Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-21
DEMOCRATS IN
EXCITING MELEE
G. o. P. LEADERS GET HURRY
CALL TO SAVE DAY
LLOYD REFUSES TO TAKE JOB
REFUSED TO RAlNEY
Dramatic Scenes Attend Appointment
of Mlssourlan on Committee to
Investigate 5allinger-Pinchot
Controversy
Associated Press1

|
tempt by Representative Lloyd of Mis-
souri, to resign as a member of the
Joint congressional committee to in
vestirate the Ballinger-P -Pinchot con-
troversy. brought about a'curious con-
dition today, in which the house, for
a time. found itself practically in the
control of the. minority, aetual coll-
/ troll of the body being prevented only
by parliamentary tactics.
1t having been given out that there
would be a Democratic caucus at 4'oV
n. m. most of the Republican mem
! bers went home, while practically every
Democrat was il. his place.
Motions TO adjourn were defeated py
vociferous choruses from the Demo-
cratic side. -,
MIR, Lloyd's resignation was read
whereupon Representative Fawney
made the point of order that no one
was authorized to receive 1t and Wouiu
not be so authorized until the JolhI
committee should be organized bVGn I,i
then, he explained, the committee Wouid
have authority to receive a reslgna-
/ tion of one Of its members only by
! Inference. 49,.
Mr.. Tawney undertook to demon
| strate that Mr.. Lloyd, having been
elected to membership on the commit
| tee. could not escape service. rms view
was combated by Mr.. Underwood OF
/ Alabama, who said the house couIu
accept the resignation.
LLOYD Shut Out
! Mr.. Lloyd attempted to obtain the
floor for an explanation, but was barred
by the parliamentary situation.
| Mr.. Tawney, seeing the impossiblllty
of an adjournment, attempted 10 re
sumo consideration Of the dehclehcy
bill as means to force an auJoulH-
ment.
| Again the Democrats, In overWhelm-
ing numbers, voted down his motion.
| Renewing his motion to adjourn MI,
| Tawney demanded a roll call on the
ground that no quorum was present
| While the roll call was in progress
! and Republican members were pelig
called from their homes and hotels
| several miles away, Mr. UNDERWOOD
arose to make an explanation.
After some delay, the Alabaman sue
ceeded in saying there had been a gen
eral misunderstanding. He explained
that he had no knowledge of Mr.
/ Tdovds intention to offer his resigna-
| tion at that time. The minority, he
added. had not purposely taken ad-
vantage of the absence of Republican
members. IT,.
/ he SQOQlu UlONG " SlbJONAi4f '@--A
doing so he received unanimous sup
mort, and the house at sos p. m. ad-
| iourned, just thirty-ive minutes after
the time agreed upon for the Demo-
cratic caucus.
Caucus Assemblies
The Democratic caucus then as
sembled Representative Rainey OIL
Illinois. who was denied a place on the
| Ballinger-Pinchot committee by vote
! of the Republicans, addressed his COL
leagues and withdrew his name from
further consideration in that connec-
| +ion Representative James also asked
| to be relieved from service on the
committee but on motion of Mr.. Raj
ney the caucus voted to ask Mr. James
| to continue.
be left off the committee, the caucus
expressed O vote of confidence in Mr.
Iloyd and decided to meet again to-
morrow night, when the question or
acting on the latter's successor will be
A motion by Mr.. Sisson Of Alabama
that Mr. Clayton OF Alabama, CHAIR
man of the caucus, appoint a commit
tee to consider the vacancy on the IN
vestigating committee and to draw up
an address to the country was adopt
ed 40 to As.
Poindexter's Reasons
Mr.. Poindexter of Washington, the
| lone Republican insurgent who voted
on the floor of the house today in Ia
vor of accepting the Democratic eau
Gus nominees for the investigating
committee, issued a lengthy statement
today, explaining his attitude.
Il do not think the Republican par
ty is responsible in any way for the
| Democratic membership" he said,
land it did not devolve on it to in
quire into their qualifications.
IF the Republican organization
should have the right to select the
Democratic membership the purpose
of bipartisan representation would be
defeated. The Republican party
would be responsible for the whole in
vestigation If it named the entire COM
mittee."
Mr.. Poindexter said the rules COM
mittee of the house had introduced the
original resolution instigating the in
vestigation in such a manner as to
constitute an attack upon the forestry
service and prematurely brand Secre-
tary Ballinger as a pure and innocent
] man."