Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-23
President May be Obliged
to Use His Official
Prerogative.
HOUSE HAS NO QUORUM
Filibustering by Senator Smith
Upsets Program for Ad-
journment Last Night.

Washington, Oct 2S.-The senate
adjourned till noon tomorrow. thus
ending the heqrly hope that congress
would finish lbs, work today. The
house voted 90 to SIS not to adjourn.
1t lacked, however, 6S of a quorum
Senator Clark, before adjournment OF
the upper house, in long speech told
the southern senators it was folly for
them to insist on their cotton Ssgis-
lation. He said congress could az
journ from day to day without a quo>
rum, but he thought the vaudeville
in the situation ought 20 STOP"
Great interest was felt to-
day in an interview sought by
President Wilson with Speaker
Clark. One of the White house cars
was sent for Clark and he was hurried
to Wilson's Office, where their confer
ence lasted some time. Meanwhile
administration leaders canvassed the
congressional situation. Senators
felt that adjournment could be had
without the technicality of a quorum,
but in the house opposition was stub
born and Underwood said he saw no
possibility of adjournment without a
quorum.
While the legislators were in
hitch over adjournment Speaker Clark
fearing a harmonious development
would not come, said he believed that
if it was necessary for the president
to use his constitutional power to ad
journ congress the people of the coun-
try hnf
Filibustering of southern democrats
who are fighting for legislation to re-
lieve financial stress in the cotton
states upset carefully laid plans for
adjournment of congress at 6 o'clock
Thursday night. Led by Senator Hoke
Smith of Georgia the cotton belt mem
bers at the last moment prevented &C
ton in the senate on a joint resolu-
tion to adjourn sine die, already
passed by the house.
The collapse of the adjournment
program came after every hope for its
success had been held out and SUI
preme efforts have been made to ac-
complish the conclusion of the ses-
sion after adoption in both houses of
the conference report on the war rev.
enue bill.
Wilson In Dash.
A spectacular feature of the situa-
ton was a dash by President Wilson
in an automobile from a golf course to
the capitol to reach there in time to
sign the war revenue bill before ad-
journment. The president rushed into
the capitol followed by secret service
men at 5:45 o'clock in the evening At
tired in his golf clothes and without
his reading glasses. he hastened into
the presidents room, where the reve-
nue. measure, signed by Speaker Clark
and Senator Clarke, president pro
tempore of the senate, awaited him |
Borrowing glasses from Senator |
Hughes of New Jersey, the president |
signed the bill and several others |
which were waiting for him.
Senators ran in and out of the pres |
ident's room holding their watches, |
while Senator Martin vainly sought |
to have passed the resolution which |
the house had passed early in the |
day, providing for adjournment sine |
die at O'Clock.
Roll Calls Demanded.
At every turn he was met by fill
clustering tactics of Senator Hoke
Smith, who demanded successive roll
calls on motions to recess until Fri
day and to proceed to consideration of |
executive business. This kept the
senate busy until 6 o'clock, the clock
IN the house had been turned back
in the hope that the SEN
ate might pass the resolution.
When six o'clock arrived demo-
cratic senators who had been fighting
'or adjournment gave up. The house
resolution had automatically died and
Senator Stone moved that the senate
20 into executive session.