The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-12-27
CONGRESS RESTS FOR HOLIDAYS
BOTH HOUSES CEASE LA6ORS
UNTIL JANUARY 2, 1918.
In Message President Replies to
Charge That He Played Politics in
Making Appointments.

Washington. - Congress adjourned
for the Christmas holidays Thursday
after some lively maneuvers to get
President Taft's message into the
record, secure action on the presl-
dents appointments and bring pro-
ceedings in the Archibald impeachment
trial to a point where they may be
disposed of early in January. The
house was unable to get quorum and
adjourned after a 17-minute session
without even having received the
presidents message. The message
waited for four hours to secure en-
! trance into the senate. When that
! body convened at noon the repuD-
lican senators asked for immediate
consideration of their demand for an
executive session to take up appoint
ments. The democrats consented 10
the plan and until the impeachment
trial automatically took the floor at
1870 o'clock, the senate fought over
the filling of presidential offices, with
the debate carried on behind tightly
closed doors. 1t was not until the
impeachment court adjourned about 4
o'clock that the presidents message
was received and read.
Both houses of congress adjourned
to meet Thursday, January 2. The
senate, sitting as a court of impeach'
ment, will reconvene Friday, January
3. The house money trust committee,
: winding up it's session with ]. P. Nor
gan at $3.50 p. m, adjourned until 2
o'clock Monday, January 6. PRACTICAL
" the business of congress will stand
in allegiance throughout the holidays
and a majority of the members OF
both houses will leave Washington tor
: the vacation.
The senate confirmed but one ap
pointment. that of John H. Brown as
postmaster at Concord, N. H., in the
! hour and half of executive DEBATE
: No action was taken on the reap
, pointment of Edgar E. Clark, whose
= term as interstate commerce comms
" sioner expires December 81. Senate
u, Hoke Smith. acting for many demo
Gratis, offered resolution for tn
- confirmation of army and navy az
pointments, but the republican sens
tors insisted on starting at the hea
of the list for the consideration Q
postmasters.
Objections by Senator Hitchcock
democrat, that postoffice appoln
I ments had not received considerable
by the full membership of the pos
office committee, drew the declaratlo
from Senator Lodge that If this poll
was forced it would be embarrassin
throughout the administration
Woodrow Wilson. Senator Lodge q
clared that the senate had alwa!
followed the precedent OF confirmlr
postoffice appointments on the recol
mendations of the subcommittee or
diyidual senators to which they we
preferred. Senator Hitchcock final
withdrew his objection, but no actlt
was taken on any of the other pos
office appointments.
Figures presented by Senator Smo
to show in previous changes of
ministrations the senate always &C
tirmed the appointments OF the ret
ing presidents, met sharp reI
from Senator Hoke Smith. he
clared that President Taft had sc
over 1900 appointments to the sens
during three weeks of this sessl'
while President Cleveland sent in
400 appointments during the VIII
three months of the last congress
the first Cleveland term.
President Taft Thursday gave G
gress his opinion of the charge Il
he had been playing politics in
recent executive order putting 80,
fourth-class postmasters under
civil service. The president made
counter charge that his accusers
the floor of the house were tell
"untruths" and declared he regret
r. the failure of congress to pass legi
ton which would practically dest
,,,n the spoils system
Criticism has been made OF this
der on the ground that the motive
- political" said the president
''..s Nothing could be further from
he,a truth"
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