The Washington herald., 1911-08-06
HOUSE WILL NOT
BRAND OFFICIALS
As EMBEzzLERS
Exciting Denouement for
Day Portrait Scandal.
PUNISH HMENT NOT URGED

chael, formerly chief clerk OF the State
Department, now United States consul
general at Calcutta, and Thomas Nor
rison. disbursing clerk of the State De-
partment, from conviction as embez-
zlers.
The debate, which was continued
over from Friday afternoon, and con-
sumed six hours yesterday, was on
resolution calling for the Endorsement
by the House of the report OF the Com
mittee on Expenditures in the State
Department of its findings and conclu-
sions in the Day portrait case. The
resolution indorsing the findings and
conclusions of the report asked the
dismissal OF the two officials by the
President. convicting them of misap-
preparation OF funds.
When the smoke of battle cleared
away at 6 o'clock, after four roll calls,
honors were even. The combination OF
Republicans and Democrats had pre-
vented a conviction of the two men by
the House. The Democrats had prevent
ed reputation OF the committee and
it's work.
The final action was in the form of a
compromise measure. offered by Chair
man Hamlin, OF the committee that had
presented the report, calling for the in
dorsement by the House of the findings
Of the committee and the forwarding Of
the testimony and majority and minority
reports to the President, with a request
that ne take such action as he deem
proper in the premises. The vote on this
measure was 1876 TO l23
Underwood Saves Day,
That the Republican side did not win
decided victory through the adoption
of an amendment offered by Representa-
tive LenrOo:, Of Wisconsin, which called
merely for the transmission to the Presi-
dent without comment or Endorsement
by the House, of the testimony and re-
ports in question. was due to spirited ap-
peais late in the fray by Oscar Under
wood. majority leader and chairman of
the Committee on Ways and Means. and
Robert Lee Henry. of Texas. chairman of
the Committee on Rules
Underwood and Henry threw themselves
into the breach before the vote on the
Lenroot amendment. Henry, who spoke
hrst, insisted that the Democrats adhere
to party lines, drawing a lurid picture
alton OF the Committee or Expenditures in
the State Department would have on the
Democratic cohorts throughout the coun-
try next election.
Majority Leader Underwood refused to
bring the party veal into his argument,
allaying the fears Of many Democrats by
pointing ont that. while the resolution
first introduced by Chairman Hamlin
might have been construed as a con-
N N "a Of he tx1yn
resolution obviated that obstacle. as it
called for an Endorsement OF the findings
OF the committee and not Of the conclu-
sions, wherein were found the recon-
mendations thai tie two men be dis
missed from the service.
Davis on Warpath.
The resolution, which was introduced
Friday and held over, was called up
under the five-minute rule shortly after
the House convened yesterday. Repre-
sentative Davis, the Minpesota insur-
gent who signed the majority report,
took a fall out of the minority report
for its scathing references to the ma
jority report. Representative Foster. of
Vermont, spoke in support of the two
men. Representative Lenroot said that
while he personally was inclined to be-
lieve the findings and conclusions of the
committee just, he did not think the
members of the House should cast their
votes in condemnation of the two men
until they had read all the testimony,
something Mr.. LenToot did not believe
one-third of the members present had
done. The Wisconsin member objected
to a vote along party lines, and served
notice that he would introduce a substi- |
tute in the form OF an amendment later.
After some little debate, Judge Ham, |
lin introduced his amendment, and later |
Mr.. Lenroot made good his threat. Judge |
Hamlin made a spirited speech in sup
port of his committee, telling the House |
that the adoption of the Lenroot SUBJ |
stitute or amendment would not only |
rob the committee of all its authority, |
but would in itself be tantamount to a |
reputation.
After Representative Henry had con-
sumed five minutes in demonstrating the |
bad effect a repudiation of the commit
tee would have on the party, Chairman
Underwood took the floor at the request
Of Representative Dent, a fellow-Ala-
bamian, who wrote the majority re-
port.
"No Party Lines"
1.-The people of the United States have
A right to have their public business hon.
estly administered" he said. IT don't
ask you to approach the question from
4 partisan standpoint. The question
should rise above partisanship. The reso-
luton offered by the gentleman from
(Mr. Hamlin) does not ask the
House to sustain the conclusions of the /
committee. AS / understand it, the reso-
luton approves the finding of facts and
not the conclusions. You may come to
one conclusion, l may come TO another.
the committee may come to another, and
The President may come to still another"
Following Mr.. Underwood's speech, the
vote was taken on the Lenroot amend
ment. 1t was lost by 127 to 1S5. although |
the first report Of the vote tellers gave |
a victory for the amendment. When
The roll call requested on the recapitula-
ton had proceeded for short time,
however, an error Of ten votes was l
brought to the attention of the House,
and the amendment was declared de-
feated.
The following DEMOCRATS voted for the
Lenroot amendment: Buckley. ,Fitz-
Hamilton. of West Virginia;
Hardwick, Lobeek. Macon, Morrison.
Padgett, Sharp, Slayden. Talcott, White,
and Wilson. of Pennsylvania.
On the defeat OF the Lenroot amend
nent the Hafnlin substitute was adopted
on viva voce vote. whereupon Rrepre-
Maitin, Of Colorado. who had
voted against the Lenroot amendment.
moved that the report be recommitted to
he committee with instructions to pro-
,ure the attepdance and testimony OF
Michael This motion was lost by lsi to
Iss. The third roll call was on the HAM
- l-.I - a - IIa.x til