The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-28
the COTTON BILL FIGHT,
EFFORTS OF SOUTHERN MEN.
BElfS SEEM FRUITLESS.
No Quorum Personal---very. Blocks
every Effort for Agrccment-Wu-
son Unable to Confer with PrOpO.
MCMtS.

Washington, Oct. 23.--With con-
gress tied up by lack Of a quorum in
both houses, cotton belt senator's and
representatives made a vain appeal
to President Wilson for aid in secur-
ing cotton relief legislation, thus
clearing the way for early adjourn
ment.
After they had blocked adjourn
ment by obstructive tactics, the cotton
relief supporters today appointed
committee to wait on the president.
The president, however. when asked
for an interview, said he would be
busy with important state department
conferences until ne left the city. The
departure Of the president for Pitts
burgh. where he will address a Y. M.
{. A. celebration, set at rest a rumor
that the extraordinary conditions un-
der which congress finds itself un-
able to take advantage Of it's compile
ton Of business might be met by the
president exercising his proroguing
power.
Continued efforts of Democrats to
secure an agreement to adjourn failed
completely and tonight Southern
members reiterated their intention to
continue their tactics until measures
designed to relieve the cotton situa-
ton could be passed. Opinion was
general that this would prolong the
session indefinitely. certainly until
after the elections. The efforts of ad-
ninistration leaders for adjournment,
however. will be continued tomorrow.
Meantime the general exodus Of
members Of both houses continues.
The house today had 157 members
present on q roll call, nearly 60 short
OF quorum. and the senate showed
46. three less than q quorum. Sena-
tor Clarke. president pro tenn Of the
senate. though q champion of cotton
legislation. gave up in despair and
after characterizing further efforts of
his colleagues to obtain relief as
"grandstand playing" and "a vaude-
Vile performance" left the city.
Representative Henry Of Texas,
leading the cotton forces in the house.
refused various offers Of compromise
during the day. He frustrated an ef-
fort OF Majority Leader Underwood to
secure an agreement to allow passage
OF the pending cotton bills. insisting
on consideration of his plan for q
| $26O,O00,OO0 bond issue.
Speaker Clark advanced a proposal
to make the pending bills the first
bills to come before congress when II
meets In December. but Mr.. Henry
rejected this. Another proposal that
congress recede and come back after
election came to naught.
At the conference Of cotton belt
members tonight Representative
Henry declared he would fight ad-
journment until he secured O vote on
his bonding plan. Senators Smith of
Georgia, Smith of South Carolina,
Overruan. Lea, Sheppard, Gore and
White. and about a dozen cotton
States representatives attended the
conference. Various other proposals
were discussed and rejected before
the conference decided to appeal to
the president.
When the reply came in tho form
Of the telephone statement that Mr..
Wilson would be busy all evening the
conferees adjourned with an air Of
despair and disappointment.
While he reiterated tonight his de-
termination to block any attempt to
adjourn, Representative Henry admit
ted he had given up hope Of forcing
cotton relief legislation Immediately.
He said he would move tomorrow that
the house recede for three day periods
until after election.