The Washington herald., 1908-01-08
House BARGAIN DAY
Distribution of the Message
Brings Out Orators.
PUT MOTTO BACK" SAYS ONE
"No," Replies DOutcII, and Backs
Himself Up with BibIe-GeOFgian
Goes After Protection system and
the President-TNo New Members
Make Good Use OF Opportunities.

Variety added spice te life in the House
yesterday.
The tariff, the deposed motto, In God
we trust" the Bible. President ROose-
velts efficiency, the question whether
the Presidents policies led to the recent
panic, unfalrness IN railroad rates. and
some other things were discussed, and
two new members made their maiden
speeches.
1t was all on account of the Presi-
dents recent message That message has
to be chopped up and disposed Of among
/ the various committees exercising juris-
diction over the respective things which
the President recommends to Congress.
and when the motion is made for this
pleasant duty, patriots who have speeches
to make, and fear that they viii not be
allowed to make them later, when Con-
/ gress gets busy-for IL sometimes does
/ have a busy day. despite the lassitude
which at present possesses it-rush so
make them It's a sort Of bargain day
! for orators.
yesterday was the day. The usual mo-
/ tion was made by Representative over
/ street, and Champ Clark, who is a patron
/ Of oratory. got the whip hand and oblig
/ ingIy divided up his time among a num-
/ Der Of gentlemen who had things to say
that were expressing their cerebellums.
They said them-at some length-while
\ the House sat in Committee Of the
| Whole.
/ But thg strange thing about it all from
/ an outsiders point OF view, was that none
/ of them said anything at all about the
/ Presidents message The trouble APP
parently was that each Of them had a
! message of his own 10 deliver TO his con-
/ stituents and the American people, and in
I discharging this task they forgot all
/ about the point at issue.
/ Demands Restoration Of Motto.
/ One really unusual address was made.
/ by Mr.. Sheppard OF Texas, upon the re-
moval OF the motto In God we trust
/ from the coinage OF the country II
was deeply religious in tone. displayed
I great research. and had for its theme the
/ declaration that the phrase was the
epitome OF the character and history of
Z
tained upon their coins.
/ The speech Vas an eloquent review Of
: the dealings Of God with mankind and
especially with the American people. The
solemn and stately sentence, In God
We trust" he said. epitomized the
character and history Of this people
and should be left upon the national
coinage
Mr. Sheppard ended his half-hour talk
which Was listened 20 with interest by
Republicans and Democrats alike. with
the first reference 10 the poss ibilty of
war with Japan that has been heard on
the floor. lie said that the protection Of
! God. who had always worked and fought
with the American people in their efforts
toward the liberation of mankind from
ancient despOtism. would follow the bat
te-ship feet around the world, and that
If it should come 20 pass that the feet
would have 10 meet and fight the ships
of an opposing pagan nation the crown
of victory would as in the past rest
upon the banners OF the United States.
BouteII Produces Bible.
Mr. Boutell. Of Illinois. paid Mr. Shep-
pard graceful compliment. recognizing
the erudition and eloquence displayed in
his remarks. but took issue with his con
tention that the motto should be restored
to the coins, and in support of his posi-
tion produced his Bible. turned over the
leaves until he found the twenty-second
chapter of ST. Matthew. and read the
parable which the Founder of Christianity
told to illustrate the difference between
the things Of this world and the things
Of the other in which the inqUistiye one
is told 10 render unto Caesar those
things which are Caesars. and unto God
the things which are Gods"
Mr. HardWick, Of Georgia, attacked the
protection system and poked little fun
at Republicans for charging President
Roosevelt with responsibility for the
panic, and said if they were not going
TO repudiate him entirely they must nomi-
nate Secretary Taft, who was loyal To
this chief, and who did not propose to
eat his words and chew up his record.
Mr. Norris, Of Nebraska, advocated the
passage Of mis- bin providing for the es-
tablshment Of a fund to guarantee the
deposits in national banks by the i'm
position Of tax upon the banks.
Thinks Rate Law Failure.
Mr. Hardy, OF Texas, a new member.
tAAA tSSt0 AIlt btA4tA tltl even more iAil-
portant than the improvement Of inland
waterways was the necessity for making
railroad-rate regulation complete and ef-
fective lie defied any member to show
him that the legislation of last year had
resulted in the reduction of freight rates
in a single case.
Mr. Willett, of New York, another new
one, while agreeing with the Presidents
declaration in his message relating to
the resources of the United States and
the productive capacity of its labor. ex-
pressed the opinion that what was needed /
by the country was the spirit Of good /
cheer. and not the welding Of the big /
stick In his opinion. the currency panic |
was due 10 the Presidents lack Of a /
sense of appreciation of conditions. With /
out disposing OF the resolution, the COM /
mittee rose. and, at 2:25. the House ad- |
jOuTned until noon to-day.