Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-28
CLASH WITH SPEAKER
Representative Gaines Rouses
Mr.. Cannon'S Ire.
ORDERS MACE BROUGHT IN
Tennesseean Had Refused to Sit
Down When Ordered.
ROW STARTED OVER RULES
Sharp Exchange of Words Leads to
Summary Order by Speaker to
Sergeant-at-Arms.
ORDERS MACE BROUGHT IN
ROW STARTED OVER RULES

Sneaker Cannon and Representative
John Wesley Gaines of Tennessee clashed
in the House yesterday, and II took
uIimDse of the mace, or the bird, as
the enployes of the sergeant-at-arms
facetiousIy call it to bring the Ten
nnsssean 10 order The mace is the offl-
cfal emblem of authority OF the House.
:. totem-pole sort of an affair, about
four feet long. silver mounted with an
eagle with outstretched wings on the
ton of II. member arrested under the
mace" as the saying goes, is denied all
privileges of the House until restored to
them by d formal vote of the entire men,
bership.
The trouble between the Speaker and
Mr.. Gaines arose during the hrst read
ing of the general deficiency bill, when
the Tennessee member, who had been out
~ the chamber. came on the floor with an
uulighted cigar dangling from one corner
of his mouth and, without taking the
trouble to remove it. addressed the speak
er saving he wanted to ask question:
OF Chairman Tawney OF the approprla-
tionS committee
If is against the rules for a member
tn ask questions on the first reading or
a bill and the Speaker so informed Mr.
Gaines.
Retorts to Speaker.
Il didn't know | was not in ORDER said
Mr.. Gaines
The Speaker whose patience was rather
short Yesterday as a result of the con-
rinuous performance sessions of the House
recently somewhat tartly remarked that
Mr.. Gaines had been a member of the
House long enough to know when he
was not in order.
Mr. Gaines flushed up. 1T takes a
student like the Speaker" said he, i'll
his high-pitched, penetrating voice, Ito
know what the rules are. and ne mas 10
study them every minute, with some
body to prompt him.
The gentleman from Tennessee, the
Speaker came back hotly, lis not only
absolutely discourteous, but mlsstates the
facts.
BY this time both gentlemen We're thor
oughly warmed up
The gentleman from Tennessee, crled
Mr. Gaines, lis no more discourteous TO
the Speaker than the Speaker is discour-
teous to him and the gentleman from Ten
nessee has not miSStated the facts.
Speaker Cannon was in a real passion
by this time.
The chair" he said, desires at all
times to be as impartial as he can, but
the practice has grown up occasionally
for a member, on the supposition that
the Speakers tongue is tied. to insult him
and the Speaker Will not submit to IT. He
will not permit any one to insult him. y
And Mr. Cannon brought his gavel down
with a fierce whack and ordered Nj
Gaines to take his seat.
But Mr.. Gaines would not sit down.
The tongue of the gentleman from Ten
nessee is tied he cried and he is in
suited by the chair The Speaker has
done it for twelve years.
Calls for the Mace
Again the Speaker commanded that Mi.
Gaines be in order, but the only result
vas that the Tennessee member yelled
at him: The Speaker will be in order,
too.
That was the last straw Banging his
cavel on the desk and occasionally miss
iu.. the wooden sounding board and max
ing dent i'll the air, the Speaker waved
his hand to the sergeant-at-a arms.
put him under the mace he directed.
..and see that he remains in order. The
sergeant-at-arms made "A grab for the i'm
posing totem pole and lifting it from its
socket started down the aisle toward Mr..
Gaines But the latter had suddenly
taken his seat. Thereupon. Mr.. Cannon
called the sergeant-at-arms and the mace
back and the incident was at an end.
Members of the House were severe after
the House adjourned in unofficial condcm-
nation of the language used by Mr..
Gaines and his demeanor on the floor.