Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-18

In the middle of speech scathingiy
President Roosevelt, Repre-
sentative William WiIlett, jr, of New
York, a democrat. was stopped by a
point OF order made by Representative
Gardner Of Massachusetts, and support
ed by a solid republican vote.
The vote on a motion to permit Mr..
Willett to continue divided on strictly
party lines. The republicans defeated
the motion. which was made by Repre-
sentative Gambler OF Mississippi. 13s
to IS.
From the moment that Mr.. Willet start
ed to speak members on the republican
side used every effort to make him stop.
He had spoken only a few sentences when
Representative Hughes OF West Vir-
ginia made the point of order that Mr..
Willett was not addressing himself to
the question before the House, the pen
sion appropriation bill. But Representa-
tive Butler of Pennsylvania. who was
in the chair. ruled that 1t was the prac-
tice in general debate to permit mem
bers TO address the House on any subject
that came within the wide range OF
their fancy.
Mr.. Willett Continues.
So Mr. Willett continued.
But a few minutes later Mr.. Hughes
jumped up again.
The gentleman from New York" he
said. lis reading a lot of rot in which
President of the United States. I make
point of order that he should not be
permitted to continue
Mr.. Butler, in the chair. again held that
Mr.. Willett might continue. Again Mr..
Hughes rose to his feet. amid applause
from his republican colleagues. Again
he made a point of order against Mr..
Willett's remarks.
When for the third time Mr.. Butler had
ruled that Mr.. Wilett might continue
Representative Hughes asked If the re-
marks of the gentleman from New York
would be blotted from tho record IL, after
delivery. some portions were found to be
out of order. Mr.. Butler replied that lay
within the discretion OF the chair.
Representative Langley of Kentucky
was another member to make an ineffec-
tive point of order against Mr.. Wiliett.
AS Mr.. Nillets continued his remarks
grew warmer and warmer. Finally he
charged Mr. Roosevelt with defamation
of Admiral Schley.''
Out of Order and Loses Floor.
Representative Gardner of Massa-
chusetts jumped to his feet and made a
point of order against Mr. Willett on tho
grounds that the rules OF the House did
not permit personalities. This point Of
order was upheld by the chair
Then Representative Hepburn of Iowa,
chairman of the House committee on
interstate and foreign commerce. rose
with a copy of the rules of the House in
his hands. He called attention to clause
l. rule Il, which has the effect of making
member who has been ruled out OF
order take his seat and lose the floor.
So Mr.. Wiliett sat down.
But there was one way. Mr.. Butler held,
in which Mr.. Willett might be permitted
to continue In order, and that was by
vote Of the House. So Mr.. Gambler made
motion to this effect. 1t was agreed
that the vote should be taken by telIers.
On defeat of the motion and amid loud
applause from the republican side. Mr..
Willett rose up. the undelivered portion
of his typewriter speech in hand, and
left the chamber.
This. with the exception of some hand
clapping when Mr.. Hughes tried to inter-
fere, was the one occasion that the re-
publican side had applauded.
Up to that time every point made BY
Mr.. Willett and every utterance against
the President which contained q little
more than ordinary warmth was loudly
saluted by the democrats, who scenes
to enjoy the speech.
In vain Mr.. Fitzgerald Of New York
sought to have the chair construe the
rules 50 that Mr.. Willett might ~.
)