Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-20
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY

OOIVOnESSlOIuR OOWWHN l e
Washington, Jan. 8.-After having
made him a target all day for criti-
cism with here and there words of
commentator, the house rebuked the
president by tabling so much of his
message as reflected on the members
of congress in connection with his
recomme ndationS regarding secret
service detectives, and also declaring
it to be the sense of the house that it
shall decline to consider any commu-
nication from any source which is
not in it's own Judgment respectful.
With feelings of outraged dignity and
pride on the part of many of it's mem
bers, the house gave itself up entirely
to the discussion of one of the most
momentous questions that ever come
before Tits functions as a legisla-
tive body-in contradiction to those
of the executive branch of the gov
eminent The report of the special
committee appointed to deal with the
language in the presidents annual
message and in his special message
of last Monday bearing on the secret
service affecting members of congress
was submitted and it was used as the
basis for some of the most earnest
and vigorous speeches ever heard in
the historic chamber The house was
in no mood to treat the subject other
wise than seriously, although in the
remarks made, reference to the presi-
dent almost invariably, were couched
in parliamentary language. Nor was
the president without his supporters.
No member of the presidents family
was present. Neither was his son-in-
law, Representative Longworth of
Ohio, in his seat during any part of
of the day. So great was the inter-
est in the proceedings that many
senators came over to the house and
sat. for several hours. The resolu-
tons adopted are to this effect:
Resolved, that the house in the ex-
ercise of its constitutional perogatives
declines to consider any communica-
ton from any source which is not
in its own Judgment respectful; and,
be it further. resolved, that the spe-
cial committee and the committee of
the whole house on the state of the
union be discharged from any consfd-
GRAFTON of SO much of the presidents
annual message as relates to the Sc
cret service, and is above set forth,
and that the said portion of the mes.
sage be laid on the table; and, be it
further, resolved, that the message of
the president, sent to the house on
Jan. 4, 1909, being unresponsive to
the inquiry of the house and consti-
tuting an invasion of the privileges OF
this house by questioning the motives
and intelligence of members in the ex-
ercise of their constitutional rights
and functions, be laid on the table,
At the conclusion Of the speech of
Mr.. Perkins, presenting the report of
the special committee on the mesi-
dents message, Congressman DENLY,
also member of the special commit
tee, said that the house was con-
fronted with the most painful duty
that had fallen to its lot since he had
been a member. 1t was greatly to
be regretted that the president should
have seen fit to mention by name in
his message certain members of the
committee On appropriations mot
with view to expose corruption, but
merely to criticse them for their of
| fetal action in their legislative ca
pacity" The president, he declared
did not agree with the committee, but
surely, he said he could not claim
the right to- hold up to public ridi.
cule, in a state paper, every member
whose views did not exactly accord
with his own. To-day" he continued
with calm deliberation, -four special
committees offer resolution intended
to make clear the attitude of the
house toward the president when in
the exercise of a constitutional privi-
lege, he strayed from the path of
recommendation and just criticism
into the realm of personal abuse, sus-
picion, and innuendo."
Representative Bennett of New York
predicted that the action of the house
on the resolution would play no more
part in the record of Theodore Roose-
welt than did the rebuke of the house
to President Tyler or the action OF