THE ROLL CALL
The Roll Call ON MEN AND MEASURES Discomfiting the "Regulars" CONGRESSMAN NOREIS, of Nebraska, was a country judge before he came to Washington. Having been a country judge, in pretty close touch...
...Hull), whose modesty has not permitted his voice to be heard on this occasion, but who, nevertheless, is in a mild way at least, I understand, in favor of overriding the committee...
...Then comes my able and patriotic friend from New York (Mr...
...An appropriation bill, as reported by the committee, provided for the elimination of the local pension agencies which are maintained throughout the country for the payment of war pensions...
...Why, Mr...
...As to the latter I could not say positively...
...Norris : I say he has, but that is not of course the reason he is an insurgent...
...Alexander), who, by the way, has a pension agency in his home town...
...One of the tests of regularity is that we should always be willing to follow the committee, and under the leadership of the able and patriotic veteran from Ohio (Gen...
...Is this the way we are to be paid in return for the election of those two gentlemen to membership on the great committee on rules...
...Chairman, that while we thought everything was lovely and harmonious, this disease has broken out in a new place, and I appeal to these gentlemen to come back into the fold...
...The following from Mr...
...Tawney...
...Having been a country judge, in pretty close touch with a Nebraska constituency, it was not unnatural that he should become an "Insurgent" in Washington...
...He has got off the reservation trying his best to overthrow the leadership of the committee that has regularly brought in this report...
...Boutell—(Laughter...
...Kahn...
...Currier), the honorable chairman of the committee on patents, who, by the way, I understood, has a pension agency in his district, is off the reservation on this occasion, and is trying his best to lead us astray...
...Payne), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr...
...Chairman, there are still others, and as I listened a short time ago to my friend from California, a gentleman who has never failed to follow the flag of regularity, I thought how narrow was the escape last night, when we came near electing him to a place on the committee on rules...
...Gardner, of Michigan: O, yes, he has...
...Then we come to the great chairman of the committee on military affairs, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr...
...It was claimed on behalf of the change that, in view of the constant decrease in the number of pensioners, the pension agencies were no longer needed, and that the pensions could be paid direct from Washington at a saving of $200,000 a year to the Government...
...I refer to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr...
...Having a couple of weeks ago exploded the bomb that shook tile power of the Cannon machine in the House, it was also not unnatural that he should greet with evident amusement some manifestations of irregularity, occurring shortly afterward, in the front ranks of the "Regulars...
...Why, Mr...
...There is the other distinguished young man, Mr...
...Then come others...
...When I became an insurgent I did not know it was going to become contagious or that the great chairmen of the different committees of the house were going to so soon catch the disease...
...Laughter and applause...
...One of them, it is true, has a chairmanship of such a committee in sight...
...Mr...
...Norris was for the committee's proposition, and having gained the respect of the House by leading tl-.e attack on Cannonism a week before, it is not singular that the remarkable speech which he made—a speech which perhaps he would not have been allowed to make in the good old days of unshaken Cannon authority—drove the insurgent "Regulars" into line in support of the committee bill, and secured its adoption...
...I notice also by my side my able friend, my former friend, the horny handed son of toil from Illinois, Mr...
...Lowden, who is a member of two of the greatest committees in this house, and who likewise has caught this infectious disease and has gone wrong...
...O, ingratitude...
...Laughter...
...There are two other gentlemen, youthful and young in their service here—so much so that neither has aB yet attained the chairmanship, at least of any great committee...
...Without passing upon the merits of this contention, there is to be considered on the other hand the fact that at each of these pension agencies a Government pension agent is employed and the appointments are political patronage of members of Congress...
...Chairman, if this goes on much longer we are going to have chaoB, it may bring a resignation...
...I refer first to that able and eloquent gentleman from Illinois, Mr...
...He also has a pension agency in his district...
...Norris: Mr...
...He has caught this disease, and is away off the reservation—of course, not because he has, as I believe is a fact, a pension agency in his home town...
...To these young men who have not bten here long enough to gain the eminence of great chairmanships, as one of the regulars on this occasion, I want to appeal, and it is to their patriotism I appeal, and that ] say, 'For God's sake, boys, get back on the reservation before it is everlastingly and eternally too late!' (Prolonged laughter and applause)* Now, Mr...
...Chairman, I notice my good friend from New Hampshire (Mr...
...Norris' speech is too good to be interred and forgotten in the Congressional Record: MB...
...He has caught the disease...
...Keifer) we regulars are trying to have a bill passed as the committee reported it...
...At any rate, Mr...
...who, I understand, although I have not talked with him personally, and whose voice has not been heard on the question, is likewise in favor of overriding this committee...
...He is a regular usually, but this seems to be an exception...
...Mr...
...never had been questioned before...
...Chairman, I am again surprised that a gentleman so wise and so able should think it would be necessary for this government to hold a pension agency simply for the purpose of keeping in employment a man, although he happens to be a hero of two wars...
...It seems, Mr...
...Laughter...
...There seems to be no one left in it now except the distinguished chairman of the committee on ways and means (Mr...
...The course of a regularly constituted Cannon committee in regularly reporting a bill for the abolition of congressional patronage is perhaps so unusual as to make it a proper case for insurgency on the part of the most regular, and to lead real Insurgents to support the committee...
...Chairman, we have taken that action, and this ia the way they have returned our kindness and confidence by getting away off, clear off of the inner circle...
...It happened this way...
...Laughter...
...Laughter...
...Norbis: I am astounded today at the manifestation of irregularity which seem to exist among the prominent members of this house...
...Dalzell, whose regularity—(Laughter...
...Keifer), and myBelf, with perhaps the addition of the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr...
...Currier: May I interrupt the gentleman to say that I have a splendid old soldier, a hero of two wars, there, and I am going to hold him in that place if I can...
Vol. 2 • April 1910 • No. 13
