The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-02
Difficult to Get Undivided A.
tontion Of Legislators.
CONFUSION IN THE HOUSE
Members Are Noisy and Conversation
Goes on Everywhere While Clark
Tries to Get Through Extra Amount
Of Work Heaped on Congress-Lob-
bies Are Crowded.


Washington. March 2.-ISpecial. =
Hammer, hammer, hammerl All day
long Speaker Clark pounds upon the
desk In front of him, hitting It hard
and with the sound resounding
throughout the chamber. Tie house
viii be In order!" he shouts until he Is
hoarse. But the house will not be or
derly. Ii continues to be noisy. con
versation going on everywhere, many
members intent upon their own affairs
and careless Of what is trying to be
done TO get through the extra amount
of legislation which stacks up at the
close Of n short session.
Ii Is rather surprising that business
can be transacted at all under the con
ditions. but the house grinds away,
and in spite OF all the confusion n
great deal OF business liz transacted
all that Is absolutely necessary to close
up the session.
Hobbies Are Crowded.
The Hobbies of congress are crowded
these days by people who are interest.
ed In getting a law passed or an amend
ment in a bill, well knowing that this
is perhaps the last chance for at least
eighteen months to get anything out of
congress.
All the time there are also men on
the lookout to see that something Is
not slipped over on them" In an APP
preparation bill. Past experience has
shown that some very important legis
lation Is often put In a bill during the
last hours. legislation which could com
mand only a few votes If 1t were un
derstood.
Field Day In the House.
Once In awhile the house OF repre-
sentatives becomes u very interesting
body. Such was the case on the oc-
casion when the senate amendments
TO the postoffice appropriation bill were
considered. While there was consider
able interest manifested In the amend
ment regarding pneumatic tubes, the
great subject was that amendment
which prevented liquor advertisements
from circulating in dry territory, TO
which was coupled the Reed amend
ment absolutely prohibiting liquor from
going into dry states. There were quite
a number OF amusing incidents, but
the interest was intense among the
entire membership OF the house.
A feature OF the day was the atti-
tude OF certain men who have always
voted for prohibition and come from
prohibition states, and who were do
ing their best to prevent the adoption
OF the Reed amendment. These men
did not want to interfere with the pres
ent system which allows liquor I'm
small quantities to go into their states
for personal use.
During some of the discussions the
cry OF Bone dry was frequently
heard. which Is a term now used when
states are absolutely dry or Is applied
to legislation which would make them
absolutely dry.
Browning Knew.
Several times during the closing days
OF congress warnings went forth from
the leaders, particularly Minority Lead
err Mann and Chairman Fitzgerald of
the appropriations committee. telling
the house that 1t was absolutely nee
essary to hurry the conference reports
ON all OF the big appropriation bills In
order to give the enrolling clerks time
to enroll these bills. At one stage Con.
gresham Browning Of New Jersey,
who for sixteen years was the chief
clerk OF the house. told of his own ex.
p~erience i'm this regard and pointed out
the difficulty which these enrolling
clerks experience. He said that they
n<<non ha.n ba1 80 .,.n.lr tht.t,
six hours on a stretch without leaving
the enrolling room in order to get the
bills enrolled In time for the sigma
lures necessary to complete them.
Lincoln and Washington.
Notwithstanding the fact that con.
gress was rushed very much In this
short session time was found to pay
tribute to both Lincoln and Washing
ton. Lincoln was remembered at con
siderable length by speeches and the
reading Of his immortal Gettysburg
address in the house. and a brief eulo
gy was paid to him by Senator Lewis
Of Illinois I'm the senate. The senate
continued Its time honOred custom o.
having the farewell address of Wash
lu8lUu Ncdu, WiilIc tbc uouse uOl ouil
had the address, but listened to sew
cral speeches. 1t was also apparen
that congress remembered men o
deeds by attending the funeral of tn,
late Admiral Dewey and by short ell
logies ON General Funston.
One Of Howard's Stories.
During the discussion Of the Rec,
amendment. or. as it will be known II
the future, the bone dry" amendment
Congressman Howard OF Georgia toll
story OF bis youth. He said tina
one day he became interested In
bug which he found was looking Il
one direction and pulling In another
He said that this bug illustrated tn
men who were talking prohibition an,
were doing what they could to defea
the Reed amendment.