The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-11-13
RELIEF or COTTON
GROWERS DISRUPTS.
WARR|MGC0NGRESS
Southern Democrats Conduct
Amazing FlIibuster to Lasting
Disgrace Of Their Party
BY Ernest O. walker.

-.
the greatest adjournment TODD within
the memory Of living men, congress has
gone and its senators and representa-.
tives will be no more in session n,
Washington till Monday noon, Dec
y. There was most unusual spectacle
for half week, from Thursday till Sat.
urday to be exact, while a handful Of
selfish southern Democrats conducted
an amazing hlibuster. They succeeded
in disgracing their party before the
country and in disgusting the Democrat
10 leaders from all sections. Appeals
were made to the President to prorogue
the congress, as he has the constitu.
tional right to do. But this smacked
too much of royalty and was such an
exceptional proceeding that President
Wilson hesitated He went away to
Pittsburg to deliver an address before
the Young Mems Christian Association
and left the wrangling congress TO its
own devices. And on Saturday, Octo.
Der "a, the southern recalcitrants, be-
sieged on every hand, denounced BY
their Democratic friends for hoRRish-
ness and breach Of faith, finally yielded.
Adjournment a Debacls
The adjournment was debacle. It
is generally an event Of good cheer and
cordiality. Those departing take their
leave in friendship and dignity. A
committee from the senate and a com.
mittee from the house 20 to the White
House for the formality Of telling the
President they are ready to adjourn, IL
Il suits his wishes, and he returns a
pleasant message. All this was omit
ted, because the President had gone
away in disgust. When the southerners
eapitulated IL was Saturday morning
and the agreement was TO adjourn at
four O'Clock that afternoon. But the
southern swan songs as to cotton relief
had all been sung before that time and
clocks were turned forward in both the
senate and the house so that adjourn
ment was actually had shortly after
three o 'clock.
Last Days Remarkable
The last three days of the session
were quite remarkable. Most Of the
time was devoted in the house to efforts
in obtaining a quorum Roll call sue
ceeded roll call, with long waits till alb.
sentees had been brought in. Now and
then a quorum would appear but it
would disappear as soon as efforts were
made to transact business. Scenes in
the senate were less unseemly but the
difficulties there were the same. SEN
ators had departed till less than half
the membership was in town. While an
adjournment from day TO day can be
taken in either branch with less than O
quorum, an ADJOURNMENT of a session of
congress can not be voted without a
quorum being present, II the point is
specifically raised. The problem accord.
ingly was to persuade these southerners
to allow the vote to adjourn to pass
without a roll call.
Southerners Are Persistent
Their persistence was most fragrant
from various points Of view They had
been fighting for a bill that would aa-
thoriZe the government to issue $780,
100000 Of bonds, the proceeds to be
used for the purchase of cotton. There
were variations Of this scheme but in
substance practically all of them came
down to .the $3.50, 100000 Of bonds.
Hoke Smith, of Georgia, forced vote
on this proposition in the senate as an
amendment TO the War Revenue Bill.
II was beaten twenty-one to forty. The
Republicans and northern Democrats
joined in giving the amendment its
quietus. Ia 4a
The fighter was then resumed In the
house. Hope of getting the bond issue
upon the War Revenue Bill was gone,
AS far as the house was concerned, but
Representative Henry of Texas, had
another plan. He is chairman of the
rules committee, which he persuaded to
bring in special rule for the consid.
Grafton of the cotton warehousinR bill,
which had already passed the senate,
and also for consideration of the bank,
ing and currency committees bill
amending the Aldrieh,Vreeland Law as
to the volume Of emergency currency
that could be furnished to national
banking associations.
House, Almost Passes Scheme
In its last hours the house was in the
throes. of adopting this special rule and
also in considering the Aldrieh. Vreeland
act amendments On this bill Mr.. Hen
ny proposed to place an amendment au-
thorizing the $250,000,000 bond issue
for cotton relief. After painful pro-
ceedings the house was brought to vote
on the bond issue and voted it down as
vigorously as the senate had done. In,
cidentally it is worth bearing in mind
that the southern representatives had
pleaded with the house leaders simply
for an opportunity to get vote on
their cotton relief scheme. They said
If that were done they would be salts
fed. They could then go home and tell
their constituents what they had done
and could do no more.
Forget All About Promises
But when they had been defeated in
senate and house they forgot all about
their promises and began to fight on
again. In the house these southerners
wanted 20 get the warehousing bill
through. President Wilson was not
averse to the warehouse bill and had
there been plenty Of time, the bill might
have passed. Briefly IL authorized the
storing of cotton in licensed warehouses
and the issuance of certificates thereon
These certificates, il was anticipated
issued by the government, would be
quite readily negotiable and would at
ford much relief TO the stricken plant
ers. But congress was enraged that
these other expedients should be forced
upon IL at the very eleventh hour, wher
there had been an opportunity for a
fair and square vote upOn the issuance