Evening star., 1909-02-19

| this session Is cOncluded.
Mr.. La Toilette then went on to charge
that the Senate apparently tried as hare
| as 1t could not to do any business. II
| had put off enacting the interstate com
| merce legislation for nine years, he held
and the pure-food law seventeen years
| by adopting the same methods that ht
was now denouncing.
While this was going on Mr.. Lodge wen
| over and whispered something to Mr.. Pen
| rose. In minute Mr.. Penrose got up
| He glared angrily across the chamber a
Mr.. La Toilette, who saw what was com
| ing and held his ground, and in the face
| of the assault that followed he stood
quietly waiting.
Penrose Charges Dereliction.
In a loud voice Mr.. Penrose said: 81
shall not sit silent in my seat when mis-
statements are made or clap-trap states.
manship is attempted here. l charge that
| the senator from Wisconsin has been or
the committee on census, and during his
service on that committee has failed te
attend single meeting of it, / make thai
charge without any fear of contradiction
He is on the committee on claims and has
attended its meetings only once or twice
in all his service, and that attendance
was only to bring up some trivial claim
/ make the statement without fear OF
contradiction that he is on the commit
tee on pensions, which has one of the
| largest appropriation bills pending be
| fore Congress every year, and he ha:
| according to the unanimous testimony o.
| nearly all of his colleagues on that com
mittee. / make another statement with
out any fear of contradiction that he Is
on the important committee on Indiar
affairs. which every year considers q
great appropriation bill. and he has sol
dom or never rendered useful service or
it,"
And he has been in the Senate during
two years." interposed Senator Gallinger
from his seat.
There is no SENATOR continued Mr.
Penrose, glaring angrily toward Mr.. La
Toilette, who has q greater record for
absenteeism than he. 1t well becomes
him to criticise these committees. When
he is here, it is only to delay the busi-
ness of the Senate, to hold up the trans
action of public business and to embarrass
those who, under their oaths of office,
and in the conscientious discharge Of their
duties. endeavor to enact legislation.
Il shall not sit here, and desire to give
such notice to the senator from Wiscon-
sin, and listen to arguments that might
better be made by vendor of a patent
| medicine from the tail of a cart in viii
| lage of Wisconsin than from a senator OF
the United States
| Senator Gallinger said as Mr. Penrose
took his seat that he did not wish al
that time to have rule No. 10. which pro-
hibits any senator from speaking twice on
any one question on the same day, en-
had spoken several times not to delay
the Senate business unduly.
La Follette's Rejoinder.
Mr.. La Toilette declared that he did
not ask the indulgence of any senator in
| respect to the rules. He said he expected
them to be enforced and believed they had
been enforced with undue strictness in ref.
erence to himself He added that If he
was infringing a rule he might delay his
| brief reply until another amendment
should be acted upon.
1T Is of little value he said, Ito utter
a contradiction here to much that has beer
said. 1t would merely put the word OF
one senator against that of another.
have not attended the meetings of some
of the committees to which 1 was as
| signed l attended the meeting of the
committee on claims once or twice. Not
| feeling that / could render service Of val
ue on 1t, asked to be relieved from mem
bership on that committee. l have been
reasonably diligent on the committee on
Indian affairs
1T is the unanimous testimony of Its
members that you have failed to attend
those meetings., interposed Mr.. Penrose
angrily.
Il would have more confidence in the
statement" replied Mr.. La Toilette delib
erately, IF senators on that committee
made that declaration themselves 1 was
absent from the Senate two months al
the last session. being confined to my
home in this city by illness. 1 was alb
| sent during the holidays-a week-durins
this session, when ! was at my nhome
experimenting the publication of a maga
zine In which / am interested. and thai
seemed necessary to the success Of the
business at that time
Then, standing in his place in silence
for a few seconds, he looked intently
| toward the senator from Pennsylvania
Framing his words with great delibera.
ton, he continued:
Against his coarse and vulgar assault
! put my record since 1 have been a
| member of this body
Then. looking about the chamber, Mr.
La Toilette continued:
You can take no course which will
deter me from exercising my right upor
this floor to express my views upon legis
| lation and upon the orderly conduct al
| the business of this body. II you were
better acquainted with me you woulG
know that
Dispute as to Rights.
! Mr. La Toilette took his seat and Mr.
Penrose referred to the next amendment
in the post office bill. Mr.. La Toilette al
| almost the same time addressing Vice
President Fairbanks to make an inquiry
concerning the amendment
"Mr President-Mr. President called
| the senator from Pennsylvania in a louG
voice For a moment the senator's from
Pennsylvania and from Wisconsin ant
the Vice President were all talking a,
| the same time. Finally Mr.. Penrose'
voice was heard declaring that he be.
lieved he had the floor.
1.-The chair said the Vice President
calmly. lis undertaking to answer q very
proper inquiry by the senator from Wis
| consn.'
II did not understand" said Mr.. Pen.
L s.I fhollQhf l had the 6onr. nd ne