Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-07
Speaker Clark Replies to A.
legation That He MisCount-
ed Votes in House.
SPEECH BY LEADER MANN
is LOUDLY APPLAUDED
Alleged Partially Toward Mr.. Nc
Dermott, Following Lobby In
quiry, Subject of Comment.

Speaker Clark made a sharp and
pointed reply today from the rostrun
of the House to remarks recently made
by Prof. Charles Zueblin, formerly OF
the chair of sociology at Chicago Uni
versity. to the effect that the Speaker
had made deliberate miscount of
votes on the resolution to expel Rep
resentative McDermott Of Illinois, fol-
lowing the report on the lobbying in
vestigation. AFTER the Speaker had eX-
pressed himself forcibly, Representative
Mann Of Illinois drew forth the ap-
piause Of democrats and republicans
alike by going strong to the defense
OF the Speaker and reminding the
House that Mr. Clark is sixty y-four
years old today
Just to add little mustard to the oc-
casion Representative Murdock. progress
i've. of Kansas, made an attempt to
charge that former Speaker Cannon had
been grossly unjust in counting votes.
but a large section of the membership
seemed to fall on him all at once and
Mr.. Murdoch desisted.
Prof. Zueblin is reported to have made
the remark which Speaker Clark found
so objectionable at a meeting of the suf-
fragists of the Congressional Union at
the home of DR.. Alexander Graham Bell
OF Washington.
Speakers Reply to Charge.
In effect, Prof. Zueblin charged Speak
er Clark with having willfully made a
miscount in an important matter
Zueblins S words are a base and ma
hcious slander on me and the integrity
Of the House." said the Speaker with
Indignation. HE is evidently trying to
bring into disrespect and dfsrepute every
prominent man in the government and
to say that we are all a lot of crooks
When you think how some people
follow everything evil they read or hear
about public men. 1t is a matter Of grave
consequence to let such ISLANDERS go un-
contradicted. Zuebfin is a mountebank
roaming over the land.
II have been lied about SO much that
I've sort of grown used to it. But this is
too serious to go unchallenged. 1t is un-
thinkable that any Speaker would do
such a corrupt and brazen thing as Zueb-
lin charges
Mann ELECTS Applause.
Republican LeaGsr Mann immediately
arose and defender Speaker Clark with
such vigor that tn9 House broke into ap-
plause, and the mefbers cheered for sew
eral minutes. Speaker Clark could not
conceal the smile occasioned by this trib-
ute of friendship. AS far as could be as
certained from the press gallery not a
man present in the House failed to join
in this applause.
Representative Macdonald of Michigan
who wrote the McDermott expulsion
resolution which was voted on at the
time the Chicago professor claimed that
a fraud was perpetrated uDon the Amer
lean people by tn eSpeaker-said he had
failed to find any deliberate miscount at
all and added his word of eulogy to the
Speaker. He denied that Mr.. Clark
had arbitrarily refused roll call vote
Representatives Madden of Illinois,
Lloyd of Missouri and others added
short words of praise and congratulations
to the Speaker.
Mr.. Murdock Attacks Cannon.
Representative Murdock thereupon
arose and announced calmly that while
the present Speaker counts honestly, a
former Speaker counted the House in
blocks. with quick gesture of the left
hand, and that it was notorious that he
took no pains to be accurate when
counting a rising vote. He did not
mention the Speaker by name but, of
course, every one knew about whom
he was talking. Representative Fitz-
gerald took issue with Mr. Murdock,
and Representative Sherley, a demo-
crat of Kentucky, asked Mr.. Murdock
in furious tones whether or not any
important issue had been affected by
any inaccurate count made by Speaker
Cannon. Mr.. Murdock could not think
of any at the time. The Speaker
pounded his gavel sharply and the
House took up the agricultural appro-
priation bill.