The Washington herald., 1913-09-06
TO VOTE
CAUSES DEBATE
Williams Intimates Lippitt's
Cotton Interests Raise the
Question Of Qualification.
ANSWER QUICKLY MADE
Rhode Island Member Retorts that
Mississippian Similarly Is Situ-
ated as a Planter.

The closing hours Of the Senate yes
terday were enlivened by a sharp per-
sonal controversy between Senator John
Sharp Williams of Mississippi and Sena-
| tor Lippitt of Rhode Island. 1t started
| in a discussion over the cotton schedule.
Before 1t had ended. Mr.. Williams had
drawn Jeffersons Manual on the Senator
from Rhode Island and read a paragraph
apparently designed to exclude the Sena-
tor from Rhode Island from voting on
the cotton schedule because he is a cot
ton manufacturer.
Senator Lippitt was stirred to anger
and resentment by this attack and
charged that Senator Williams came
within the rule because he is a cotton
planter and had voted for and advocated
free cotton bagging on The ground that
It would increase the profits Of the cot
ton planters.
In the midst of the excitement, Senator
Gallinger entered the Senate chamber
and read the rules of the Senate on Mr..
Williams, declaring that the Senator
from Mississippi had offended against
one Of the principal rules by imputing TO
| another Senator an unworthy motive.
Republican Senators crowded around
Mr.. Lippitt showing signs Of resentment
against the Senator from Mississippi,
NHlic DSIuOCTdlS SdlueEeu ABOUT senator
Williams and tried to induce him not to
press the matter. In the course Of the
discussion growing out of IL, Senator
Gallinger trembling with emotion and
resentment, served notice on the Demo-
cratic side that IL the debate on this
tariff bill is to degenerate into personali-
ties such as this, there will be a long
discussion before we are through"
Schedules Passage Delayed.
The consideration OF amendments to
| the cotton schedule, which was under
way, and which Chairman Simmons had
hoped to complete before adjournment,
was interrupted and delayed by the coll
loquy and the Republicans gathered
about Senator Lippitt and backed him
up in his demand that the cotton schedule
go over until today.
Senator Lippitt. in the course OF the
debate said he was interested as
manufacturer Of cotton. Thereupon.
Senator Williams produced a copy of
Jefferson's Manual and read the follow
ing. in an impressive way:
Where the private interests Of a mem
ber are concerned in a bill or question,
he is to withdraw. And where such an
| interest has appeared. his voice has been
disallowed, even after a division. In
| case so contrary not only TO the laws
! of decency but to the fundamental prin-
| ciple Of the social compact. which de-
nies to any man to be a judge in his
own cause, it is for the honor OF the
House that this rule OF immemorial OBJ
servance should be strictly adhered to-"
Republican Senators listened impa
| tiently to the reading OF the paragraph,
and at the conclusion there was almost
an incipient riot on the Republican side.
It was evident that the Democratic
leaders did not approve of Mr.. Williams
| action in stirring up the Senate in that
way at a time when they were trying to
expedite the tariff bill
Senator Lippitt almost exploded with
resentment. Turning and addressing the
Senator from Mississippi, he declared
that he CMr. LippitO had made a great
personal and peCuniary sacrifice to come
to the Senate.
Il know there are many men in this
| chamber who made great personal and
pecuniary sacrifice TO accept public serv-
ice in this body, but l believe that there
is no man who has made a greater per-
sonal sacrifice than l made when l en-
tered the Senate; and by personal sac
rifice l mean pecuniary sacrifice" said
Senator Lippitt.
Il did not want to come to the Senate.
Men came to me and urged me to come,
representing that 1 knew the industrial
needs of my State and would be useful
in this body to Rhode Island. l know
how easy it is for a man to claim public
spirit, and when 1 hear a man make
that claim for himself 1 want to look
! him in the eye"
Williams Planter.
Then, addressing Senator Williams. Mr..
Lippitt demanded to know If the Sen
ator from Mississippi was not cotton
planter.
II am a cotton planter" replied Mr..
Williams.
Thereupon- Senator Lippitt insisted that
Mr.. Williams was as much subject to the
rule he had quoted as the Senator from
Rhode Island because he had made
strong fight in the Senate Thursday to
put cotton bagging on the free list, be-
cause he explained that it would increase
the profits of the cotton planter.
Senator Williams replied that he was
! interested as a consumer, and not as
producer, and intimated that the Senator
from Rhode Island knew the real purpose
of the rule laid down by Jefferson and
was seeking to evade it.
Senator-<Villiams denied that he in
tended to reflect on Mr.. Lippitt person.
ally, or TO indicate to that Senator that
he ought to refrain from voting on the
precedents in the House of Representa-
tives to prove that whenever the ques-
tion had been raised the Speaker always
had held that each member should be the
sole judge in his own case as to whether
he had such personal or pecuniary in
terest in pending question as to make 1t
proper for him to withdraw. Senator
Williams intimated that he would leave
the matter with Mr.. Lippitt's conscience.
1t has been hinted from time to time
that before the final vote was taken on
the tariff bill in the Senate a demand
would be made by some of the reformers
that Senators who had a pecuniary inter-
est in any matter affected by rates in
the bill should refrain from voting on
these matters of personal interest. If
this issue is seriously raised, it will lead
to bitter partisan debate.
SENATE CAUCUS APPROVES
TAX ON COTTON FUTURES