The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-07-30


assembly given to disorderly
Gedure. There have been within the last
months many scenes of intense excitement
the house, times when personal, political and
tional temper has run high and when there
the high spirited excuse" for scenes border
on the tumultuous. In the main, however, thro
all the tempertrytng times of the attempt
shear Speaker Cannon of his power, and dur
ing the intense moments of the debate on the
railroad bill, the members succeeded in holding
themselves In check and in giving an exhibi
ton of self-restraint that was admirable. Or
only few occasions within the space of sew
en- years &hat one correspondent has watched
proceedinga in the house, have there been per
sonal encounters on the floor between mem
bers In only. one instance really could these
affairs be spoken of as personal encounters
Tor in only one eaase were blows exchanged.
A former MINORITY leader of the house and
one of the leading members of his party. ex-
changed blows but the matter was a personal
s
ington within a stones throw Of the 70 me
White House. 1Fethere.
oneA Ru not d political one, and Il might have
happened outside Of the house as wen as IN
side. II was not brought about by the heat of
debate. but by long continued friction which
engendered heat enough to cause an explo-
sion while the house was in session. One OF
the parties to this physical encounter is now
dead and the other next March, will take his
seat in the senate Of the United States. Their
names probably will suggest themselves at
once
There are many hot-headed members of the
lower house of congress, and some OF these
"temperamental ones are leaders In their re-
spective parties. AS leaders, however, these
men long ago learned that If they were to
maintain leadership they must keep check
on their tongues and check on their birth
right willingness to enter on a scrimmage.
The members of the house realize that men
Iaboring under excitement will say things that
they will be sorry for in a minute, and so fire.
quentlyo words that positively are insulting,
are overlooked by the offended member for
few minutes in order to give the offender
chance to get his faculties back and apologize.
II he does not apologize, though he generally
does, the one who feels himself aggrieved has
HIS own way Of securing retraction, either by
appeal to the house, or direct appeal some
times made in pretty sharp language. to the
member who has offended.
One of the most exciting times in the house
OF representatives in recent years was yer.
bal encounter between Representative Bourke
Cochran, Democrat. of New York city, and Rep
resentatlve John DalzeI. Rep lblcan, OF Pitts
burg Bourke Cochran is known as one of the
greatest orators of the United States, and John
DalzeIl is known as one of the ablest debaters
on the Republican side of the house of repre-
sentatives, small man physically, but abso-
luteIy fearless. Dalzell is one of the chief adj
yocates of protection.
The New York member attacked the con-
sistency of the Pittsburg member In a speech,
and said some things about the inconsistency
of the Republican party. To Dalzell, this
seemed to give the opportunity that he wanted.
He stood on the floor of the house and ac-
cused Cochran not only of inconsistency, but
practically of using his gift of oratory first
TO uphold one side Of question, and then to
dphold another. and the Pittsburg man did not
Try to conceal the reasons which he thought
were responsible for the change of opinion and
the change OF attitude on the part of the man
whom he was criticizing.
IN that speech against Cochran, Dalzen was
Easpish. There We're men on the floor who
expected fully 20 see Cochran attack him. not
Yerbally, but physically, but the New Yorker
sat through the speech, and when it was ended
arose in his own place. The New Yorker con-
tented himself with saying that If he were
guilty of the charges which the Republican
member had made against him, he was not fit
to stay in the house of representatives, and he
demanded that congress as a matter of per-
sonal privilege to him, should make an in
Yest1gation of his conduct. make report there
On, and If he were found guilty, the fact should
be published to the country.
The house refused to take any action on