Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-06
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
NEED Jobs PATIENCE
Chairman CIayton's Comment
in Response to Mr.. RAN
deI'S InSinuation.

Representative Clayton of Alabama,
chairman of the House judiciary commit
tee, occupied nearly half an hour this
afternoon in criticism of Representative
Randell of Texas who had made the
statement on the moor of the House two
days ago which was construed to mean
that members Of Congress quite fire.
quently are in the employ of big interests,
and introduced a bill some time ago
which would prohibit representatives from
having any business connection with any
of the so-called big interests.
The bill was referred to the judiciary
committee. of which Representative Clay
ton is chairman; and Representative Ran
delfs complaint on the floor of the House
was that no report had been made on
I, the bill, and in complaining he made
| several statements which he endeavored
| to explain today.
After Mr. Randell had been the target
| for innumerable queries, one of which
was a demand by Mr.. Edwards OF Geor-
| gia for list of the names Of the repre-
sentatives employed by the big interests,
Mr.. Clayton got the floor and paid his
respects to Mr.. Randell.
Interjects a Remark.
Representative Scott Ferris of Oklaho-
ma interviewed just long enough to say
| that he did not think that everybody
in the House ought to take up valuable
time in answering a charge which he
personally did not consider very i'm
portant
This is an occasion calling for calm
consideration on the part of the House.
| said Representative Clayton. "Out of
| consideration for the gentleman from
| Texas, 1 will not intimate the purposes
which actuated him in offering the bill.
| The judiciary committee Is not charged
| with the duty of passing on such sub
| jects. but is charged with the duty of
passing upon the constitutionality and the
| legality of proposed measures.
THE committee has considered the
measure about which the gentleman in
| uuired. A full hearing has been accorded
| to him. and the committee has considered
| the bill as honest men should consider
| legislation
Leaning over toward Mr.. Randell and
| shaking his finger at him Chairman Clay
ton exclaimed:
| THAT committee has reached the con-
| clusion that the bill should not be enacted
| into law for multitude of reasons
| Representative Randell interrupted to
ask whether the bill had ever been re-
| ported to anybody.
Nothing in the Measure.
| Yes responded Mr.. Clayton. 81 may
say that by the aid of Mr.. Davis of West
| Virginia-and> there is no better in the
| whole scope of my acquaintance have
| studied this bill and find that there is
| nothing in it at all that would be wise
| to enact that Is not already in the law
Mr.. Randell jumped up and down in
| his seat in an endeavor to ask a question,
| but the chairman of the judiciary COM
mittee was in no mind to yield.
Il hope the gentlemen will not inter-
rupt me- he cried. Representative Ran
dell was evidently bent on saying some
thing, and there was the evidence of an
approaching clash.
| II hope the gentleman will retain his
| equanimity," repeated Mr.. Clayton in a
loud voice, land 1 hope the chair will
protect me-"
Representative Underwood of Alabama,
| occupying the chair at the time, protected
| the speaker by rapping the gavel sharply
IF Job had been put up against the
| things which the judiciary committee
goes up against he would have found
| that it would have tried all his
patience" said Chairman Clayton. IL
| think you would find that like Job you
would rather be covered with boils and
| be unable to sit even in the ashes than
to sit upon the judiciary committee"