The Elbert County tribune., 1910-07-15

cedure There have been within the last re
months many scenes of intense excitement
the house, times when personal political and Ia
tional temper has run high and when there WI
the high spirited excuse" for scenes borderil
on the tumultuous. In the main. however. throul
all the temper-trying 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 exhibit
ton of self-restraint that was admirable. On
only few occasions within the space of
years that one correspondent has watched
proceedings in the house. have there been per-
sonal encounters the floor between men,
bers In only one instance really could these
affairs be spoken of personal encounters.
for in only one case 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 personal
one, and not political one. and 1t might have
happened outside of the house as well as In
side. 1t was not brought about by the heat OF
debate, but by long continued friction which
engendered heat enough to 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 hotheaded members Of the
lower house of congress. and some of these
"temperamental ones" are leaders In their
spective parties AS leaders, however, these
long ago learned that If they were 90
maintain leadership they must keep a check
on their tongues and check on their birth
right willingness to enter a scrimmage.
The members of the house realize that men
laboring under excitement will say things that
they will be sorry for In minute, and fire.
quently, words that positively are insulting
are overlooked by the offended member for 2
few minutes in order to give the offender
chance to get his faculties back and apologize.
If he does not apologize. though he generally
does. the one who feels himself aggrieved. has
his way of securing retraction, either by
appeal to the house. 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
bal encounter between Representative Bourke
Cochran, Democrat of New York city. and Rep
resen.ative John Dalzell, Republican, of Pitts
burg Bourke Cochran is known as one of the
greatest orators of the United States and John
Dalzell is known as one of the ablest debaters
on the Republican side of the house of repre-
sentatives. a small physically. but abso-
lutely fearless. Dalzell is one of the chief ad-
vocates 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
uphold 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 criticizing.
In that speech against Cochran. Dalzell was
waspish There were men on the floor who
expected fully to Cochran attack him, not
verbally, 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 II he were
guilty Of the charges which the Republican
member had made against him. he not fit
to stay in the house of representatives, and he
demanded that congress a matter of per-
sonai privilege to- him, should make an in
vestigation OF his conduct, make report there
on, and II he were found guilty. the fact should
be published to the country.
The house refused to take any action ON