Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-19
MISUNDERSTANDING ROW.
Wisconsin and Pennsylvania Senator'S
Mix in Warm Debate.

! change of words took place in THE sem
ate yesterday afternoon between Sen
ator LaFollette, who was criticisins
/ the methods of that body in the hand
ing OF appropriation bills, and Mr..
| Penrose. chairman of the committee
| on postoffices and postroads, who was
| IN charge of the postoffice bill. The
| colloquy was rendered almost tragic
! by the angry tones and fiery attitude
assumed by the senator from PennsVl-
vania as he denounced the senator
from Wisconsin, who stood quietly at
! his place on the other side of the
! chamber staring back at his big an
/ tagonist.
I The postoffice bill, carrying appro-
priations of s232, 100000 was finally
! passed by the senate after stormy
debate.
Mr.. LaFollette asked that the post
office bill be allowed to go over until
today, as it had just been reported
from the committee and he had had no
| time in which to examine it. Mr. PEN
rose had resisted this request, saying
he would explain all amendments
committee. Mr.. Penrose had moved
laid before the senate. the senator
/ from Wisconsin demanding the full
reading OF the text of the bill. Later
Mr.. LaFollette severely arraigned the
senate for permitting legislation to
accumulate until the last few days OF
| the session, when he declared. bills
were rushed thru with little or no time
for senators to understand them.
Bills Come Up Late.
My observation is that these appro-
priaton bills get in here about as late
for the long session as they do for the
short session." said Mr.. LaFollette. 1T
seems to be part of the system that
these most important executive acts
shall have little consideration"
He charged that important legisla-
ton was placed in the measures. and
passed when it could not pass as Q
separate bill. He said that the salary
increase for the judiciary, for the high
executive officers and for the vice
president and the speaker of the house
had been put thru in that way and In
sisted that co,pmittees unduly delayed
bills which might be reported earlier
so that the senate would have more
opportunity to study and understand
them. He declared he hoped the tar
ift bill would not be put thru on
creased runway"
Il do not see," he continued, that
there should be such a terrible calam-
ity to the country If the discussion OF
these bills should carry some of them
over to an extra session. / know that
if appropriation bills are disposed Of
at this time, there will not be any re-
organization of committees at this
time and various important legislation
outside Of appropriation bills ought to
go over to another session Of con-
gress.''
His Regular Lecture.
Senator Penrose interrupted to ask
the senator from Wisconsin whether.
"he was delivering his regular lecture"
adding that he thought he had heard
it all before.
Mr.. LaFollette replied that observa-
tons of that sort would not promote
the passage of the bill and said that
his remarks were apt to be still more
familiar. He chided the senate with
having put off interstate commerce
legislation for nine years and having
delayed the pure food law for seven
teen by applying the same methods
which he was contending against.
At this point Mr.. Penrose arose and
with violent anger and glaring arcoss
the chamber at the slight form OF the
senator from Wisconsin, said:
l shall not sit silent on my seat
when misstatements are made or clap
trap craftsmanship is attempted here.
l charge that the senator from Wis
consin has been on the committee on
census and during his service on that
committee has failed to attend single
meeting of it. / make that charge
without fear of contradiction. He Is
on the committee of claims, and has
only attended its meeting once or
twice in all his service and that at
tendance was only to bring up some
trivial claim l make this statement
without fear of contradiction, that he
IS on the committee on pensions, which
has one of the largest appropriation
bills pending before congress every
year and he has hardly ever been pres
ent at it's meeting according to the UNI
slnimous testimony of nearly all OF
his colleagues on that committee. He
is on the important committee OF
Indian affairs which every year con-
siders a great appropriation bill and
he has seldom or ever rendered any
service on it."