The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-02-14


Washington, Feb. 12.-lSpecial. i
The house of representatives now has
the Philippine independence bin, and
as the president wants action it seems
as IL IL might pass. Once that bill Is
passed the Philippines are as good as
independent. No political party Will
dare reverse the action. If an attempt
were made to retain further control il
would mean instructions and disas
ters.
But what will the house do when ID
comes up against the square PROPOSE
ton Of voting for or against %independ-
ence? III the same percentage OF Re
publicans support independence In the
house as did in the senate they will
overcome the Democratic votes which
may be cast against the measure.
Commissioner Worried.
1t Is said that Commissioners Quczon
and Earnshaw, both of whom have
been talking independence, are some
what worried. One Republican mem
Der says they do not know what TO do.
Congressman Austin of Tennessee,
who was In the islands last summer.
said to one Of them:
"You are up against 1t. You know
what happened In Formosa. There the
Japanese have fenced the inhabitants
behind barbed wires. That's what they
will do with you. You ought TO see
the trend OF the times. big nations Cob
bling up little ones. You will be COB
bled up, and IL you are to be a part OF
another country why We're you not
satisfied with a country that wanted to
do well by you instead of some coun-
try that will work you for all 1t camp
Slipped a Day.
Uncle Joe Cannon came into the
house one day and found the commit
tee on rules In possession of the floor
and about to occupy "A great deal OF
time.
Pardon me-" said the veteran. but
before my leave OF absence of two
years the house created calendar We'd
nesday. 1t was something of n holy
day, and no business except that on
tut CdltnudI tOulu Ut ldhtH UP has
any change been made in regard to
this sacred dayY'
This is Thursday" blandly remark
ed Garrett of Tennessee.
The veteran looked like Rip Van
Wrinkle. II have slipped a day" he
said.
A Sore Spot.
Calendar Wednesday is a sore
spot for the old guard who used to
run the house in Its own way. Ii was
created as a result of a revolt against
Cannon and his crowd. 1t provided n
day when business might be consider
ed without the consent of the speaker
and the committee ON rules. Every one
of the old crowd looks upon calendar
Wednesday as the work of anarchists,
as something which smacks of revolu-
ton and rule of the people. But it IL
a revolution which has come to stay.
So They Changed the Rule.
The senate adopted a rule that it
should adjourn not later than 8 o'clock
each day. or course it was supposed
tndl, llht Ill IuitSs IL WAS W Dt lItuttb
as elastic and the adjournment would
take place when a motion was made,
but Vice President Marshall has ideas
OF his own about enforcing the rules.
One day a senator was talking, and
right In the middle of a sentence
Marshall adjourned the senate. This
was too much, and the senate abro-
gated the rule for the 5 o'clock ad-
journment.
A Figure of Speech.
Senator Reed Of Missouri was argu-
ing i'm favor of a naval base In the
Philippines. Senator Norris of Nebras-
ka thought such a base was a source
Of weakness. Reed illustrated:
1T is possible that / might capture
the senator If l started after him now
before he got over to his office and
locked the door, but If he had no office
to retreat to | might capture him in
he text block"
The senators laughed at the idea,
which nettled Norris, who said:
"Well, the senator need not go as
far as the office. l will agree not to
go there"
Then Reed had to explain his fig
ure Of speech and concluded by say
ing:
II never yet saw a real disciple of
universal peace who would not him
self fight at the drop of the hat. The
senator's retort illustrates that fact"
chidsd by Ashurst.
The debate was long drawn out on
the Philippine bill. Several times when
a vote was about to be taken Demo
cratic senators who did not want 1T to
pass would speak at length. One day
this caused Senator Ashurst of Arizona
TO remark:
I'm the coming campaign we will
make charges against the Republicans,
huf we cannOt truthfully charge them