The Washington herald., 1914-04-01
TELEGRAPH COST
STIRs SENATORS
Suggestion Made that Solons
Foot Their Own Bills
for Wires.
PRIVILEGE IS ABUSED"
Lack of Quorum Ends -sWransle.
Borah Wants Censor on Morals
for Senate.

After the Senate had voted yesterday
5 to 6. to take away from Senators the
privilege of sending messages by wire al
government expense, the fact that q
quorum was lacking started wrangle
which ended in a motion to adjourn being
put and carried Three hours and half
was devoted to the resolution by Sena-
tor John Sharp Williams from the Com
mittee on Audit and Control of Contin-
gent Expenses. limiting Senators to $50 a
year in the use of the telegraph wires for
government business.
The agitation was started when Sena-
tor Bristow, on the floor of the Senate,
accused Senator Ashurst. Of Arizona, OF
having made too free use Of the telegraph
privilege. Senator Kenyon introduced his
resolution, cutting OF the privilege en-
tirely, and all but six Senators present
voted for it, Those voting against II
were Kern, McCumber, Pitman, Shively.
Tillman and Warren.
Senator Robinson offered to amend by
limiting the privilege to $500 a year. He
admitted that IL the amendment were
adopted it would interfere with the send
ing out of public documents and seeds,
which Senator Robinson declared was
rapidiy becoming an abuse. The amend
ment was defeated on q point Of order,
but Senator Robinson gave notice that
he would offer It as an independent bill
today -
Berah Becomes Caustic.
Senator Brandegee became impatient
with the report from the committee. He
avowed himself willing to forego the
degrading privilege" offered by the COM
mittee which had reported the resolution
that he enjoy the right to send govern
ment kilograms up to the amount Of $50
q year.
'If Senators cannot be trusted to deal
with such privilege, II ought to be abol-
Ished entirely. without having a hmita-
ton put upon it" said Mr.. Brandegee-
Senator Smoot proposed that in addition
to the $50 Limitation Senators, who ex-
ceeded the limit, might settle with the
Senate Sergeant-at-arms on the basis of
the government rate for messages, in
stead OF at the usual rates they would
have to pay as Individual patrons of the
telegraph company. Thio suggestion was
attacked vigorously from all sides. Sem
ator Borah made an ironical speech, in
which he suggested that a Senator should
not be required to exercise so important
. trust as the expenditure Of so or $50
year for sending government messages
I'VE should go further" said Mr..
Borah. and appoint a censor for the
morals of individual members" II ought
to be ascertained definitely where SEN
Rtors go in the evenings, and with whom
they associate.
IF I am not competent to administer
q fund of $50 or $50 a year, i ought to
have some one to look after me, or some
Of these awful trusts and combines which
are lying in wait for Senators may get
me. Let's take away the temptation
Senator Thomas suggested that the
plain inference from Senator Boraf's re-
marks was that it would be impossible
10 tempt the virtue of Senator be-
cause Senator hasn't any virtue"
GaveI Closes Argument.
Senator Borah said that such was the
only inference that could be drawn from
the resolution.
Senator Williams chided Mr. Borah by
suggesting that the latter belonged to a
political element in the United States
which had built up its power on dis
trust of the peoples representatives; that
1t stood for the initiative, referendum and
recall
It was in this situation that the vote
came on the Kenyon resolution to abolish
the privilege entirely. and when the roll
call failed to disclose a quorum, Senator
Vardaman moved to adjourn. Senator
MARITIME was in the chair. He put the
motion and declared II carried. Senator
williams was on his feet in an attitude
Of protest, but Senator MARITIME raped
him down with his gavel and declared
that the motion had carried, and over
ruled the demand for a roll call on the
motion to adjourn.