The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-17

Washington, August 16-(Specal.)
Representative Blackmon of the Fourth
Alabama, made the House laugh and ap-
plaud heartily and at the same time eff
fectively quelched Representative Roden-
berg, an abolitionist of Illinois, who just
previously had stated that southern
members were denominations in the
sight of the Lord"
The humorous controversy is told as
follows in the Congressional Record:
Mr. Blackmon rose.
The Speaker pro tempore: For what
purpose does the gentleman from Ala
bama rise?
Mr.. Blackmon: I rise to ask unanimous
consent to address the House for 10
minutes.
The Speaker pro tempore: Is there OBJ
lection?
There was no objection.
The Speaker pro tempore: The gentle
man from Alabama is recognized for 10
minutes.
Mr. Blackmon: Mr.. Speaker member
Of this body, Mr. Rodenberg of Illinois
made a statement in the House on yes
terday, which appears in today's Record,
in which he says that the southern mem
bers of this House are IAN abomination
in the sight of the Lord" Gaughter).
Mr.. Davis of Texas: Louder!
Mr.. Blackmon: Well. 1 am going to
speak loug enough for every honest man
in this House to realize that that state
ment is absolutely untrue, and is, in my
Judgment, statement that no man
should make on the floor of this House.
know number of gentlemen on the
republican side, and there is not one of
them who, in my judgment is AN
abomination in the sight of the Lord"
daughter). If that be not true, if there
are republican members of this House
who are IAN abomination in the sight
of the Lord" they ought not to be here.
If there is democrat here who is IAN
abomination in the sight of the Lord" he
ought not to be here. 1 leave that to the
gentleman on the republican side of the
House, an ex-speaker of this body, and l
say that he does not indorse such a
statement as that
MIR. Cannon: AS what?
MIR. Blackmon: That the members from
the south collectively are IAN abomina-
ton in the sight of the Lord
Mr. Cannon: think very highly of all
of them whom 1 know, l believe without
exception, as individuals; but l think that
the Lord, if He took any notice about
governing, would condemn the policies of
the democratic party.
Mr.. Blackmon: The Lord in His wisdom
will condemn him, and the respectable
Christian people of the district of the
gentleman who made that statement will
also condemn him.
Mr.. Green of Iowa: Will the gentleman
yield?
Mr. Blackmon: Yes.
Mr.. Green of Iowa: am sure the gen.
tleman wants to be fair. l heard the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodenberg)
make the statement that he is referring
to, and l understood the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr Rodenberg) to say that he
regarded the gentlemen upon the other
side very highly, but that politically
their actions were an abomination in the
sight of the Lord.
Mr.. Blackmon: 1 will ask the clerk to
read the paragraph to which 1 refer,
from the remarks of the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Rodenberg).
The Speaker pro tempore: Without OBJ
lection, the clerk will read the para
graph.
The clerk read as follows.
Il have nothing whatever to say against
these these gentlemen of the south, be-
cause l am proud to be able to say that
among them 1 number some of my
warmest personal friends. individually
they are agreeable, affable. and cour-
teous gentlemen. but collectively. as a
political aggregation, they are an abomi-
nation in the sight of the Lord laugh
ter and applause on the republican side)
Mr.. Blackmon: The applause on the
republican side. my friends, refers to the
Almighty.
Mr.. Davis of Texas: Will the gentle
man yield just a minute?
Mr.. Blackmon: Yes
Mr. Davis of Texas: While they were
talking about President Wilson changing
his mind l remembered that God AL
mighty changed His mind. He looked
upon man once and was pleased with