The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-28
IA BREACH BY MIR. ROOSEVELT Leader Williams Wants
 Investigation. NEEDLES IN LEGISLATION Congressman Diekema Called to
 White House. Reported That President censured Him for Action of sub-Commiftee
 en the Case of Judge !.
 wneey.

Leader Williams. of Mississippi. in the | House today gave notice of his inten- ton to introduce c resolution to ''ask the committee on judiciary to examine
 whether or not there has been on the | part of the executive. a breach of the | privileges of the House" MT. Williams said that his resolu- tion would be based on a news item | appearing today in the Washington Post. bearing the heading Roosevelt | Rates Dickema."
 The story states that upon the occa- sion of a visit yesterday to the White | House. Mfr. Dickema, of Michigan. who | was a member of the subcommittee | which investigated the charges against Judge Wilffey. had been taken to task by the President for having censured | the Judge
 Mir. Dickems one of the princi- pals to the conference, got the floor to explain just what happened. He ab-
 solved the president of any interfer- enca.
 Tn calling attention to the matter, Mfr. Williams said that 1t was a part Of the fundamental law that no repre- sentative of the people shall be called to account for any vote, utterance or report made in his capacity as a rep- resentative.
 Our forefathers," he declared. "in- serted that clause because 1t had been the habit of George III to call to the Kings palace members of Parliament and berate them on account of their votes in Parliament, or when members of Parliament called upon other busi- ness to take advantage of the fact to berate them and to class them among the crowd of Kings friends or not Kings friends.'
 MT. D;ekema said it would have been cowardly. a. neglect of his duty, and an injustics to the President did not he make any explanation. The President did not send for me-" he said eruphaticaily. That state ment Is an entire mistake" He said he called to pBHsent the Cow ernor of Michigan to the President, and the Wilfey matter came up incident ally. The President. he said. insisted that the report of the sub committee would do Judge wiifiey an injustice and influence opinion unfairly to the administration of justice and the pres tige of the American nation in China. ''on the other hand" said Mir. Diekema, T endeavored to explain to him why we arrived at these conclusions of law and of fact"
 Raising his voice to a high pitch, and speaking directly to Mir. Williams, Mfr. Diekema exclaimed: Not only did he not act as, King George III would have acted with a spirit of in- tolerance, but he gave me all the time desired to fully present to him the side of the committed"
 The President. he said. did not agree with the committees conclusions nor did he agree with those of the Presi- dent. He insisted that the President had aGperfect right to debate the ques- ton with him. "A member of the House." said Mir. Dlekema, ''has a per feet right to defend his position. and in the spirit of utmost liberality and of the utmost consideration for a mem Der of the House in the spirit of the utmost tolerance, the great President of the United States recognized that right"
 Never in the discussion, he said. did the President display the least symp- toms of intolerance, but at all times the broadest spirit of American toler- ance. such as has made our country great, and such as has exemplifed the deeds of this President in the his- tory of his past career"
 The Republicans applauded this ut- terance.
 "Did the President thump his desk. as the article states?" MT. Williams sn- quired.
 T am glad to say" Mfr Diekema re- piled. "that the President did not tn hump his desk. but" he added amid laughter. in which he himself joined, the President. sn his usual vigorous style, used gestures"
 Mir. Diekema, answering questions by Mir. Williams, denied that the Presi- dent had called him to account or that the President said 'the gentlemen of the subcommittee had no right to go on and make these reflections upon Judge Wilhey."