The Washington times., 1911-02-06

IT ask what protection is to be ex-
tended members of this House for words
l in debate-whether they are to be pro-
tected under the Constitution, or wheth-
er they are to protect themselves with
: shotgun
: Representative Macon Of Arkansas,
rising to a question of personal privi-
} lege, thus addressed the House today In
relation to the trouble between himself
! and Walter ]. Fahy, Washington
Times representative, which occurred on
the oor of the House after adjournment
Saturday night.
Representative Macon then proceed
ed to pay his respects to the mem
bers of the press gallery, and at the
conclusion of his remarks the Ju-
dietary Committee of the House was
ordered to investigate the entire Ma
con Fahy controversy. The commit
tee has the power to compel attend
ance of witness, and is to report be-
fore February IS.
Attempted Assault Alleged.
Representative Macon alleged that
after adjournment Mr.. Fahy. and a
host of newspaper sympathizers came
Upon the floor of the House, and that
Fahy attempted to make an assault
upon him because he, Macon, had,
earlier in the day, characterized a
story written by Fahy as untrue.
In denouncing the newspaper man.
1t will be recalled. Mr. Macon used
such language as "wil1ful and delib-
crate liar" little atom" and CON
temptible little ass"
In his address today Mr.. Macon told
the House that this was mild Ian
guage.
Representa- 1--WE Gardner of Massachu-
sets, through no unfriendliness to the
members of the Press Gallery, intro
duced a resolution asking an investiga-
ton by the Judiciary Committee.
| Speaker held it to be Of the highest
privilege, and superior to any other
business that might be called up at the
time, when Mr.. Mann objected to its
| consideration.
| Speaker Cannon read the consutu-
| tional requirement that no member shall
be held accountable in any other place
for words spoken in debate.
MI. Macon'S Story.
This is Mr.. MacOns story of the at
temkpted assault, which he says gives
him the right to appeal to his constitu-
tionaI prerogatives:
| "Mr. Speaker" he said, Il rise on a
matter of personal privilege. l ask
what protection is to be extended to
members of the House for words spoken
in debate-whther they are to be pro-
| teCted under the Constitution, or
whether they are to protect themselves
| with a shotgun? If the House deter
mines the latter course Is to be pursued,
then l want to know it, so that l can
get my gun today.
| Last Saturday, desiring to be agree
able and considerate, l allowed myself
to be catechised by the gentleman from
| Kansas, concerning certain acts OF mine
with regard to legislation upon the noor
| of this House..
| Mr., Macon presumably referred here
| tos Mr. Scott's questions as to why he,
Macon. always made points OF order
against increases for departmental
clerks, but then did not follow his course
| to a logical conclusion by fighting the
! increases after they had been restored
by the Senate. Mr.. Scott indicated that
Mr.. Macon gained credit with his con-
stituency for being an economist. Just
| because he made points Of order that
really had no effect in the long run.
"Words May Have Been Warm"
During the consideration of this mat
ter" continued Mr.. Macon, words were
used and banded forth from one to the
other that may have seemed little
| warm. 1t was later agreed that these
| words, whatever they may have been,
should be withheld from the record, and
had hoped that that had ended the
matter
However, when picked up certain
afternoon publication, 1 saw in head
lines that could be read across street
| car, that Macon had been denounced
| by friends of clerks" supposedly clerks
| in the Washington departments. 1 did
| not remember to have been denounced,
as am not in the habit of suffering de-
nunciation without denounclng in return.
Il called upon any member of the
House to arise If he had denouncer me,
and in the absence of any one arising
l proceeded to denounce the paper and
the writer of the article in fairly tenn
perate language.
Mr., Macon then proceeded to picture
himself sitting at his desk after the
House adjourned at $50 o'clock. He said
Representative Norris had come over,
and had begun to talk to him about his
denunciation of the writer of the story
when he saw "host of newspaper cor
respondents" file on the floor of the
House.
Filled a Large Space.
They stood, Mr.. Speaker" he added.
almost back to the door there, and
filled up large space in front of the
desk. While I talked to Mr.. Norris one
of them came up and said:
at am the man you denounced as
loar.'
II told him that I stood by what I
had said, and he said: You are liar,
but Mr.. Norris btween us at the
time. I advanced a little, and Mr..
Norris stepped closer in between. The
newspapers say that the correspondent
| made a rush in my direction. AS l
saw 1t, he rushed backward, and began
to pull off his coat. l have always in
sisted that when any one wants TO fight
he does not take time to take off his
coat, for this is an invitation for some
bystander to come and catch him.
"I followed this man up, denouncing
him for everything that INcould think !
of consistent with my fellowship with |
the Methodist Church until / had got |
ten about here" (Mr. Macon walked |
down in front of the Speakers desk.) |
There was such a block of corre- |
spondents there that 1, just had to |
stand and use my tongue, while this !
correspondent tried to get out of his |
coat"
Other Tales Disagree.
Mr.. Macon's version, however, dis
agrees with that of some other eye