The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05
Nothing Permitted Unless Au-
thorized BY Law
LEAVE TO PRINT RULE
Enables Many Congressman To Say
Some Uncomplimc ntary Things In
Record Tint IL Said on Floor
Would Bring RetOrt
BY RoDERICK CLIFFORD


The reason for this is that much of the
new legislation enacted by the house is
grated on supply bills in amendments
offered by the members from the floor OF
the house. Under the rules that govern
The house nothing not authorized by ex-
listing law is permitted in an appropria-
tion bill. and all new matter reported in
a supply bill from the committee having
the measure in charge is subject to a
the item out.
Two members of the house who make
speciality of this practice are Repre-
sentative Mann, of Illinois, one of Speak
er Cannon's righthand men, and Repre-
sentative Macon, of Arkansas, the DEM
ocratic Watchdog" But even with them
on the watchtower amendments would
kept a close lookout for the little
joker" The little joker in an appro-
priaton bill is an item increasing a
salary, or charging the powers of some
official, or authorizing the head of an
executive department to make an innova-
tion under the guise of an improvement
1t was an item of this character that
came under the observation of Repre-
sentative Goldfogle, of New York, recent
" while the postoffice appropriation bill
was under consideration. He discovered
the little joker when the bill was
taken up Immediately after the session
began. Yet 1t was close to o'clock in
the afternoon before the opportunity pre-
scented itself to knock it out with a
point of order The Joker" in the bill
provided, THAT after December 81, 1911,
delivery OF mail by city letter carriers
shall be made only at such residences
and places of business as provide at the
door or entrance suitable receptacles for
its deposit" This looked innocent
enough, but, in the opinion of Represent
alive Goldfogle, the adoption of the para
graph would have given the postmaster
general authority to issue an order pre-
scribing the kind of letter boxes and the
next move would have been for some
favored box manufactures to get ap-
proval of box to be sold to every
housekeeper in all cities. Such piece
of legislation, Mr.. Godfogle said today,
of his constituents. Chairman Weeks,
of Massachusetts, who had charge of
the bill, made no objections, and said
nothing in the way of suggestion that the
item ought to remain in the bill. 1t
would be interesting, Mr. Goldfogle says,
TO know Just how and why the Joker
was slipped in. Some years ago the post
office department undertook to prescribe
the shape and size of letter boxes on
LII. bad fnC - n
lions of favoritism became so pronounced
that the entire matter was abandoned,
and the recipients of mail were allowed
to provide any kind of a box they wished.
Representative Helm of Alabama
while lounging in the democratic cloak
room, handed out little talk on the
beauties of the leave to print rule as a
cloak for criticism of fellow members,
and illustrated his point with a story.
1.-The member who reads the record
every morning, and by reading l mean the
proceedings of the senate as we'll as the
house." said Mr.. Hefln, will catch UP
with the fellow who now and then slips
one over by the rule that governs leave
to print and also discover some sharp
criticism of a colleague that, If uttered
on the floor would perhaps bring a re-
joinder.
S"I am reminded of this by a little thing
I discovered in the record of last Tues
day On. it's first page was a speech de-
livered by Representative Payne, of New
York, The subject of the speech was
pensions, and 1t was delivered on the day
on which the house passed the Sulloway
bill granting pensions to soldiers and
officers who served in the civil war and
in the war with Mexico. This Is the bill
that adds 600 to the pension fund
It was passed under the suspension OF
rules after Speaker Cannon had made a
strong plea for its passage. Mr.. Payne
made a brief speech in opposition to the
bill, but there was no criticism in what
he said on the floor against Speaker Cam
paragraph from President Taft's message
on pensions. Mr.. Payne obtained leave
to extend his remarks in the record
This he did with interest, for in that
journal column and a half Is taken UP
in support of his position in opposition
to the bill and in this leave to print he
criticises the speaker without mention
ing his name, by stating that a part OF
what President Taft said in his message
on pensions was quoted in the debate as
an argument for the passage of the bill,
but sentence which was not favorable
to the pending legislation was omitted,
and in his printed remarks Mr.. Payne
said no one would seriously contend that
what the president really said on the
subject was an argument in favor of the
passage of the BILL
''Just now our people are giving time
and attention to the liquor question,
and we will know the latter part of the
summer if Texas will be all dry or all
wet remarked Representative Lively, OF
the Lone Star State. discussing the state
wide prohibition question which il to be
voted on next July. Twenty years ago,
continued Representative Lively, 1.-The
state was excited from one end to the
other over q proposed amendment to ouI
constitution the adoption of which Would
have made Texas prohibition from north
to south and from east to west. but &c
prohibitionists did not win. 1t was be.
liyered that the defeat Of prohibition
would end the issue, but in this we were
mistaken. for the advocates of strict
temperance never let their cause die out
Now we have the same issue to meet
again. The feeling is very strong; ir
some sections our prohibition friands
are declaring for a north and soutl
Texas. should the vote show that the
state Is divided on the question. How.
ever, I believe that state pride would
prevent division Of our territorial EN-
pire into two states.
II believe the liquor question could BIZ
solved by a change in the law which, d.
dects the collectors OF internal revenue
to issue a special retail liquor license
| Under the present law a license will bt
| issued to any applicant for a retail liquor
dealers license. no matter If the appli
| cant's place of business Is located in pro-
hibition Tertiary. The effect of this is t.
give the governments moral support t.
liquor dealers who refuse to obey loca
or state law governing the sale of liquor