The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-06-06
FAMOUS FILIBUSIER
LA TOILETTE BREAkS RECORD
FOR LENGTH OF SPEECH
IN SENATE.

FOR LENGTH OF SPEECH
IN SENATE.
Talks Over Eighteen Hours on Finan-
ciaI Measure - Senate, However,
Passes Measure and Senator Moves
a Reconsideration - Other Strong
Speakers Take Up FiIibuster When
La Toilette Stops.
Washington, May 30.-The confer
ence report of the Aldrich-Vreeland
currency bill was adopted by the SEN
ate this afternoon. The roll call was
begun at 4:2I p. m.
All the affirmative votes were cast
by republicans, but senators William
e. Borah of Idaho, Norris Brown of
Nebraska, Jonathan Bourne of Ore
gon and Weldon B. Hepburn OF Idaho,
republicans, voted with the democrats
against the bill. Senator Robert M.
La Toilette of Wisconsin voted in the
affirmative for the purpose of moving
a reconsideration of the vote. The mo-
ton to reconsider was laid on the table
by vote Of As to II.
Whatever else has been accom-
plished by Senator La Toilette in his
4-libuster, he has gained a champion
ship. At 1903 this morning he yielded
the floor to Senator William j.. Stone
of Missouri, after having spoken al
mos. continuously for eighteen hours
and forty-three minutes, and his voice
seemed to be almost as fresh as when
he began.
The republican leaders apparently
had no program other than to try to
wear out the AillDusters.
The previous record for long speech
in the senate was made by former Sen
ator w. v. Allen of Nebraska, who op-
posed the repeal of the silver pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman act, and
he was aided by other senators who
took much of the strain from his voice
by frequently reading extracts from
documents.
La Toilette had no such assistance
In fact, his task was made as difficult
as possible by placing interpretations
o. the rules of the senate which inter-
fered with his demands for calling of
the roll to determine the existence of
a quorum. This ruling was made after
there had been more than thirty calls
o. the senate and was based upon the
fact that there had been no business
intervening since the former call, de-
| bate being held not to be business.
Old Ruling Invoked.
After La Toilette had been twice
| recognized by the chair, an old ruling
! invoked number of years ago at the
| suggestion of former Senator David b.
Hill of New York, to the effect that a
senator cannot speak more than twice
on a subject in one legislative day, un-
less other business intervenes, was
| brought up. AS the senate will con-
| tinue the currency discussion under
| the legislative date of May 20, La Fol
lette realized that he could not get the
floor again if he surrendered. AS a
result he gave an unprecedented exhi-
b.tion of endurance. His exploit is all
the more remarkable for the reason
| that his own party was wholly without
sympathy for his effort, and he had
| but few supporters in the democratic
ranks.
The night was one that will long be
remembered by senators. The heat in
the chamber was oppressive and the
attempts to maintain a quorum pre-
| vented the fifty-odd senators in the
city from getting rest. Finally the
sergeant-at-arms was directed to keep
these senators at the capitol, which
| was an almost impossible task As
soon as some of them were brought
they would answer to their names and
depart for their homes.
The republican leaders were partic-
ularly anxious mat Senators Stone and
Gore should not be permitted to get an
| undisturbed nights rest and they
were kept out of bed by the sergeant
| alarms of the senate. They were
brought into the chamber half dressed,
but they did not remain long enough
| for their dishabille to be generally no
ticed.
Slight sustenance.
| Throughout yesterday and last night
La Toilette sustained himself on a
punch Of egg and milk, and on one
occasion during roll call he ate a
sandwich. He husbanded his strength
by sitting on the arm Of his chair as
he talked and for the most part his
speech was delivered In converse
tional and dispassionate tone.
There have been many famous fill
clustering periods in the history of the
senate; but none, perhaps, ever has
been supported by SO small body of
men as the lone fi,ibuster" of La
Toilette. ASever yet has the senate
failed to finally act on measure when