Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-14
HOUSE ADOPTS RULE
Aqrees to Take UP the Vree-
land Currency Bill.
DEMOCRATS AGAINST 1T
Fifteen Republicans Vote With the
Minority.
MR. PRINCE VAINLY PROTESTS
Minority Leader Williams Charac-
terizes the Measure as an 1nfamy
and Ridicules the Majority.

The House Of Representatives today
adopted the rule. for the consideration of
the yreeland currency bill. III TO 146
The democrats voted solidIy against it
and had the support of the following re-
publicans: Brumm. Penn: Price. H.
Waldo. y. y, Murdock kans.: Weems
Ohio: Cary. Wis: Cooper. Wis: Lind
burg, Mimi: Calderhead. kans.: Dar
rash, Mich: Fowler. y. J.. Hill Conn:
Kusterman. Nelson and Morse. Wis.
There was a slim attendance of mem
bers when TIE House met today. 1t
was expected that the fact that the
currency question was to be debated
would be sufficient TO bring out almost
the full membership and the large
number of vacant seats on both sides
OF the chamber was the subject of much
comment. OF the :sD members there
were present only about 1.2. Majority
Leader Payne was prompt to make the
point of no quorum. and this suggestion
necessitated Il roll call.
While the call was in progress men,
bers came in rapidly. and by the time 1t
was finished a large majority of the seats
were occupied. The call disclosed the
presenc. of :;Wi members. greatly in ex-
attendance since the opening day of the
session.
Vreeland Moves Consideration.
Mr.. Vreeland. New York then offered
a resolution to suspend the rules and
proceed to the consideration of the Vree
land currency bill. debate TO end at ::
o'clock The right was accorded the
minority to offer as a substitute the Will
liams bill
When the reading of the resolution had
been finished. Mr. Prince of the republi-
can insurgents made point of order
that the resolution was not privileged. but
Speaker Cannon sharply in: ormed him
that 1t made no difference whether 1t
was or not, that the motion was to sus-
pend the rules and he overruled the point
MI Vreeland called attention to the
democratic f1libuster of the past month
as the result of their demand for certain
remedial legislation and said that the ma
tority now had d right to expect large
democratic support of the republican
measure.
Suppose they don't support the bill"
he asked, "are they not putting them
selves in an uncomfortable position?' He
inquired What. then. has this time-con-
suming filibuster been aimed against?''
The only reason for not supporting the
majority measure. he said. would be be-
cause the bill comes from the republican
side of the chamber and the minority was
unable to bring forward anything of it's
own.
Prince Protests.
MIR. Prince. Illinois, republican. was We
hement in his denunciation of the rule
saying ii was an insult to the committee
on banking and currency. which thereby
was discharged from taking any acton
sn the bill. IF our heads are to be put on
the blocks now. he declared. whose
heads are to follow when the desire is on
the part of some leaders of this House to
hav. the measure passed?
He called the membership to Join
with him in voting against the resolution.
He protested that the interests of the
ninety millions of American people should
roll around three men,. meaning the
majority of the committee on rules He
charged that the present do-notil-
ing Congress. but he thanked God Presi-
dent Roosevelt had insisted on legislation
being enacted. and sad that what little
had been accomplished had been through
his speeches and messages.
Williams Calls It Infamy.
The minority leader. Mr. Williams an
swering Mr.. Vreeland. contended that
notice already had been served on the
democrats that they were legislativeIy
disbarred for the rest of this session. He
contended that If the Williams bill was
the republicans would not give it serious
consideration. The Ereelaand bill he
characterized as an infamy
We decline to be deposited in that cav
ity.' ile exclaimed. Mr. Williams insisted
that the democrats were not opposing the
Nreeland bill because it was a republican
measure.
Who stands for ito" he inquired No
body-nobody but the republican machine
In this House" So far. he declared. the
majority had failed to prove that they had
either brains or patriotism enough to
bring In a bill that would improve present
publicans that the responsibility was
theirs: now assume it, he said.
Burton Answers Williams
Declaring that he was not so sensitive
as his associate on the committee. Mr.
Prince. Mr.. Burton tOhio) insisted that
committees of the House had no right
TO claim despotic power. Does the gen
tleman believe" he asked "anv good
will be done by referring this bill to
the committee" He inquired what Mr.
Prince promised-"care and friendly
attention. his tender mercies or a dispo-
sition to throw the bill into the waste
basket: which,"
Answering Mr.. Williams. Mr.. Burton
said he had read the Williams bill and il
was object enable in many particulars II
came with poor grace. he said, for Mr.
Williams TO question whether the repub-
ncans had the brains or the patriotism
10 bring In "A measure. .ConfeSsedIy" he
declared. addressing the democra IS YOU
have not the qualifications to bring for
ward Il measure yourselves and we at
least, are willing TO share in q measure
which We are willing to submit TO the
House and country. He deplored what
he said was "a most lamentabIe differ
ence of opinion among the banking com
mittce."
DO YOU approve Il proposal to have
bill of this magnitude passed as n
party measure or considered as s,rb =
Mr.. Cochran tNew York; inquired
Il would prefer very much'' answcrea
Mr Burton. Ito pass ii as a non-partj
san measure but wli:lt is desired To he
obtained is TO pass judicious measure.
and II ii must be a party measure |
stand here to pass it.
Loud republican applause greeted this
reply,
At this point Mi. Fowler tNew Jersey)
sought to interrupt.
Il must decline 10 yield" Mr. Burton
remarked
Il would if ] were YOU" Mr.. Fowler
hotly rctorted.
The vote the rule was then taken
and 1t was adopted, la 10 1iG.