Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-20
UPH0LOS THE SPEAKER
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gravest things that has ever occurred in
the parliamentary history of the United
States"
No Breach Of Friendship.
: Then. taking up the personal side OF
the matter, Mr.: Williams said:
Mr.. Speaker. all talk about a breach
in the personal friendship existing be-
tween the Speaker and me growing out
Of what ! regard as his Saturday even
ings arbitrary adjournment of the House
Is nonsense. Real friendships in this
shaken of by sensible men. This il a
totally different proposition from volun-
tarily becoming party to the treatment
as jest of so grave an attack upon the
foy4n and spirit Of representative govern
mtnt as the Speakers action upon this
adjournment Saturday last
Mr.. Williams then svent at some length
into the parliamentary situation, winding
UP with this remark.
1.-THE truth IT, Mr.. Speaker. that you
are one Of the best men in the world. but
a long and undisturbed power whose
lesser abuses have been good naturally
passed over has made you somewhat
desp0tic and intolerant Of opposition. For
some moons both the members Of the
House and Of the press gallery have no.
ticed that you frequently make q jest Of
performing the solemn oh1ciai act OF
counting those standing on a division. and
think that in this case you believed
that the matter would be treated trivialiy
and lightly az a Jest"
Mr. Speaker" drawled Mr. Williams.
human nature Is human nature. You
and ] have our full measure OF it, In
power. bred In intolerance OF opposition.
he then resorted to 1t. At heart he il a
fair man. and In my opinion will before
the close of the session in some way say
that he has been hurried by my nagging
or whatever you choose to call 1t beyond
the bounds Of ordinary procedure. l saw
the other day a cartoon OF the Speaker
sitting down on the minority. 1t was
headed that way. But when the Speaker
rose from his seat. each head of the
minority was In the shape of a small
tack, which evidently had been worrying
calumny upon me by being named John
Sharp Williams"
The Speaker Replies.
Speaker Cannon then arose and raped
for order.
1.-THE chair" said the Speaker Graves
the indulgence of the House for a few
moments. The rules OF the House are to
be observed under normal conditions. and
the exceptions to normal conditions are
contained in the rules of the House. In
Inc TeCOIIectlOn or the cnaT since Inc
present Speaker has occupied It, respect
has been paid to the Constitution and to
the rules framed under 1t. One rule Of the
House Is that no dilat tory motion shall be
entertained by the Speaker.
What is the condition under which
the Speaker acted in declaring that the
motion to adjourn had prevailed? For
two weeks past-and II Is an open secret.
time and again avowed by the gentleman
who leads the minority-that he was re-
sorting to dilatory proceedings for the
purpose. as it seemed to him justifa BILE,
to emphasize. as he claimed his position
on matters that were pending at the time
touching general legislation"
The Speaker then in his turn reviewed
the adjournment proceedings OF Saturday
and said that in view OF the fact that he
knew positively that Mr. Williams de-
mand for division was diiatory and that
Mr.. Williams did not at the same moment
exercise his constitutional prerogaiive Of
calling for the yeas and nays. he, the
Speaker. felt justified in sweeping aside
the dilatory motion and declaring the
House adjourned.
Following this statement. which was
greeted with wild applause on the repub-
lican side. a vote was taken on Mr.. Will
Hams resolution condemning the Speak
er's action and the resolution was tabled
by a vote of l46 to l19. The House then
adopted the gag rule previously men,
toned.