The Cairo bulletin., 1909-02-19
TWO SENATORS
IN WORD FIGHT
lAFolLETTE cRiTicizs SENATE
FC2 DELAYING IMPORTANT
LEGlSlATlON
pENROSE MAKES REPORT
Declared Wisconsin Ma7 Was >
Member of Several Committed
ard had Never Rendered
Any Valuable Service.

Washington Feb. lS-An aelil X
| change OF words took place In tie
senate today between Lafollette, who
Twas criticising the methods of that
body In handling the appropriation
bills, and Penrose. chalramn of the
committee on postoffces and post,
roads, in charge OF the postoffice bill
then under discussion.
The day begun by Lafollette asking
that the postoffice bin be allowed to
60 over until tomorrow as 1t Eal
just been reported from the commit
tee and he had had no time In which
to examine IL. Lafollette addressed
himself at length to the measure a1d
mitting legislation to accumulate un-
tol the last days of the session, when,
ne declared important bills were
rushed through with little or no time
for the senators to understand them.
Come In Late.
My observation is that these ap-
preparation bills get In here about
as late for the long session as they
do for the short session." said La
toilette. "It seems to be part OF the
system that these most important ,eg
sideration.'
He hcarged that important ! ia.
tion was placed on these measures
and passed when il could pass as a
separate bill. He said also that s1l-
airy increases for hig hofficia,s hai
been put through in that way, and
he insisted that the committees un-
duly delayed bills which might be
|rcIA3f-tcyir susfi-rs- sso the wsnrtc woati
understand them.
He declared that If the Senatsr
from Pennsylvania had attended SEES
siCns earlier his committee might
have made the report more promptly.
He added that the important legisla-
ton of congress was In the hanls Of
seven committees while more than
30 senators were not assigned TO any
committee that has business. He took
occasion to say that he hoped tariff
bill would not be put through on a
CREASED runway"
Better Have Special Session.
II do not see" he continued, that
IL would be such a terrible calamity
to the conutry II the discussion Of
these bills should carry some of them
over to an extra session. | know
that II the appropriation bills are
disposed of at this time there will not
be any reorganization OF the commit
tees at this item. and various import
ant legislation outside of the appro-
priation bills must go over to another
session of congress"
I.afollette chided the senate with
having put oww interstate commerce
legislation nine years and having de-
layed the pure food law seventeen by
applying the same methods against
which he was ocntendinf.
Penrose Makes Report,
At this point Penrose arose and
with violent anger and glaring across
the chamber at the slight form of the
senator from Wisconsin. said in a
loud voice:
Il shall not sit silent in my seat
when misstatements are made or
claptrap craftsmanship is attempted
mere. charge the senator from
Wisconsin had ben on the committee
or the census and during his service
On that committee has failed to at
tend single meeting of it. make
that charge without any fear of con-
tradcition He is on the committee
IN claims and had only attended its
meetings 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 COM
mittee on pensions. which has one
of the largest appropriation bills
pending before congress every year.
and he has hardly ever been present
at its emeting according to the unani-
nous testimony of nearly all his
colleagues on that committee.
Never Rendered Useful Service.
| max another statement. without
any fear of contradiction. that he is
on the important committee on In
dian affairs. which every year con
siders a great appropriation bill. aud
be has seldom or never rendered use
ful service to it"
And ne has been In the senate
Turing two years" inteTposed Gal
iinger from his seat.
There is no senator. continues
Penrose. glaring angrily toward La
follette. who has a greater reeoTi
for absenteeism than he. II III he
comes him to eritieise these commit
tees. When he is here it Is only 20
delay the busines Of the senate -
hold up tn transactions Of the public