The Washington times., 1914-03-31

those IL The galleries that this Is an
extremely important debate and it NAY
u" iE acrimonious one. | hope II viii
"oj hc acrimonious. out ! must warn
ine galleries that they are here by
the courtesy OF the House and there
must be no talking Ur applause. Mem
oerS or tho floor viii also hot talk
during the entire day.
congressman Greene of Massachusetts
made point of no quorum, noting only
about 80 members present. He was
persuaded TO Withdraw ii and within
i few minutes a nuoru;I had drifted
in and the debate was on with vigor
eBpha sizing the importance of the
question before the House.
Roth sides had reserved for today
their heaviest oratorical guns. Inter-
mingled with the thunderous set
speeches for and against repeal. were
little five-minute efforts sounding like
the echoes of muskeIry amid the ar
tillery fire
The studious SherIey Of Kentucky
today in support Of the Administrators
hIll.
Treaty and National Honor.
His was dissertation upon the
sacredness Of treaty obligation. a his
tory of the Clayton-Bulw and the
Hay-Pauncefote treaties, interspersed
with pleas based upon the national hon.
az and the necessity for following the
President, who is this nations spokes-
man on all foreign affairs.
Corington. of the eastern shore of
Maryland. was also held in reserve by
the Administration faction, and he came
forward with a logical, peppery argu-
Iuent in support of the Presidents con-
ientions.
The keen-witted Adamson, Of Georgia,
Who mixes little satire with hard, COM
mon sense statements, was delegated
actually to close the debate for the re-
real. Mr.. Adamson is to be heard after
Sneaker Clark delivers what undoubt-
edly will be the greatest speech in his
legislative OF public career.
Aside from the further discussion
"f the repeal bill, however. the scene
itself in the House today WAS worthy
OF anyone's time and eye. 1t re-
minded the old-timers of that occa-
sion on March 19. 1910. when the
pressed it, with his back against the
wall, fought hopelessly against a
Democratic-Insurgen coalition which
robbed him of his powers as House
car.
History-Making Occasion.
The 1910 contest, however, was a
partisan affair The President of the
United States was but an onlooker.
On the one side was a solid Repub-
lican phalanx; on the other Champ
Clark. oscar Underwood, Victor Muir
dock. George w. Norris, with their re-
spective partisan followers. Strangely
enough Clark. Underwood, and Muir
dock are again under the same banner
today, on an issue in which PARTISAN
ship has no place.
The rules fight of March. 1910. made
history so far as the House is concern
ed. The Democrats assumed control
in the succeeding. election, and they
have held it ever since.
Today's fight also will make history,
for there is underlying it all the great
issues Of party solidarity CT party dis
sention.
With the average Democrat, it is a
qrestion of whether he will follow Clark
and Underwood, who led the Democ-
racv out Of the wilderness" four years
ago. or the new Moses" Woodrow Will
son, upon whom the hopes Of Democ-
racy for continued supremacy largely
rest. Incidental are the pleas for faith
FITNESS to the party platform, onset by
injunctions to observe the rules Of ma
tional honor.
When the House met today for its
most spectacular session recent years.
five hours and twenty-five minutes OF
debate on the tolls repeal bill were yet
TO be consumed. Estimates were that,
Il TO parliamentary skirmishes ersued,
the roll call would begin shortly after 5
O'Clock. The fate of the repeal bill Will
he settled by 6 o'clock this afternoon,
SitnOugn Inefo may DO d SuppicilchCnIy
roll call on a motion to resubmit the
bill A"
That the Administration has the votes
TO put over the repeal, despite the tre-
mendous potency of Champ Clark 8
speech. was not doubted as the discus
sion continued this afternoon.
There is vet to come. however, the
verdict of the people when the tolls
question. with intensified bitterness, is
hurled from the stump at the approach
ing campaign and, upon the answer Of
the country at large, will largely de-
pend the political future of the great
actors in the thrilling legislative drama
which the National Capital has staged
today.