm
ugn b motive which prompted Mr.. |
Ialnes to utter what was an untruth !
bout his absence from the house. but !
e desired to say that his informant |
'as incorrect He had no desire to |
ffend the gentleman from Tennessee, |
'hOm he classed among his friends. |
tut he wanted Mr.. Gaines TO under |
and that the person from whom he |
his Information misrepresenf- |
the facts. I
Not TO be outdone in chivalry, Mr.. i
Immediately arose and show 1