The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-19
CANNON EVEN BEATS REED
Leader Williams Sharply Criticize. Him
for Mnnncr- Of AdiOmrninr Honne.

Leader Willinms Sharply Crfticizes Him
for Manner of AdJonrninE House.
WASHINGTON, April ls.--A stun
tton which has developed extreme ten
sion, both personal and political, has
grown out the last minute OF the ses.
sion OF the House to-day.
Speaker Cannon's action in declaring
the House adjourned on the motion OF
Mr.. Payne, of New York. the majority
leader. without needing the demand OF
Representative Williams, the minority
leader, for a division is being de-
nounced tonight by Mr.. Williams and
by other members of the minority as
s"tyrannical.''
Z Representative Williams. while he did
not care to make statement tonight
concerning the situation. declared that
the Speakers action was "the most
high-handed proceeding that a Speaker
OF the House OF Representatives ever
had carried through"
Mr.. Williams recounted briefly the In
cidents leading up to the adjournment.
stating that when the motion OF Mr..
Payne was put to the House he had
asked for a division. a right guaran-
teed to him by the rules OF the House
and by the Constitution. The Speaker,
he said. declared the motion carried
and LETT his desk and walked toward
HIM Mr.. Williams said he understood
the Speaker to say something to him,
but that he had responded: "This Is
beyond a joke
Mr.. Williams says that he turned
away and proceeded to his committee
room. aid the Speaker left the House
and went to his room. Mr.. Williams
said Speaker Cannon and he always
had been good friends. but that he
felt the Speakers action In declaring
the House adjourned In the way he had
declared It was "as arbitrary an action
as any Speaker Of the House Of Rep
resentatlves ever had taken"
Late tonight Speaker Cannon. in
discussing the comments OF Repre-
1T developed at the close OF the House
proceedings to-day. said:
For more than two weeks. under
tho lead OF Representative Williams.
the minority have been engaged III
fllibuster. The majority has the
right and 1t is its duty to legislate.
1T has been proceeding to perform
that duty and will no doubt continue
to do so. The rules of the House
prohibit dilatory motions that would
be in order were they not made for
dllatory purposes. In the last two
weeks many dilatory motions have
been declared out Of order by the
Speaker in the performance Of his
duty.
To-day's session began with dllatory
motions under the leadership Of Rep
resentatlve Williams. After a long
session of seven hours consideration
OF the diplomatic appropriation bill
It was completed In Committee OF the
Whole and reported with favorable
recommendation to the House.
Representative Williams demanded
the yeas on the passage OF the Dill.
The minority supported him IN this
demand and the yeas and nays were
ordered. The minority then substan-
TALLY voted for tho bill. Representa- :
tive Payne at $40 o'clock moved mat
the House adjourn. The question was
nut. and there was a decided majority
voting aye on the viva voce vote.
REPRESENTATIVE Williams did cry ou. .l
I.division." but this, IN View or AN h,s
continued dilatory tactics; was 2 d,,a. !, l !.
lit, declared the motion to adjourn car e !,
l12 O'clock Sunday, which, under spe
cial order OF the House, had been SCI
i aside for me mortal services.
THE Constitution does provide ina
on demand OF one-fifrh OF the mem.
bers present the yeas and nays shal
be spread upon tie journal. Represen
| tative Williams did not demand the
yeas and nays. nor did any other menl-
I-ber Of the House. AS he did not choose
| to exercise his right under the con-
| st; Aon, the chair ignored his dlla-
to1>, demand for a division and de-
clared the House adjourned"