The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-15
THROTTLE FREE SPEECH
Fitzgerald Says He Does Not Propose
to Let the Country Forget How
Murdoch Attempted to Force
Gag Rule.
| Special to The Gate City. ]

& -
4 Representative John Joseph Fitzger.
aid OF New York, who was the chair
man of the committee on appropria-
tons in the last congress and will be.
again, as soon as the house commit
tees shall be reorganfzed, has served
notice on Representative Victor MUIR
ldock OF Kansas, leader of the progress
Isives in the house, that he is not go
ing to lose any opportunity to remind
the people of the country that the
/ first act of the progressives in the
mouse of representatives was an at
tempt to throttle free speech and
choke off debate. This notice was
served last Saturday during the pro-
lceedings incident to the stating by
Representative Young of Michigan,
that he had rendered his resignation
as member of the house.
Mr.. Young has been member OF
the house for five terms and was
sworn in for the sixth term. On the
iopening day of the present session
Mr.. Young appeared with his election
certificate duly authenticated by the
proper authorities of Michigan. A bull
moose contestant also was present
and Representative Murdoch offered
a resolution calling upon the speaker
to ask Mr.. Young to stand aside. In
offering the motion, Murdoch moved
the previous question. His motion was
overwhelmingly defeated. ON last
Saturday when Mr.. Young in
formed the house that he had tender
ed his resignation, not wishing to
hold a seat, the title to which was
clonded, Mr.. Murdoch attempted to
gloss over his preliminary trick Of the
first day Of the session. But Fitz-
gerald was alert and did not let him
lget away with it.
The able and brilliant Brooklyn dem.
iocrat, who, although young man, is
serving his eighth term in the house.
asked unanimous consent to address
the house for FIVE minutes There was
no objection and he was given rapt
attention as he proceeded in his
calm, incisive way, to call Mr.. Muir.
dock to account. 3
The situation was rather tense. Old
Mr.. Young, with tears dimming his
GLASSES SO that he could hardly see to
Tread his statement his voice husky,
had just been saying that he wanted
ito do the decent thing in politics even
Though he had not been treated with
Idecency. He spoke of the general
thigh character of the membership OF
the house and of the warm friendships
The had formed in the committees on
which he had served. And now the
time has come when I must say to all
Iof you, gentlemen. an affectionate
farewell" Mr.. Young said, conclud-
ling.
! Such democratic members as Judge
Clayton of Alabama, chairman of the
judiciary committee, and A. Mitchell
Palmer, were among the congress
men who stepped forward to shake
the old mans hand
Mr.. Murdoch, appearing for the pro-
lgressives, spoke in reply and his
speech seemed most inappropriate.
He went aside from his regular argu-
ment to smooth over the bad break
he had made on the opening day. 1t
was when he sat down that Mr.. Fftz-
gerald, who had been sitting in the
front row listening intently to the en-
tire proceedings, obtained unanimous
consent to speak for FIVE minm
Mr.. Fitzgerald began by reminding
the house of the first act OF the gen.
tleman from Kansas as the leader of
] a new party in the house of represent.
Iatlves II was an act to throttle free
speech, the New York congressman
said, and this from the leader OF those
who have been demanding publicity
and pointing the finger of suspicion at
Eeyeryone not of themselves. Mr.. Fitz.
gerald said he knew this act Of Mr.
Murdoch had brought down upon him
deep censure from all parts OF the
country and he proposed not to Jet
the country forget 1t. He said no
would lose no opportunity to remind
1.-THE people of it. The New Yorker
said the gentleman from Kansas had
denounced him on the chautauoua
platform for attempting to apply gag
tactics in the house. The gentleman
from Kansas, Representative Fitzger.
AID said, went over into New Jersey
ana made chautauqna speech for
hire, IN which he said that on the
dark night Of March IA, 1909, he look.
ca across from the window of his Of
nee IN the house Office building into
the office of Speaker Cannon and by
THE electric lights which were turned
lon he could see Fitzgerald and other
members q Tammany Hall conspiring
with Speaker Cannon to gag the
house. The gentleman from Kansas.