Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
BIG ROW IN THE HOUSE
Speaker and Minority Leader
CLASH in Earnest.
'0UTRAGE,' SAYS WILLIAMS
Claims Uncle Joe Denied Him Con-
stitutional Right.
STATEMENT FROM BOTH
'OUTRAGE,' SAYS WILLIAMS
STATEMENT FROM B0TI
After the Ruction the House Ad-
journed for the First Time
Since April 6.

House was marked by stormy scenes.
Speaker Cannon. despite the protests
of Mr. Williams and refusing to enter
tain a demand for a division or mo-
tion of any kind from him, declared the
House adjourrfed until today at noon.
The Speaker left the chair Immediately
after letting his gavel fall. and with a
smile on his face walked toward Mr..
Williams to say something to him. Mr..
Williams, however. was so incensed that
he refused to converse with him.
A number of democrats were severe in
their denunciation of the Speakers ac-
tion.
Bitter and Partisan.
The clash yesterday between the Speak
er and the minority leader was the most
bitter that has occurred at any time
since the beginning of the democratic
Iilibuster-and there have been several
luctions. at that. John Sharp Williams,
despite his friendship for the Speaker. was
SO wrought up at what he termed the
outrage that has been perpetrate that
he refused to shake Uncle Joe's hand after
the latter had descended from his rostum
or TO even converse with him.
When this occurred the scene was most
dramatic. They met in the center aisle
of the House. Speaker Cannon having ad-
journed the House. following viva voce
vote, and without needing Mr.. Williams
repeated cries of division" Following
the last fall of the Speakers gavel the
House was deathly quiet, members on
both sides realizing that something unu-
this moment of stiffness that the men
met. Speaker Cannon put out both
hands toward Williams, remarking some
pleasantly as he did SO, and incidentally
calling Williams. as his habit. Sharp
But Williams was plainly exceedingly
vexed. and he turned his back upon the
Speaker and put his hand in his pockets.
He afterward explained that he was not
angry. but that he could not afford, for
political reasons. to pass of as a Joke
what lie considered an outrage The in
cident Will undoubtedly furnish a world
OF talk bet xesn now and the cOnveninR
Of the House tomorrow.
Minority Leaders Statement.
Mr.. Williams said last night:
Such action as the Speaker took in ig-
noring my constitutional right to demand
vote on adjournment is not merely rev.
olutionary, 1t is an outrage
We have had some high-handed Sneak
ers in this House. and some of them have
belonged to the republicans and some to
the democrats, but not even Reed denied
the minority the right of a roil call, which
Is guaranteed by the Constitution of the
United States-the Constitution which the
Speaker swore to uphold when he took
Lhe Oath or office and which he yiolat cd
py his action this evening
4 was calling for divisiop as loudly
as 1 couid. 10 pretend not to hear will
ROT DO In case like this, and do NOT he
Aeve the country will stand for II II
tnere Is any proof needed that the Speaker
0id near my demand for the vote II Ia
found IN the fact that he came right down
from his chair and stuck out his hands to
me In a joking manner That showed that
he mad heard me and wanted to Joke the
matter OF. But felt that it was nav d,Itv
10 the minority and the country not to let
II be 1Oked that way
Republicans, democrats and ,aus
paper men realized that he could not
heip hearing my demand for a division
which Is preparatory to securin. q roll
call, and is, therefore, a constitutional
right.
feared that those who saw the
scene would think that because I re-
fused to shake hands with the Speaker
was angry. L was not. / had not lost
my heao simply was not going to let
TINS revolutionary procedure pass as a
joke. 90 q
Tnere are many revolutionary netbods
! mignt ,ake to show my resentment of
tional. too. unlike this tonight But | in
tend to do nothing of that kind
intend to go right ahead with this
hi1ousEer. demanding remedial legisIat on.
sueh as the President has demanded and
unless the President backs down. we will
get IL. IL he does back down his utter
ances VIII be regarded as mere political
Duncombe.''
Mr.. Cannon's Statement.
When seen last night by a Star re-
porter Speaker Cannon said:
For more than two weeks rnoer tho
lead OF Representative Williams The
minority has been engaged IN y NIL
buster The me jority has the right and
1t Is Its duty. to leSislate 1t :las besn
proceeding TO perform that .iu,v and
wiz no doubt continue TO do So. The
rules OF the House prohibit ,ijlatory
motions that would be in order yxers
they not made for diIatory Durooses
In the last two weeks many d;i,torv
motions have been declared out of or
der by the Speaker in the performance
OF his duty. foday's session began with
dilatory motions. under the leadership
OF Representative Williams After q
long session of seven hours considera-
lion OF the diplomatic appropriation bill
was completed in committee of the
whole and reported with favorable rec
ommendation to the House Represent
itive Williams demanded the yeas and
nays on the passage of the bill The
minority supported him in this d.. ma nd
and the yeas and nays were ordered.
The minority then substantially voted
Tor the bill. Representative Payne, at
$50 o'clock. II owed that the House ad-
journ. The question WAS put. and there
was a decided majority voting aye on
the viva voce vote Representative Will
liams did cry Division but this. in
view OF his continued dilatory tactics
WAS dilatory demand. and the chair
so treated It, declared the motion to ad-
journ carried and adjourned the House
until Il o'clock Sunday, which. under a
special order of the House. had been set
aside for memorial services.
The Constitution does provide that
on demand of one-fifth of the members
present the yeas and nays shall be
spread upon the journal Representa- =
tive Williams did not demand the yeas
and nays. nor did any other member o.
the House, As he did not choose 10
exercise his right under the Constitu-
tion. the chair ignored his dila:ory de-
inand for division and declared the
House adjourned. The bare stdteme mt
of the proceedings shows that Repre-
sentative Williams did not know how til
avail himself of his constitutional
rights or did not choose to do So