Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-20
House Sustains Act of Adjourn
ment Saturday.
WILLIAMS MAKES PROTEST
Introduces Resolution of Criticism,
Which Is Tabled.
EXPLAINS POSITION IN DETAIL
Declares That Events Have Not
Caused Any Breach in Friendship
With the Presiding Official.

BY strict party vote the House of Rep
resentatives-or rather the republican
members of that body-today sustained
the alleged arbitrary action of Speaker
Cannon in declaring adjournment Satur-
day, ignoring q demand for division made
by the minority leader. John Sharp Will
iiams and cutting off any possibility OF
call for the yeas and nays. The vote sus-
tanning the Speaker was taken on a res
olution offered by Mr.. Williams TO the eff,
feet that Speaker Cannon's act had en-
dangered the dignity, etc. of the House
procedure Prior to this result. Mr.. Will
liams addressed the House for twenty
minutes. stating his position in the mat
ter. and the Speaker replied.
The utterances OF both these eminent
gentlemen were free from rancor or per-
sonal animosity of any kind. Mr. VII
iiams declaring that he thought Uncle
and that it was idiotic to suppose that
the friendly relations which for years had
existed between him and the Speaker
would be disturbed In the slightest de-
urday.
Another Gas Applied
After Mr. Williams and Mr.. Cannon
haa held forth and a vote on the Will
liarns resolution had resulted in sustain
ing the Speakers act, arbitrary or not.
another republican gag rule was brought
into the chamber and adopted. This is
the rule introduced by Representative
Dalzell of~Pennsylvania last week. and Is
Intended to make 1t possible for the re-
publican majority to go right ahead from
: now on until the close Of the session con-
Quoting the business Of the House in its
; own way and In it's own time. f1libuster
or no 6libuster. The rule. which Is
severe one. as gag. has the effect of
making every day suspension day in the
House. Under ordinary suspension day
procedure 1t requires q two-thirds ma
jor1ty to pass a bill, but the new rule
makes = majority vote effective under
Insconnection with the discussion which
ensued upon the rule, Mr.. Dalzeil made
characteristic and cruel comments upon
the democratic hlibuster, which seems to
cause him even more irritation than II
does the Speaker-and this is going some
tended to do business as it pleased He
said there were many bills, not bills of
national importance, but bills in which
various members of the House. and the
constituencies Of various members of the
House, were interested.
He said that bills of this class would be
passed-that is. II they had been intro
duced by members from the republican
The democrats. and shaking his finger at
John Sharp Williams, he cried:
And I leave 1t to the imagination of
you democrats how many bills introduced
by members that side of the House
will be passed.
Then Mr.. Dalzell made a sarcastic re-
mark about the minority leader being
willing to sacrifice his wlfe's relations -
and suggested that, although the demo-
Gratis. individually and collectively, might
say they were working for a principle.
and didn't care whether the bill in which
they and their constituencies were inter-
csted passed or not. they would sing a
different tune when they got back to
their districts and were told by their peo-
pic that they had played politics at a
Fery great cost.
with jeers and groans from the demo-
cratic side and cheers and handclapping
rom the republicans.
Mr.. Williams Statement.
Mr.. Williams was all cooked and primed
for discussion of the outrage Of last
Saturday when the House met this morn
ing. and no sooner had the journal of yes
terday's proceedings been~read when he
was on his feet clamoring for recognition
FOR the purpose of making a privileged
statement. A somewhat lengthy discus
sion ensued between Mr.. Williams and
the Speaker as TO whether ne should not
introduce resolution. the privilege not
being of personal nature. but relating to
the House. but finally without settling this
particular fine point. Representative
Payne Of New York. the republican floor
leader. asked and secured unanimous con-
sent for Mr.. Williams to proceed for a
quarter Of an hour.
A complication rose at this point. Rep
resentative Gaines of West Virginia, a
republican. jumping to bis feet and pro-
testing somewhat heatedly that Mr. VII.
In y,fo 0f htc ~. La
body have unanimous consent during the
course of the fillibuster, should ask \jt
himself.
II shall object myself said Mr.. Gaines
unless the request is made by the gen
tleman from Mississippi"
Il hope the gentleman will withdraw
that" suggested Mr.. Payne.
Mr.. Gaines thought IL over q minute
Well" said he. .'at the request of the
gentleman from New York. 1 very reluc
family withdraw my objection
Mr.. Williams. taking the floor. read
from the Congressional Record the pro-
ceedings of Saturday with respect to the
so-called arbitrary adjournment of the
House by the Speaker
THE Speaker will note said Mr.. VII
liams, that the usual form of putting
The question. The ayes seem to have it
the ayes Have IT. which fs done for Z I,f
purpose Of ena bling any one in opposition
20 call for Il division. was omitted The
Speaker will also note that before he had
announced tnat the House stood ad-
journed until tomorrow at II O'Clock
asked COR division.
Nobody made the point of order tia
the call for division was diitory ant
The Speaker himself with the power to d,
that. did not make the point n man
ncr in which he could have made IL. b!
saying to the House that the chair re
gaYded the call for a division as dilator,
and therefore refused to entertain II.
Therefore, Mr.. Speaker" cont nuet
AIR. Williams. 'fn all due. cool. unimpas
stoned manner. i desire to say few
\ words concerning this instance involving
as IL does in my op Mon a breach of tn,
privileges of the House..
M. Williams remarked, I'm kindly vein
that he could make due allowance boti
for what they would call in Mississippi
the degree OF pestering that ] have in
fiic:ed upon the chair for some time witt
"A view Of bringing about result whicl
thougEt could he brought about bes
in that way. ii at all. Making all du
allowance for human nature which. be
conifg insoIcrant of opposition and pes
tering I'm that way might override wha
has been the historical usage. / want 4
state now that II i am right about thi
matter, and think am. IL is one of tn
N'onfin,Ied Ou Second Pa1s1