The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-04
Regular Business Is Cast Aside
to Take Up AdminiSra-
ton Policies
LEADERS GIVE VENT TO
THEIR VARIED BELIEFS
Townsend of Michigan and Hepburn
o. Iowa Defend the Administration,
While Sherwood (o.) and Cack-
ran IN. " Attack 1t.

Washington, February S.-Three of the
giants of the House of Representatives
had their innings today Technically the
Indian appropriation bill was under dis
cussion, but legislation was relegated to
the background while national politics oc-
oupied the stage.
Before the political question cropped out
the House, with next to the largest at
tendance of the present session. with but
one dissenting voice, passed a general
widows pension bill granting a fiat PEN
sion of $13 a month to the widows of all
honorably discharged soldiers of the
United States who have heretofore re-
ceived the benefits of the pension law,
and an increase of 81 a month for those
who have been drawing S. under the act
of June q, 1890. The bill involves the ex
penditure of more than S12, 100000 annually.
The political debate was opened by Mr..
Townsend of Michigan, VINO, in pre-
pared speech, claimed for the republican
party credit for all national legislation
in the last 90 years of vital interest to
the public. In this he was vigorously dis
puted by Mr.. Cochran of New York, who
afterwards launched into discussion Of
the Presidents message of a few days
ago, his remarks frequently evoking APP
plause on both sides of the chamber.
The Presidents utterances in that docu-
ment he declared, were such that neither
party could ignore for he had named the
conditions for which both must contend.
Mr. Hepburn also defended the Pres
idents message and said that condemna-
ton OF it had come only from the great
nalefactors of the age and from the
gentleman frern Ohio, meaning senator
Foraker. ezsssssase .sss.4.ess
While the debate was on almost every
seat on the floor and in the galleries were
occupied.
The house at 4:5S p. m. adjourned until
tomorrow.
ToWnsend's Talk
During the consideration of the Indian
appropriation bill in the House of Repre-
sentatlves Mr. Townsend of Michigan de-
llvered a speech in which he rehearsed
the history of the republican legislation,
which, he said, he did for the purpose of
.disputing the unwarranted claims of our
relate some facts which seemed to him
conclusive refutation of the various claims
and charges made so recklessly and
regardlessly of the elements of logic and
truth" lie was not, he said defending
the present administration.
1T needs no defense with the American
people," he said Its record will illumine
the pages of United States history and
mark an epoch in popular government"
lie declared that the students of the
future would point to it "as the period
when the people came into possession Of
their own by establishment as facts, the
heretofore theories of a republic whereby
federal law is enacted for no class or
financial condition but for all of the peo-
pie"
Not Responsible.
He said that the legislation of the last
two Congresses had been charged with
producing the late financial disturbances
and he undertook to refute the charge
as untrue. He referred especially to the
railroad rate legislation and said that
democratic politicians, finding that the
legislation was good. desired to appro-
pirate it to themselves as a political
asset in future campaigns. Mr.. Town
send defended the railroad rate laws
and declared that no single provision in
it imposed anything which the charters
of the road did not contemplate. He
said that .'he who claims that rate legis-
lation caused the panic or to any con-
siderable extent contributed to it, begs
the question in his desire to justify his
opposition to the measure and to dis
credit an administration hostile to spe-
cial interests and favorable to govern
ment by law
Action of Rate Law.
He said no self-respecting railroad man
even claimed that the rate law injured
the railroad business. Some officials, he
said, were brought to justice and others
were at least exposed to arrest, but rail-
road earnings grew no less. He spoke
of the raid on the banks of the country
In October and November last and of the
millions of dollars withdrawn from the
business for boarding purposes.
eff" he said "the gentlemen may mean
that because some men saw that the
rate law itself could not disturb business.
hut rather would make it more stable,
and therefore, desirable, were intent on
discrediting it, and the administration
which fathered it, If they mean that
these men few of them became worse
than the vilest burglar who ever blew a
safe or used a jimmy, worse than the
hlghwayman who in the pistoPs flare
stole the purse and tapped the arteries
of the financial system and drew out suf-
dcient of the circulation medium to
threaten commercial life with stagnation
and death. then can see some logic In
their contention"
These logicians, he said, said that these
fnanciers would not ruin themselves to
vent their spite. If, he said, the country
had reached the point when the con-
sciousless powerful must be lett alone IN
order to avert even general panic, ne
believed he spoke the honest and thought
full sentiment of the great majority Oh
the people in saying:
Rebuilding Ruins.
LET the structure fall, and on the
ruins from our great natural resources
and with our patriotic citizens OF All
classes unhampered and unfettered by
the powerful vicious, we will lay deep and
strong the foundation of an Industrial
edifice, which cannot be wrecked by men.
who profit by the losses of others and
thrive on threats of destruction
Mr. Townsend pointed out that the pro-
vision for the rate Law which received
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2.)