Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-04
DALZELL MAKES PROTEST
Drastic Rule Adopted to Expedite
Public Business.
MAJORITY SHOW SATISFACTION
Numerous Dilatory Motions Made
When the District Bill Is
Taken Up Again.

the leadership OF Representative John
Sharp Williams of Mississippi was re-
sumed Immediately upon the convening of
the House of Representatives today. and
for the first hour or so of the session
the scene resembled a lively stage Of
the Donnybrook fair more than the usual
orderly proceedings of the lower branch
of the national Legislature. The feature
of the morning session was the adoption
by a 1ong-winded yea and nay strictly
party vote of a resolution from the COM
mttee on rules framed to counteract and
render innocuous the democratic filibuster.
which has been delaying the game for the
past few days and which was in full
bloom a few minutes after the House
met this morning.
This rule, stripped of it's technicali-
ties and parliamentary loop. makes
recess motion privileged and to take
precedence over a motion to adjourn, cuts
several roll calls out of the process OF
closing debate on a bill during the prog
ress of the filibuster and permits the
sending of appropriation bills to confer
ence without intervening motions, saving
a bunch of roll calls and lots of time
in this respect
Dalzell Vigorously Protests.
Representative John Dalzell of Pennsyl-
vania. one of the republican big five"
of the House, is not at any time a re-
markably patient man. and this morn
ing he was bit more peevish than
usual. Interrupted almost continuously
by groans. jeers and catcalls from the
democratic side of the House. he spent
ten minutes or so in a brief explana-
tion of the rule and what 1t would ac-
complish. And most of this ten minutes,
to tell the truth. was occupied by Mr..
Dalzell in expressing his views concern
ing the fllibuster and those conducting
it. He referred to the course OF the
democrats as "asinine' and 'idioti6'
and "a disgrace to grown men,"
THE purpose of this rule said Mr..
Dalzell is simply to expedite the public
business and relieve the House from the
grasp of this idiotic filibuster. inaugurated
and engineered by the gentleman from
Mississippi. and to enable the majority 10
enact the great supply bills for the next
fiscal year. l will now explain the rule
and"
''It needs explanation" yelled William
Bill Sulzer Of New York. jumping from
his seat and sitting down again with
commendable promptness at the thump or
the Speakers gavel
Mr. Dalzell was plainly annoyed. He
flushed. and if he had yielded to his in
c1ination he would probably have picked
up a chair or a desk or a colleague to
throw at William Bill. But instead he
COnIentcO IlluStll Will SOdhIh6 thC eSn-
tleman from New York with a large rocky
retort, which. it may be said. glanced off
the impervious hide of William Bill Ike
hailstones from a slate roof.
II doubt" cried Mr.. Dalzell. in reply
to the Sulzer Interpolation, 'if ] could
frame an explanation that would reach
the gentleman from New York
Williams Arraigned.
THE gentleman from Mississippi. Mr..
he is not filibustering. Does he believe
he can fool the people of the country by
that statement? Does he think he can
make them believe he is expediting bust
ness when he demands the yeas and nays
on a motion to approve the journal and
then turns around and votes for the mo-
tion itself? Who in the world ever heard
of a more asinine performance than that!
THE gentleman from Mississippi object
ed Yesterday to the gentleman from New
York. Mr. Payne. calling his filibustering
efforts puerile.' They are more than that.
They are childish, idiotc and disgrace. ul
to grown men,.
John Sharp pricked up his ears when
Mr. Dalzell began his complimentary and
graceful comments on the filibuster. of
which the above furnish a sample, and
listened attentively to everything the rule
producer had to say. Evidently he de-
cided that Mr.. DalZell was merely reliev-
tionab.e way, for when Mr.. Dalzell re-
sumed his seat John Sharp went right
ahead. scribbling something on scratch
pad, and didn't take the trouble to resent
or reply.
Before the yeas and nays on the resolu-
ton from the committee on rules were
taken John Sharp had brief and spirited
set-to with Speaker Cannon. A viva voca
vote on the previous question had just
been taken. when John Sharp jumped up
and demanded a division. He nearly fell
down when the Speaker announced, in
his suavest manner. that the demand
came too late.
Colloquy Ends Happily.
Did the Speaker say as usual" Mr.
Williams inquired, advancing down the
center aisle The ayes seem to have it,
the ayes have it?'" etc.
Mr. Cannon never hestitated for a mo-
ment THE chair cannot say" he re-
Piled but. AT any rate. 1 paused a minute
and looked directly at the gentleman from
Mississippi"
After some more sparrng the Speaker
announced that he would have the ap-
propriate portion of the stenographer
notes Transcribed to show whether he did
or did not say THE ayes seem 20 have it,
as we'll as all the rest OF the proper form.
"The Speakers word is sufficient for
me-" remarked Mr.. Williams. adding
considerable more of the same coHlpl-
mentary sort and saying. as he backed
down the aisle toward his seat, Il would
not be put in the position, either before
this House the country. of for a mo-
ment questioning the Speakers word
want the House to understand that. and
l want the Speaker himself TO understand
it"
THE Speaker does understand il.
uuoth Uncle Joe from his place, with
smile and a bow toward John Sharp,
land there will he no personal difficulty
between the gentleman from Mississippi
and myself" Whcreat everybody. NIL
busters and tilibusterees, and personal
harmony strained once or twice during
the proceedings. drew nigh once more and
took long breath.
After the official stenographnr had SOL
EMMY Transcribed portion of his notes
which were as solemnly read by the clerk
from his desk. showing that the Speaker
had indeed said ''the ayes seem TO have
it, ETC." Mr. Williams announced from
the floor of the House that he had been
mist AIKEN and wanted everybody to know
IL. He also told n few friends and sup
porterS privately that he was ashamed OF
himself for having let his foot slip and
come in too late with his motion, which
if made in season would have resulted