The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-02-27
BITTER Fight
over REPORT IN /
LUWER HOUSE
MUCH FEELING DIsPLAvED ON
ACCOUNT OF ATTACK ON
sApTIsTs OF STATE.
VARDAMAN MEN NOT UNANIMOUS
Report of Burkitt's Investigating Com.
mittee Which Severely Criticised
Noel Finally Adopted by a Vote os
81 to 35.
VARDAMAN men NOT UNANIMOUS

Special to The Nescs.
Jackson, Miss, Feb. 27.-About the
only illustration of the situation IN
the house of representatives yester-
day morning that will adequately con.
vey an idea of what happened, will be
the vision of two Thomas cats with
their tails tied together and slung
over a clothes line. The vigor, vim
and vivacity with which felines deal
with crisis of the sort begins to give
slight conception of what happened
in the house when the minority lead
er, Johnson, of Coahoma, introduced
resolution to cut out from the report
of the contingent fund committee that
reference to Governor Noel as fol-
lows:
IF there was Baptist convention
in session at Gulfport, followed by =
bankers meeting in New Orleans, " q
agree that 1t would be a convenie1
time to visit Beauvoir and McConf
but we think the Lords annointd
and the money changers should have
shared the expense for the honor con
ferred upon them by having live
governor to mingle with them on
terms of social equality"
Mr.. Johnson, more in sorrow than
in anger, said be was much grieved
to see the reflection on that great
and good denomination of Baptists.
and linking them up with the money
changers who were driven from the
temple"
There are some forty Baptists IN
the house, and most of them varda-
man men.
That was enough and they "felI for
IT,"
benson, Of Clarke and Jasper, made
the first surge at the bait, and took
the cork under. Others swarmed
in, and swallowed 1t, bait, hook. sink
ers and all and careered madly down
the stream OF indignant c-a.cry. a.
gentle prod. judiciously applied, every
now and then by the mischief-makina
minority, kept activity stirred up. A
row had been started in the camp Of
the vardamanites, and they certainly.
did make things sizzle.
Mr.. Davenport, of Monroe. said he
signed that report and he did not
mean to reflect on the Baptists, for he
came of Baptist family. He would
not vote to expunge because no Of
fense was intended.
Mr.. Owen, of Union. said he signed
the report and his grandfather was
hardshell Baptist preacher and he
himself was a Missionary Baptist and
he believed in foot-washing, and he
said no reflection was intended. Mr..
benson was still sputtering indigna-
tion and numerous others took hand
In the general melee.
Mr.. Sheffield, of Tate, said he was
a vardaman man, but he would not
vote for the report with that in 1t.
Mr.. Simmons. of Smith, said he was
an original vardaman man, but he
had been pleading for peace and try
ing to stop all this pickering and par
tisan politics and he would not vote
for 1t.
Mr.. Mackay, of Warren, finally got
the floor and moved to table the mo-
tion of Johnston, of Coahoma, which
prevailed by vote Of so to AZ. The
minority was thus increased some
what over its usual size by the indig.
nant churchmen.
It was the merriest, liveliest, hot
test row and melee that has been IN
the house for many a day. II It s1s'
the duty of the minority to create ais
sension in the majority fine days
work was done. The contingent fund
committee report was finally adopted
by a vote of 64 to s5. That was the
main business OF the morning, outside
of an address from Governor Gillette,
and some other gentlemen IN adxo-
cacy of an appropriation for the r.
cific- Panama exposition. and the scr1n
started on the presidential candidate
/.