Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-04-17
Our Washington
Letter
Special CORRESPONDENCE,


Washington, ID. g., April 8.
The standpat Congressional program
of the Republicans has been brought
up with round turn by the Demo-
cratic mem bsrs of Congress under the
leadership Of Hon. John Sharp Will
liams, and the Republican leaders are
now working overtime to do business
without debate. They accuse Mr.. Will
Iiams of fiIibustering, but he defined
the filibuster as the man engaged in
preventing legislation, while, 1--WE"
he said, s,are engaged IN the business
of trying to force legislation" In
speech last week Mr.. Williams indi-
Gated the Democratic position and
showed they wore determined to pre-
vent any bill from passing by unani-
nous consent and not allow any de-
parture from what the rules required,
until the Republican leaders would al
low some Of the legislation, which he
named, and which had been recon-
mended by President Roosevelt, to be
considered.
The Republican leaders, finding
themselves helpless, have been forced
to bring in new special rule to pre-
vent the Democrats from having their
way; and this new rule is 80 drastic
thet even limited debate is prohlblted
on House bills which the Senate has
amended, which in future will be sent
to conference, Oh the amendments
agreed to, without any intervening
motion of any kind being allowed. 80
the Senate can tack on any amend
ment il pleases, and the Representa-
tives OF the people will have no voice
for or against such amendments.
This would appear to be unconstltu-
tional. The rule also provides that for
| the remainder of the session a motion
| to take a recess shall be privileged, and
have precedence over molten to adj
journ; and that the question shall be
decided without debate or amendment.
That is the first time that the rule that
motion to adjourn is always in order,
has been ovsrridden and virtually re-
seinded. A further provision OF the Or
der was that during the remainder OF
the session it shall be in order to close
debate by motion in the House before
going into Committee of the whole
which motion shall not be subject to
either amendment or debate.
When this rule had been read, Mr..
Williams inquired if the minority
would have the usual twenty minutes
to discuss this rule. They will net"
CURLY replied Mr.. Dalzell. II just
wanted the House and the country to
know that fact" replied Mr.. Will
liams.
The fact 10 the Republicans are In
hole, and have lost their temper, ana
will discover later how these rules
may come back to plague them. AS
no Republican protestea against this
drastic rule, none of them can protest
when their own turn comes and the
autecratie leaders give them a ,dose OF
their own medicine. On Monday, the
contestants having in the meantime
cooled off somewhat. and the prod
ding of the Democrats having had its
effect, the employers liability bill was
passed under suspension of the rales.
| That measure was one of the bills that
the Democrats have been forcing the
Republicans to consider, SO the Demo
cratic filibuster, as the Republicans
call it, is having its good effect. The
President, it is said, has already threat
ened to veto the public buildings bill
unless Congress agrees to Increase the
number Of battleships. The New York
World is authority for the statement
than many Republican Congressman
have called on the President and be-
sought him to issue statement repu-
dating the proffered assistance of the
Democrats to pass some Of the legisla-
ton he has recommended, "but he