Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-17
DECLINE THE PLACES
Democrats Refuse Speakers
Committee Assignments.
QUESTION PUT TO HOUSE
Cannon Rules That Ollie James Is
Excused.
NOVEL COMPLICATION LIKELY
Two Boilers Named on Ways and
Reconsideration, It Is Declared,
Will Not Accept Appointment.
QUESTION PUT TO HOUSE
NOVEL COMPLICATION LIKELY

There was a miX-up in the House today
over the membership of the mileage COM
mittee and the determination Of the regu-
lar democrats not to take any appoint
ments from the Speaker unapproved by
the minority leader, Champ Clark. Just
before adjournment Mr.. Cannon had the
clerk read the names of the mileage COM
mittee of the Sixty-first Congress, which
he did to this effect:
Representative Kennedy of Iowa, chair
Representative Garner of Pennsylvania.
Representative Lewis of Georgia. Repre-
sentative Denver of Ohio.
Up jumped Representative Bartlett of
Georgia, pounding his desk and giving all
evidences of a man laboring under intense
excitement.
"Mr Speaker" cried Mr.. Bartlett. Mr.
Lewis. whom you have just appointed on
the mileage committee, is no longer a
member of the House"
Speaker Cannon consulted his official
list for second and agreed that Mr..
Bartlett was right.
THE chair stands corrected said he
''and substitutes the name of the gentle
man from Georgia. Mr.. Bartlett
But Mr Bartlett was highly on his
dignity. ''The gentleman from Georgia. .
quOth ne. declines
Then said the Speaker, who looked
as if he were having the time of his life,
"the chair appoints the gentleman from
kentucky. Mr. James"
Ollie James was way in the rear of the
chamber. but he made running motions
toward the Speakers desk when he heard
his name called, waving his arms and
crying at every jump, II decline, l de
cline!'
Speaker Rules That House Excuses.
Speaker Cannon grinned
THE gentleman from Kentucky must
secure the consent of the House to be
excused said he.
Then he put the question. "All those
nfavor of excusng the gentleman from
Kentucky from service on the mileage
committee will say aye" reasonably
loud vote was the result. But the repub-
licans. entering into the joke, voted a
mo" that shook the skylights
The ayes have it." declared the Speak
er. still with his characteristic grin. land
the gentleman is excused from service
Later the iron duke made the comment
that James doesn't know how 10 take a
joke"
He go; mixed up on the Lewis matter
as result of his desire 10 appoint the
latter's successor to the vacancy. Finally
Representative Collier John Sharp Will
liams successor. was named by the
Speaker and said he'd serve.
May Again Appeal to House.
The prospects today are for one of the
most novel complications over the per-
sonnel of the committee on ways and
means that ever arose in the House.
Minority leader Clark still withholds
his approve Of the appointment of Repre-
sentative Francis Burton Harrison and
Representative Broussard of Louisiana as
the new minority members of the COM
mittee. because of the displeasure among
the House democrats over the action of
these two men in joining the bolt Monday
on the rules fight in the House. Mr. Clark
has declined to approve the appoint
ments. but has not announced publicly
that he disapproves of them.
1t Is believed that Representative Brous-
sard will accept the appointment. mas
much as he did not attend the caucus
which declared ii to be the sense of the
minority that no democrat should accept
committee appointment without the pre-
vious approval of the present minority