Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-15
TABLES PORTION OF HIS MES.
sAGES THAT Reflect ON
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
MAJORITY IS DECISIVE
HOUSE ASSERTS ITS OWN CA
PACITY TO UNDERSTAND
PRESIDENTS LANGUAGE.


the target all day for criticism, with
here and there words of commenda-
ton. the House Friday night by
vote of 212 to 35, rebuked the Presi-
dent by tabling SO much of his mes
sages as reflected on members of Con-
gress in connection with his recon.
mendations regarding the secret ser.
vice detectives and also declaring 1t to
be the sense of the House that 1t shall
decline to consider any communica.
tions from any source which are not. In
Its own judgment, respectful.
The House was In no mood to treat
the subject otherwise than seriously.
although in the remarks which were
made the reference to the President
almost invariably were couched in par
liamentry language. Nor was the
President without his supporters.
Mr.. Bennett of New York opposed
the adoption Of the Perkins resolution
and declared that IL the House should
accept 1t, its action would have no more
influence on the character which his
tory would give to President Roosevelt
than had the rebuke of the House on
President Tyler's record or the action
OF the Senate toward Andrew Jackson.
The committees report, after quot
Ing from the Presidents message, was
as follows:
Understanding this language to be
a reflection on the integrity of its men,
bership and aware OF its own constitu-
tional duty as to its membership, the
House In respectful terms called on the
President for any information that
would Justify the language Of the mes
sage or assist 1t In its constitutional
duty to purge itself OF corruption.
The President in his message OF
January 4th denied that the paragraph
Of the annual message casts reflections
on the integrity OF the House: attri-
butes to the House an entire failure to
understand my MESSAGE declares that
he has made no charge OF corruption
against any members OF this House and
by implication states that he has no
proof OF corruption OF any member Of
this House.
whether the House In its resolution
Of December II. 1908. correctly inter
preted the meaning OF the words used
by the President in his annual mes
sage. or whether It misunderstood that
language. as the President implies, will
be judged now and in the future &C.
cording to the accepted interpreta-
tons Of the English language. This
House, charged only with its responsi.
bility to the people Of the United
States. and its obligation to transmit
,nIv tn thn fntV ha
tative institutions inherited from the
past and to preserve its own dignity.
must insist on its own capacity to un-
derstand the import of the Presidents
language. We consider the language
Of the President In his message of De-
cember s. 1908. unjustified and without
basis OF fact and that 1t constitutes n
breach OF the privileges Of the House;
therefore be 1t
Resolved. That the House in the
exercise of its constitutional preroea-
tives. declines to consider any COM
munication from any source which Is
not in its own judgment respectful:
and be 1t further
Resolved. That the special commit
tee and the committee of the whole
House on the state of the union be dis
charged from any consideration OF so
much of the Presidents annual mes
sage as relates to the secret service
and Is above set forth. and that the
said portion OF the message be laid
on the table: and. be 1t further
Resolved. That the message of the
President. sent to the House on jan
uary 4. 1909. being unresponsive to the
inquiry OF this House by questioning
the motives and Sntelligence of mem
bers in the exercise of their constitu
tional rights and functions. be laid on
the table"
The roll. by unanimous consent. was
called on the adoption of the resolu-
tion. which was carried by vote Of
2I2 to 35.