Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-06
WILSON DENIED
POWERS SOUGHT
Continued From Page ~
LaFollette Raves.

Senator LaFollette was so incensed
over the strategy to keep him from
making speech in defense of his con-
duct that from s o'clock until noon he
raved about the senate chamber con-
stantly fnterrupting senators who were
speaking, violating numerous rules OF
the body and threatening personal VIC
lence unless he was permitted to be
heard
! On one occasion he passed the lie
to Senator Smith of Georgia and on
another rushed angrily at Senator
Robinson Of Arkansas as If he would
strike him down. Again he challeng-
ed the senate to eject him if It dared.
The senate was kept in constant up
roar. Just before the end Senator La.
Toilette sought an opportunity to
| make brief speech. This was denied
him and Senator Hitchcock was award
ed the floor to finish the debate.
Block Efforts to Vote.
I; From a. m. to the adjournment at
noon the fight over the passage Of the
measure was intensely dramatic.
| Senator LaFollette and his bench.
!: men rat on the floor Of the senate
:throuo', the night and until the early
!
! every effort to reach a vote or agree
i TO an hour for voting.
! Finally the administration hit upon
i the manifesto plan to demonstrate to
T. the n'orld that the senate was in favor
| OF the bill. Seventy-eight senator's
signed the manifesto and Senator Rob.
inson Of Arkansas was designated to
read 1t.
Just before the reading Senator Will
liams Of Mississippi paid his respects
to the twelve opponents and the sen.
ate itself as follows:
| zone Of the most humiliating spec.
tacles in American history will be pre-
scented II congress adjourns and this
bill shall have been defeated by the
United States senate. The senate ie
the only absolutely impotent legislative
branch of any government in the world.
We have been reduced to APPOINT where
we cannot get vote in the senate ex-
cept by signing round robin.
"The effect on the minds of the mil
itary autocratic classes in Germany
will be about this: "A shrug of the
shoulders and smile, they have done
Just what we thought the money grub
bling. money hunting, cowardly things
would do"
Reads Manifesto To Nation.
Following Senator Williams. Senator
Robinson Of Arkansas. with dramatic
emphasis, read the statement that the
will Of the majority was being denied
by the will Of the minority
Then he proceeded to read names
AS he reached that of Senator Walsh
of Montana he paused minute to de-
cipher the writing. He called on Sen
ator Hitchcock for assistance
"Ah." remarked La Toilette from his
seat. "the senator has made his mark.
perhaps, or Is it only thumb print ?"
After the reading Of the manifesto.
Mr. La Toilette turned the floor over
to his followers and went to his office
for rest.
It was while he was away that the
sponsors Of the measure, seeing certain
defeat, hit upon the plan to prevent
him from gaining the floor to glorify in
killing the measure himself
Rebuff For La Toilette.
Shortly before O'clock, La Toilette
wholly refreshed, bounced into the
chamber.
Senator Owen Of Oklahoma was max
ing speech in favor of the bill. Sud-
denly, without warning, he yielded the
floor to Senator Hitchcock Of Ne
braska
La Toilette in an instant was on his
feet shouting for recognition. The pre-
siding officer, Senator Salisbury of
Delaware, recognized Senator Hitch
cock. Thereupon Senator LaFollette
declared there was conspiracy to de-
prive him Of the floor.
Senator Hitchcock complained that
he was out of order and disturbing the
proceedings of the senate. Senator La
Toilette demanded parliamentary en-
quiry. Senator Robinson made the
point of order that he was not stating
the parliamentary enquiry.
II am stating a parliamentary en-
quiry," La Toilette retorted, land will
continue upon the floor until finish
the statement unless some one carries
me off and should like to see any man
do it,"
Senator Robinson insisted upon his
point Of order and Senator Salisbury
sustained him, whereupon La Toilette
appealed from the ruling Of the chair.
The senate sustained the ruling by
vote Of 50 to Is and Senator Hitch.
cock continued speaking
Twelve men," Senator Hitchcock
said, have defeated the will Of sew.
enty-fve or perhaps eighty senators by
resorting to one of the most reprehen.
sible filibusters ever recorded in the
history of any country. I use strong
language. Perhaps I ought to apollo.
gize-'
"The senator is safe" La Toilette
shouted argrily, for he knows won't !
have time to answer him.
But / say to the senator from Wis.
consin.' pursued Senator Hitchcock,
that l cherish no i'll feeling, that
The gavel fell and the sixty-fourth
congress had expired by constitutional
limitation.
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