The Washington herald., 1912-02-18
FIRE HOT SHOT At
MERRIMAC HERO
Fitzgerald and Hay Make
Spirited Attack on
House Floor.
HOBSON NOT PRESENT
Objection Made to Insertion of
Alabamian's Remarks in the
Congressional Record.
HOBSoN NOT PRESENT

Had Richmond Pearson Hobson, hero
of the Merrimac been present in the
House yesterday, he would have been
subjected to a rain of verbal hot shot
that would have equaled in heat the fire
OF the Spanish gunners during his famous
exploit in Cuba. In the absence of Mr..
Hobson. the Congressional Record was
the recipient OF the attack, and the
members Of the Lower House OF Con-
gress looked on and alternately laughed
and applauded.
The attack was made by Representative
Fitzgerald, of New York, chairman of the
House Appropriations Committee, and Rep
-resentative Hay, chairman of the House
Military Committee. These two members
denounced the action OF Representative
Hobsou in inserting into the Congressional
Record statements about both of them
which he did not make on the floor of
the House Friday during the discussion
of the army bill.
"ChasinE PhantOms."
Mr. Fitzgerald declared that Hobson
was 'neglecting his duty as member
Of the House while chasing phantoms
on the ChautauQua platform and deliver
ing imaginary messages to the people.
MT. HAY rose 10 Ile dIldCk Dy sdSlIls
Il regret very much that the gentleman
from Alabama is not present so that I
might characterize his covert attack as it
deserves"
The attack was started by Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, who, rising TO the question Of
personal privilege, stated that during
the consideration of the army appropria-
ton bill Friday an amendment was Of
fered by Mr.. Hobson upon which much
Al IN q
MIR. Hobson had found some difficulty
in making all the remarks he desired
on the floor of the House and had taken
leave to extend his remarks in the
Record" Mr.. Fitzgerald then asked
that the remarks of Mr.. Hobson in
serted in the Record, in so far as they
applied to himself, he read. This was
done. Mr.. Fitzgerald then said:
Mr.. Speaker, I telephoned the Office
Of the gentleman from Alabama, Mr..
HObson, this morning for the purpose of
requesting him to be present in the
House. l was informed that he had
left the city last night and probably
would not return before a week from
next Monday. In the remarks inserted
in the Record the gentleman from Ala
bama has this paragraph:
Quotes Hobson's Remarks.
6 The gentleman-' referring. how
ever. to the gentleman from Virginia,
Mr.. Hay, refers disdalnfuIly TO the
Chautauqua platform. 1 do not know il
this is due to his never having had any
call for his own services or to his having
no message worth while to deliver. For
my part. I am proud OF the fact that on
the Chautauqua platform and lyceum
platform my services are in constant de-
mand, and that the message feel bear
10 the American people is gladly receiv-
cd by them
The gentleman from Alabama has in
serted matter under what he presumes
TO be a leave to print but which is, in
the form in which he has inserted it, a
breach Of the privileges of the House
The statement refers to myself in some
espects and I wish TO give it some at
tention. As the gentleman could not
utter it on the floor, and perhaps would
not have uttered it on the floor, 1 do
not propose that anybody shall sinsert
Covertly into the Record any statement
affecting my official conduct in the House
without having at least some brief atten-
ton paid to it
Way to Serve Country.
After several other remarks, Mr. Fftz-
gerald said in part:
so long as l am a member of the
House, 1 feel an obligation to remain
here and to attend to my duties as a
representative of the district from which
l come. No matter how important a
message 1 may have in my own mind TO
deliver TO the people of the country. I
believe can more effectively deliver that
message and more faithfully discharge
the duties devolving upon me as a repre-
sentative of the people by staying here
and, in my humble way, doing the
drudgery of the work of the House day
in and day out rather than to take the
compensation given me under the law as
representative of the people and go out
10 deliver messages at a price paid by
outside persons. The gentleman from Ala
hama CMr. Hobson) came to this House
from the ChautauQua circuit and deliy-
cred an assault upon the gentleman from
Virginia CMr. Hay during the considera-
ton of the army appropriation bill. He
criticised the railroading of the bill
through the House and his inability TO
obtain time in which to discuss impor-
tant features in it, although the bill had
teen under discussion here for two
weeks, and had he been here attending
to his duties as a Representative and
not chasing the phantoms to whom he
was attempting to deliver some imagi-
nary message on behalf OF the American
people, he could have delivered what
he had to say here for the information
and enlightenment of his colleagues To
the credit of this House let II be said
tnHt the House has not the same high
opinion Of the value of his statements as
he seems to have Of them, and it gives
the attention to them that he should
expect when they are delivered in the