The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-04
Republican M a j o rity
Railroads 1t Over
Democratic Protests
INSULT TO HOUSE
AND TO COUNTRY
Minority of Committee Inccnscd
Over Action of Chairman in
Forcing Vote and Permit
ting No Hearings, Except
From Those Who
Favor Measure.

Washington. y. c.. February All.
ter short but torrid open hearing
repiete with personal disputes and
acrimonious utterances, followed by
an executive session of over an hour
aiso filled with dissensions. the House
committee on Merchant Marines ant
flsheries to-day. by a vote of 10 tc
:. voted TO report favorably to the
House the administration bill on shir
SUBSIDY as introduced By Representa-.
tive Humphrey, of Washington. Ter
Republicans voted In favor of the
niil and five Democrats and two Re-
/ publicans voted against it. The two
j 'bolting' Republicans were Wilson, o1
Illinois, and Swasey, of Maine. Rep
resentative Hobson. of Alabama, re-
| ported to be for the bill. and May
nard, of Virginia. against It, both
:, democrats, were absent.
4 The Democratic members Of the
committee were. greatly wrought UP
over what they characterized the rail
roading" of the measure without con-
| sideration or opportunity to amend.
and Tonight they held a meeting in
the room of Representative Champ
| Clark, the minority leader, TO map out
I
bill. 1t is expected that the measure
VIII meet with most stubborn opposi-
ton when 1t reaches the House. and
that one of the hottest fights OF the
session will then be prccipitated.
Faith I. Broken.
Representative Spight or Mississippi.
ranking Democratic member of the
committee. Will file a minority report
against the bill. Mr.. Spight declared
with vigor that Representative Hum
phrey and his Republican associates.
In rushing the ship subsidy bill through
the committee to-day. had broken faith
With the Democrats and had taken un-
warranted action.
Mr. Spisht said that Chairman Green,
OF the committee. shiug assured him only
sNesserdSy5 tina t-tt \ fis wou13 b. tsrkest
at the meeting to-dag and that the
minority and those opposed to ship
subsidy would be given an ample op-
portnnity to be heard before final
vote was taken. Mr.. Green. informed
Mr.. SpiSht after to-day's meeting that
he did not make any promise for Mr..
Humphrey and could not prevent the |
latter bringing his bill to vote
Mr.. Humphrey declared that ample
consideration had been given to the |
bill. and If 1t were delayed longer that |
a measure to take its place would be
reported in the Senate. In reply to !
this the Democrats stated that the bill |
had been given no consideration what |
ever by anybody and that it had not |
even been read in committee.
To-day's hearing was the first given /
on the subject, and the opposition to |,
the bill points out that those heard |
were in favor of ship subsidy but were |
opposed to parts of the Humphrey bill. |
The Democrats desired to offer several |
and Representatives Sui
zer. Clark. of Florida, and Ilustermann |
had notified the committee that they
desired hearings on their own ship
subsidy bills. The action was sur
prise to them as well as to the minor
ity of the committee.
Action an "OutraEe.D
"Thc action of the Republicans to-
day is an outrage" declared Repre-
sentative Alexander, of the commit
tee, who opposed the bill. I'VE were
given no chance to consider the bill
or to be heard upon it. In the face OF
direct promises. they have 'railroaded'
this bill through. 1t is an insult to
the minority of the committee, to the
House itself and to the country at
large"
The executive session of the commit
tee was characterized BY tense feel
ing. The Democrats endeavored to Sc
cure an adjournment and to amend the
bill. but were voted down.
An amendment was offered striking
the subsidy sections out of the bill
but ii was lost In answer to the
mpa ssioned appeals Of the Democrats.
Humphrey turned a
leaf ear, answering that Immediate
action on the bill was imperative.
When the final vote was taken 1t was
shown that Representative Humphrey
lad figured correctly on a safe major
ty for his measure.
The open hearing given to-day to tho
Merchants Association, of New York.
in hot row between Mr..
and Attorney James II. :
representing the associa- /
ion Immediately following which Mr.. r
Humphrey moved that the committee /
70 into executive session and consider
he bill without hearing further evil l
ence. 4