The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-06
House Leader Takes a Few
Digs At the Democrats
TEXAS MAN HANDS HOT ONE
Representative Hardy Replies to Mr..
Payne's Attack on Democrats and
Wins Applause by His Terms
Applied to Republicans.


Washington, February 5.-Tariff revision
and the Presidents recent special message
to Congress again were the main topics of
discussion in the House among republic
cans today. AS has been the case for
nearly a week, the Indian appropriation
bill was before the House, but in no quar-
ter was any word spoken in regard to it,
The House apparently had made up its
mind to discuss the issues of the day at
this time and no effort was made to
check the flow of general debate, which
will be continued tomorrow.
A long speech by Serene Payne of New
York, the majority leader, was consid-
cred important because of his assurances
that a tariff revision plank would be in
corporated in the republican national plat
form of this year. He devoted some at
tention to Mr.. Bryan, whom he accred-
tied with going about the country accus-
ing President Roosevelt of grand or petit
larceny in purloinng his ideas
Other speakers were Messrs. Thomas of
North Carolina Cox of Indiana, Hardy
of Texas and Nelson of Wisconsin.
The first speaker today was Serene
Payne of New York, the majority leader,
who received a round of republican ap-
plause when he took the floor. He di-
rected his remarks to the democrats and
remarked that their political speeches
were but In pursuance of their course
each winter and spring preceding cleo
tions with renewed exuberance OF
spirits" he said, with prophetic sight
during this season OF the year. they carry
the next election, inaugurate their cam
didate and divide up the Offices" Laugh
ter and applause greeted this remark.
Continuing. Mr. Payne said: I'VE hold
our election in November and we will De
there next November"
Claims by Democrats.
Mr.. Payne referred to the address OF
Mr.. Cochran, Monday, and said the lat
ter had added to the quadrennial jollifi-
cation and to the gaiety of the occasion
by claiming for the democrats every de-
sirable piece of legislation. He devoted
much attention to Mr.. Bryan, and said
that "the peerless leader" was wander
ing up and down the country accusing
Theodore Roosevelt of grand or petit
larceny in "purlofning his meteorological
ideas and phrases"
He declared Mr.. Bryan had written the
last three democratic platforms, except
the one that Judge Parker amended with
his famous telegram.
NH
Payne declared that Mr.. Bryan for four
years had been going among the dwellers
in the caves of Abdullam hearing every
mans complaint and every mans griev-
ance, ''and," he added, where there are
votes behind the complainant he imme-
diately champions the mans cause, and
when he comes to write the platform he
follows the precedents of the democratic
party for the past fifty years by putting
into the platform something to try to
catch the votes of the unwary voter not
with regard to fixed principles, but mere
ly as bid thrown out"
References to Bryan.
Continuing his references to Mr.. Bryan
Mr.. Payne said he some times hit upon
a good thing and put it in his plat
forms; but he said. when anybody else
with the same means of information and
knowledge takes the idea and vivifies
it into law and puts it on the statute
books Mr.. Bryan places himself among
that grand army of men who are going
about the country saying Il told you
So" Mr.. Bryan, he said goes around
the country indorsing Roosevelt 80 far
as he goes" and then adds in order to
dilute the Endorsement, ''he is doing just
what | would have done,' and "our
friends, the democrats, get excited about
it,"
Reverting to Mr.. Cochran. Mr.. Payne
asserted that that gentleman had eulo-
gized the President on his late message
A feeling of agitation at once was cre-
ated, he said, as to whether the demo-
Gratis were not going too far, and as
to whether their Endorsement of the Pres
ident would not hurt them at the next
election. Mr. Williams, the referee, he
charged had called halt in the en-
thusiasm by euogizing only certain
many others
Praise for President.
Mr.. Payne then entered upon a tribute
to Mr.. Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt he said, "has a
warmer place in the hearts of the Amer
lean people, the hearts of plain men,
the hearts of intelligent citizens, the
hearts Of righteous citizens of this coun-
try than has ever been occupied by any
public man in the country"
Discussing some of the Presidents
recommendations in his message, Mr.
Payne said he hoped that before the close
of the session bill would be passed
modifying the employers liability act
although he said 1t was one of the most
difficult pieces of legislation with which
Congress had to deal.
Mr.. Payne said that undoubtedly some
simple financial legislation was neces-
l,A thA,, - 1rso Ill
with some few additions, would be suf-
ficient to meet the emergency.
Several of the democratic measures in
troduced at this session were criticised by
Mr.. Payne, including a number of Mr..
Williams bills including the one to place
linotype, wood pulp and white paper on
the free list He enumerated the va
rious kinds of white paper other than
printing paper, his statements causing
Mr.. Williams to interject the remark that
1t was the first time he mad discov-
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