Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-28


remove the wreck of the battle
ship Maine from Havana harbor.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 27-Rec-
ommending that the speech de-
livered in the house last week by
Representative Willett of New York,
in which the president was severely
criticised, be expunged from the con-
gressional record, the select corr
mittee appointed to consider the speech
submitted it's report to the house to-
day. A letter written to the COM
mittee by Representative WilleLt,
urging that his speech should remain
on record, accompanied the report.
The report declares that it would
seem that the peculiar constitutional
duties of the house in relation to the
power of impeaching the president do
not preclude clear line of distinc-
ton between that criticism of acts
and conduct necessary for perform
ance of the constitutional duties of the
house and criticism merely personal
and irritating" 1t also claims that it
Is especially the duty Of the house it
self to protect the president from
that personal abuse, innuendo or ridi-
cule tending to excite disorder in the
house itself and to create personal
antagonism on the part of the presl-
dent toward the house, and which Is
not related to the power Of the house
under the constitution to examine into
the acts and conduct of the presi-
dent"
"Your committee has carefully con-
sidered the remarks Of the gentleman
from New York" continues the re-
port, "and finds that his remarks con-
cerning the president are not justi-
fed by any considerations Of the con-
stitutional duties or powers of the
house that they transcend proper
limits of criticism in debate; that they
are destructive Of that courtesy, re.
spect and dignity which ought to be
preserved, and that they ought not to
remain in the permanent official rec.
ord Of the proceedings in the house.
The committee claimed that it was
impossible to separate the objection
able remarks from the remainder OF
the speech and that the only way to
eliminate the remarks considered out
of order would be to strike out the
entire speech.
The house, with but few nays, to
day adopted the report Of the special
committee on the Willett speech.
May Settle Brownsville Case.
Senate leaders have drafted bill
for the settlement of the Brownsville
question which meets with the approx
al of President Roosevelt and Senator
Foraker 1t provides for the appoint
ment Of commission Of general Off
GERS to consider all the applications o.
discharged negro soldiers for re-en
listment. The conclusions of the com
mission are not to be final but must
be submitted to the war department
for review.
Nominations Confirmed.
The senate today confirmed the nom
nations Of Robert Bacon to be secre
tary of state and John Callan O'Laugn
lin to be assistant secretary of state
The appointment of Frank A. MIN
ocks as postmaster at Ottumwa was
confirmed by the senate yesterday aft
ernoon.
Waterways Bill Introduced.
A step toward the carrying out 0
the plans agreed upon by the recen
water ways conference in this city wa
taken when Representative Ransdel
of Louisiana, Moore of Pennsylvania
Shirley Of Kentucky and Bartholdt o
Missouri jointly introduced bill fo
the creation of water ways commits
sion and another for the issue of $500
100000 for the improvement of waite
ways. The bond bill limits the amour
to be issued in any fiscal year to $50
100000 for the Improvement Of waite
ab]s ten years from the date of thei
issue, and they are to bear interest a
the rate of 2 per cent.
Captain keeler Dead In Ohio.
Columbus. Ohio, Jan. 27.-Captail