Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1909 — KNOX BILL GETS THROUGH HOOSE [ARTICLE]

KNOX BILL GETS THROUGH HOOSE

Two Votes to Clear Way to Place la Cabinet. ATTACK MADE ON MEASURE Representative Williams Calls It “A Clear, Plain, Palpable, Obvious and Manifest Case of a Direct and Expressed Constitutional Inhibition." Representative Clark Declares That the Expression; “What’s the Constitution Between Friends?" Stands Justified.

Washington, Feb. 16. —By a vote .of 173 to 117, the house passed the bill removing the bar to Senator Knox’s eligibility for the office of secretary of state. This was the second vote of the day on the measure. The first vote was taken on the bill under a general order for the suspension of the rules and under that order, according to the standing rules of the house, a bill must receive a two-thirds majority. The first vote stood 179 to 123, the majority thus falling considerably below the two-thirds requirement.

Immediately after this result was announced the house committee on rules held a meeting which resulted in Representative Dalzell’s bringing in a rule making it in order to again take up the bill and act upon it under conditions which would require only a majority vote to pass it. Representative Olmstead contended thht the bill did not accomplish an evasion of the constitution. Representative Williams declared the bill was “a clear, plain, palpable, obvious and manifest case of a direct and expressed constitutional inhibition.’’

Representative Clark said that congress was making itself “the laughing stock of every Intelligent man on the face of God’s green earth.” He referred to a famous expression by the late Tim Campbell of New York, who had said “what’s the constitution between friends?’’ and said that if the bill under discussion should pass, Campbell would stand justified as a constitutional lawyer. In adding his voice against the bill, Representative Caulfield declared that it was a case of constitutional jugglery.