The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-08
WAR OF INVECTIVE
 UPON REPUBLICANS
Democrats Charge Their Opponents In the House With Cow ardice Because Two Members Leave Committee, Break Quorum and Prevent Favorable Report On Bill
 For Publicity of Campaign Contributions

Washington, April 7.-Following the failure today of the democratic mem- bers of the House committee on elec- tion of President, Vice President and representa- tives in Congress to enforce action by that committee on the bill introduced by MT. Mccall of Massa- chusetts to compel the publication of campaign contrib utions, hot words were passed and the committee meeting broke up, and an organized movement is now on foot on the democratic si1c of the House to openly charge the re- publicans with "cowardce in systemat- ically and persistently failing and re- fusing to go on record as either favoc- ing or opposing the campaign publicity bill"
 The five democratic members of the committee. Messrs. Fucker of Missouri, Gillespie of Texas. Lassiter of Virginia Hardwick of Georgia and Hackett Of North Carolina after the meeting, madc public a signed statement with the ap proval of the minority leader, MT. Will Hams, in substance as follows:
 That the meeting of the committee was convened at the call of the chair man, Mir. Gaines of West Virginia; that there were present also MT. Burko of Pennsylvania and MT. Dieke- ma of Michigan republicans) and the five democratic members these eight constituting a quorum; that the minor ity members insisted upon taking up the Mccall bill and acting upon 1t; that Chairman Gaines thereupon whis- pered to MT. Burke and MT. Dick ena, his republican colleagues, and they at once left the room; that the chairman then declared no quorum present and adjourned the meetings"
 Protest By Democrats.
 One of the democratic members pro tested against this action as "inde- cent"
 The statement issued by the demo- cratic members of the committee is as follows:
 Hon. Jospeh H. Gaines of West Vir- sinia, chairman of the committee of election of President and Vice President and representatives in Congress, called meeting of the committee for 10:30 o'clock this morning. The chairman convened the committee and upon roIi call, MT. Burke of Pennsylvania and MT. Diekema of Michigan (republicans) and all five of the democratic members of the committee answered present. This constituted a quorum. On mo- sion madesa by one -of the democratic members the chair called up H. R. 20- 112 introduced by MT. Mccall of Massa- chusetts and popularity known as the ca mpaign contribution publicity bill.
 ''The chair proceeded to read said bill at length and at the conclusion of the reading one of the democratic members of the committee moved that the bill as read be ordered favorably reported and on that motion demanded the pre- vious question. The chairman suggested that the gentlemen present, who are not members of the committee, had been in- vited to attend the committee meetings to discuss the provisions of the bill and asked if it was the purpose to report it without hearing from those gentle men. The answer was that as the com mittee had a very short time in which to act, and as Congress was fast ap- preaching the close of the present ses sion and these gentlemen and others had previously been heard on similar bills, the motion would be insisted upon.
 Quorum Is Broken.
 About this time the chairman engaged in a whispered conversation with MT. Diekema and MT. Burkett, two republi- cans present, after which they immediate ly left the room. The chair then an- nounced to the democratic members, all of whom were present, that no quorum was present and that he would put the motion to report the bill One of the democratic members asked the chairman if on a roll call within five minutes a quorum had not answered present to which he responded yes He asked if the two republican members who had just retired from the room did not ab-