Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1890 — FIGHT IN THE HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

FIGHT IN THE HOUSE.

As exciting episode took place on Che floor of the House Wednesday. Ob•enraw saw Gtangreeaewa Beckwith, of New Jersey, and Wilson, of Washington, making passes at each other which wonld do credit to John L. Sullivan. Wilson, who is a small man, soon got but of reach of Beckwith’s long anas, but about that time Williams, of Ohio, seised Beckwith by the shoulder and peatrained him, when Beckwith turned angrily and made several passes, which were parried by Williams. Several members stepped between them, and In a moment the Sargeant-at-Anre with mace marched up the aisle and ended the battle. It is understood thafthe quarrel grew out of some remarks made by Cannon of Illinois, whloh had been construed as offensive by some, and in a quarrel the lie was passed.

A special to the Indianapolis Journal says: In the House, on Wednesday, Mr. Mason of Chicago denounced Mr. Cannon as “a Uar and a tramp." Mr. Wilson of Washington urged Mason to moderate his language, when Mr. Beckwith of New Jersey broke in and Indorsed Mason’s words, adding that Mr. Cannon yesterday placed his [Beckwith’s] name on the list of absentees when he was in his seat. “Well," said Mr. Wilson, turning to Beckwith, “you are in your seat so seldom that it is no wonder he put you down as absent.” A further exchange of indecent epithets followed, which ended by Wilson hitting Beckwith a violent blow in the face. In an instant there was an uproar and a scene of indssrlbable confusion, for the light was in the center of the Republican side of the House. Lehlbach, of New Jersey, sprang between the men, while Mason held Wilson’s’arm. Williams, of Ohio, a tall, heavy, smooth-faced man, who looks like a Presbyterian minister, said there must be order on the floor, and jumped at Beckwith to hold him. The latter turned, believing it to be an attak from the rear, and threw Williams back. At that instant the sergeant-at-arms, hearing the fracas, dashed up the aisle and In the time honored custom of police officers “collared" Ur. Williams, the peace-maker. Friends ield tho antagonists apart, and the Ser-geant-at-arms released __l|i# pvercome apparently upon him, walked oveMto&e erape-drkphd desk of the late Congressman Watson and rid his bowed head on the-deak. The fight Was only the inevitable ee_ quence of proceedings. When the House adjourned In the evening itwas evident that the opponents of the Conger lard bill would resort to every means to delay a vote; in fact, they were determined to create one of the old-fash' loned dead-locks, though, of course, they had to resort to somewhat newer flilibustering tactics. The novel scheme by which twenty of the members, after responding to their names on the call of the House, Immediately left the chamber, deliberately and confessedly for the sole purpose of breaking a quorum, was the most flagrant expedient. There was no parliamentary device to prevent it. Both Speaker Reed and Mr. Cannon wex*e in” tensely annoyed, especially as the filibustering was led and directed by a leading Republican, Mr. Mason, of Chicago. The Rouse is practically dead-locked, kinder Speaker Reed’s ruling the bill is to be the unfinished business,and until it is disposed of the whole House is held helpless. It was known that the Mason people proposed to JUibuster, and Mr. Reed and Mr. Cannon Setermlned to stop it if possible.

The detailed account, of each legislative itep of obstruction is given elsewhere, and It is sufficient to say that fully two hours were wasted in the reading of Wednesday’s journal. During its. reading Mr. Reed learned that half a dozen members were prepared to repeat the tactics of the previous day by rising to questions of perional privilege bn the pretense of protest >ng against the record of their names in Cannon’s black list, and were to talk from half an hour to an hoar, If possible, to friU ter away the time. A brief conference was held, with Dlngley at the desk, the Clerk had scarcely pronounced the last word of the journal before Dingley moved* the previous question. Mason, MoAdoo, Beckwith, and half a dozen others were on their feet yelling for recognition to a point of personal privilege. Mr. Reed calmly put Dlng’.ey’s motion. The vote showed the absence of a quorum, for scarcely had the Clerk begun to call the names before the opponents of the bill, by a preconceived programme, slipped out of the chamber. Turner again obtained the floor, but after speaking for ten minutes in denunciation of Cannon’s black list, gava onl and yielded to McAdoo, of New Jersey. McAdoo ridiculed Cannon’s personal ©acentric: ties of speech and gha. tore until the member from Illinois lost all patie&aa. Unfortunately he let McAdoo see the pain he was inflicting. The Democrats as well as the anti-lard Republicans, added 13 Cannon’s sufferings by their ap_ plause, and when McAdoo finally referred to Cannon aa the "endless chain orator of the prairies,” Cannon could hardly oontafn himself, and when MoAdoo sat down the member from Illinois arose. He was almost beside himself, and made a slip of the tongue which was seized upon to advantage. For an instant the House was in an uprear, for Cannon was charged with uttering an indecency. There were a number of shonto hurled at Cannon and’ demands were made that his words be taken down. For a time even the Speaker was unable to control the House. Finally, Cannon arose, and, In an apologetic way said t&at he had intended to say nothing that could be even misconstrued into Indecent language. Enloe, of Tennessee, demanded that the utterance be taken down, but the Speaker overruled the demand and there was a squabble for some time ns to whether an appeal should be taken from the Chair’s ruling. Finally an appeal was taken, the calling of the roll began, and, as is always the case, It quieted the House, but It was only the lull before the storm. Mason sat hear Cannon. He leaned over to Cannon and called him to aeoonatfor the words he had used. Mura’s wife had been sitting in the gallery and was among the jjpdies who left after Cannon’s language. The memher from Chicago expressed himself lathe

fercfbte vernacular of (he West which he represented. Canuou’s pralrto English was no less forcible. Wilson* Lehibseh and Beckwith sat near In th# erder named. Fiercer and fiercer grew tbtf colloquy, until Mason jumped up and .Gawnwa a “liar and a tramp.” Then eaj V Wilson-Beekwith scene. BotS Wilson ted Beckwith are slight, slender men. ia the larger. After th« ; battle was Wilson arose to apologia# to the the Speaker did not T 0& _ ognise that ho had better postpon^^ al h*, had to say. After mutual friend#' brought tlB two men together; and Wilson most humbly and sjgcerely. Wilson received the apology; aid said that he would consider the retraction sufficient to obliterate the entire inddeat from his memory. The entire membership of the House and those who witnessed toe scene from toe gallery are in thorough sympathy with Wilson.