The Washington herald., 1910-06-21

With just five votes in opposi-
ton, the House, at u 80 this MORN
ing, passed the omnibus public
buildings bill, authorizing the ex-
penditure of nearly $20,O00,000.
1t went through under suspension
of the rules. There was no oppor-
tunity afforded for amendment. No
single item in the bill could have
been passed upon separately. Itwas
swallowed as a whole amid scenes
of great and noisy rejoicing, and
the few men who took the floor
against it were howled down, de-
rided, greeted with storms of mock
applause, and all but insulted.
Not in many years has a night
session of Congress been marked
by such a demonstration.
The House seemed to have gone
money mad, and every member, ap-
parently, would have sat there TN
til daylight patiently waiting the
moment for the opening of the
| pork barl.''
ILLUSTRATION OF FEALTY.
It was a striking lesson in the fidelity
OF Congress 10 business. L showed that
when it wants to the House can get
right down TO hard work
Apparently the neglect Of the District,
which has been refused ali opportunities
10 be heard in NCongress for six weeks.
has been due to something else than lack
of energy. One-half of the enthusiasm
which was manifested for the public
buildings bill would have sufHced to have
! passed every local bill which has for so
long been awaiting action on the cal
endar
1t was long. hot day. The Congress
men had heard that the pork bar'l" bill
was TO come up Monday, and they were
in their seats promptly at noon. The
day wore on, and the leaders whetted
their appetites. meanwhile securing the
passage Of a large number of bills on
, the suspension day calendar.
Heat waves beat upon the Congress
sional head. but still the sweating men,
3 bers stuck
Six o'clock came. Sun no action on the
public buildings bin. A recess was taken
until o'clock. There were no protests
at night work. The House came back
gladly, without grumbling, eager to cut
the pie which meant large expenditures
in favored districts, and slice or two
for nearly everybody.
Night Long and Hot.
Like hungry wolves waiting for their
quarry to die, the statesmen sweltered
through the lot. hot night as though.
sitting on their launches and licking
their chops with expectation, they cared
nothing for fatigue nor discomfort so
long as at last they got the prize
It was nearly midnight when the bill
was finally taken up. Not a Represent
ative had departed All were there. The
big bill consisted Of fifty pages. Under
the rules it must be read. This would
have taken an hour. 1t required about
twenty minutes The clerk read it in the
high places only, and many pages at a
time were skipped
Finally the motion for the passage OF
the bill was made. Representative Sims.
g of Tennessee, took the floor in opposi-
: ton He started TO denounce the method
r whereby a bill carrying s2O0OO,0eO could
+ be passed without the right of amend-
ment. and with only a nominal debate
Greeted with DerisiOn.
A storm of derisive applause greeted
n him. Members banged their desk tops,
r shouted, laughed, whistled. until Mr.
a Sims could not be heard Persisting. he
: managed to get in a few words above
the din which the Speaker did but little
: to check. He declared that such a bill
I should be brought in just as any other
n appropriation bill. and opportunity be
T given for debate upon each paragraph.
and for amendment
a The House thought that this view was
: extremely humorous. The members roar
:. ed with laughter and banged their desk
:, tops some more. Democrats. as well as
r, Republicans. all sharers in the pie. clam
y ored Tor speech-nlaking 70 De done WITH
s that real action might be had.
Representative SuiZer, OF New York.
a arose to oppose the bill He was not per-
mitted TO begin for almost five minutes
> because Of the applause. Mr. sulzer final
ly managed to roar out a protest against
the method of appropriating s90,0000o0 ''of
J. the taxpayers money" without an oppor-
tunity being given for the amendment of
l. the bill.
The Hon ''BiH' Sulzer couldn't get
very far, for the noise. He declared that
/ the scenes which were being enacted wer
II not fitting th dignity Of the House.
9, Representative Fitzgerald. of New York
z a member of the House appropriation
!. committee, also opposed that method OF
l. appropriating money. He had some
II pertinent questions to ask Of Chairman
lie BarthoIdt, of the buildings committee