Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-03-07
WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA,
FILIBUSTER BALKS COUNTRY.
Stone, Democrat, and In Toilette,
Republican, Defy Colleagues.

Twelve Senators, led by Senator
La Toilette and encouraged by Sena-
tor Stone, Democratic chairman Of
the foreign relations committee, in
flibuster denounced by President
Wilson's spokesman as the most rep
rehensible in the history of any civ
ilized nation, defied the will Of an
overwhelming majority in Congress
uD to the last minute to-day and de-
MED to the President law author
| iZing him to arm American merchant
ships to meet the German submarine
menace.
Unyielding throughout &c hours of
continuous session to appeals that
their defiance OF the President would
be humiliating to the country; nm
compromising III a crisis described
to them as the most serious to the
nation since the Civil War, La Fol
lette and his small group OF support
ers refused a majority Of their col
leagues all opportunity to vote on
the armed neutrality bill, and 1t died
with the Gath Congress.
Brand Placed OH Filibusters.
To fix responsibility before the
country, 76 Senator-3O Republi-
cans and 46 Democrats-signed a
| manifesto proclaiming to the world
lnbI IhcS iofoicN phSodSS " IhC
measure. The text of the manifesto
follows:
"The majority Of United States
Senators favored the passage OF the
Senate bill authorizing the Presi-
dent Of the United States to arm
American merchant vessels, sil II
lar bill having already passed the
House by vote of 403 to 13. I'm
der the rules of the Senate allow
ing unlimited debate it appears to
be impossible to obtain vote pre-
vious to noon, March 4, 1917, when
this session Of Congress expires
We desire the statement entered on
the record to establish the fact that
the Senate favord the legislation
and would pass it if vote could be
obtained"
Thirteen Senators declined to sign
the declaration but one Of them, SEN
ator Penrose, Republican,, of Penn
sylvania, announced that he would
have voted for the bill had opportu-
nifty been afforded him.
list of Filibusters.
The 12 who went on record with
the 13 members OF the House against
granting to President Wilson the
authority he asked from Congress in
the crisis were:
Republicans-Clapp, Minnesota;
Cummirs, Iowa; Gronna, North Da-
kota; Kenyon, Iowa; La Toilette,
Wisconsin,; Norris, Nebraska;
Works, California;.
, Democrats = Kirby, Arkansas
Lane, Oregon; O'Gorman, New York;
Stone, Missouri Vardaman, Missis-
sippi--5.
Associated with them in opposition
to the armed neutrality bill were the
following 13 Representatives who
voted against the House bill Thurs
day night:
Republicans--B Benedict, California;
Cary, wisconsin; Cooper. Wisconsin:
Davis. Minnesota; Helgesen, North
Dakota; Lindbergh, Minnesota; Nell
son, Wisconsin,; Stafford, Wisconsin;
Wilson,, Illinois-9.
Democrats = Decker, Missouri;
Sbackelford, Missouri; Sherwood,
OhiO--3.
Socialist-London, New York;.
Kept La Toilette from Grand Stand.
Hours before the end, Senators
who fought throughout the night to
break down the filibuster, conceived
a way to thwart La Follette's we'll
laid plans to occupy the center of the
legislative sSlge at the climax of the
bitter fight. Its execution brought
the session to'a dramatic end, with
La Toilette fighting vainly for
chance to deliver speech on which
he had worked many days. He saw
friends Of the doomed legislation in
flict the death blow which he had
planned.
Instead Of La Toilette, Senator
Hitchcock, leader of the majority in
favor OF the bill, talked out the wan
ing hours of the session. Timing his
opportunity to the minute, Senator
La Toilette entered the Senate cham
ber shortly after o'clock this morn
ing prepared to take the center of the
stage. When the moment he had
chosen arrived, he addressed the
chair, but Senator Hitchcock prevent
ed bis recognition.
The forensic struggle which en-
sued seldom If ever had been equaled
in the history Of the Senate. Voices
were strained to shrieking, threaten
ing fists we're shaken at the presid-
ing officer while the crowded floor
and galleries looked on breathlessly.
But the incident soon passed with
out violence. The chair recognized
Senator Hitchcock and La Follette's
opportunity was snatched away.
The closing moments Of the session
were tense and impressive Ten min
utes before the end Senator Hitch
cock made his last appeal for unani-
nous consent for vote on the bill.
LA Toilette objected.
The Nebraska Senator, prefacing
hie closing remarks with "a portion
OF President Wilson's address to Com
gress asking for the authority about