The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, April 25, 1902 Page: 1 of 8
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The Peoples Voice
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VOLUME 10.
A View of Congress and How it Works by
Congressman Cushman of Washington.
Washington, April lj,.—In the de-
bate on the Cuban reciprocity bill in
the house today Mr. Cushman, of
Washington, made a breezy speech
against the measure. He declared
that a majority of the Republicans of
the house were today opposed al-
though a majority were undoubtedly
today convinced that it would be
better for them to be in favor of it.
He intimated that the speakers' posi-
tion was responsible for the change
of attitude of many of the members
and followed this statement with a
very outspoken and almost sensation-
al criticism of the power exercised by
the speaker.
"I make this statement on this
floor now," said Mr. Cushman, "'that
no member who introduces a bill not
a private bill can net it considered
unless it suits the speaker and if any-
one wants to deny that, I am in a
peculiarly happy frame of mind right
now to give a little valuable testi-
mony on that point, (Applause and
and laughter.) Who is the speaker
of this house? Is he mortal like the
rest of us? Who is the speaker of
this house that sets up his immaculate
judgment to judge on every bill that
is introduced;
goes to the cemetery.
"When a member introduces a
public bill in this house, what hap-
pens? It is referred to a great com-
mittee of this bouse. The}' pass their
judgment on it, recommend it for
passage, and then it goes on the
calendar. Calendar! That is a mis-
nomer. It ought to be called a cem-
etery. (Laughter.) For there lie
whitening bones of legislative hopes,
(laughter) When the bill is reported,
what does the member who introduc-
ed it, and who is charged by his con-
stituency to secure it passage, do?
Does he consult himself about his de-
sire to call it up? No. Does he con-
sult the committee that recommended
it? Now, 1 will tell you what he does.
He either consents that the bill may
die on the calendar or he puts his
manhood and his individuality in his
pocket and goes trotting down that
little pathway that leads to the
speaker's room. All the glory that
clustered around the holy of bolies-in
King Solomon's Temple looked like
thirty cents (prolonged laughter and
applause) yes, looked like twenty-
nine cents, compared with that job-
bingdepartment of this government,"
(applause and laughter.)
Mr. Cushman then quoted Cassius'
allusion to Caesar as the Collossus of
the world and continued:
bitter's attack on rules.
"I make no onslaught on the in-
dividual, I have a higher regard for j
the speaker of the house personally
and for him politically, but the fact j
is that we have adopted a set of |
rules in this body that are an abso-
lute disgrace to the legislative body
of any republic (applause on the
Democratic cause.) They are un-Re-
publican, they are un-Democratic;
they are un-American. (Applause on
the Democratic side.) We need to
restore this house to the great pat-
riotic plane on which the fathers of
the republic placed it, where every
individual member on this floor stands
on an equal and exact plane with
every other. (Applause.) We oper-
ate here under a set of rules confess-
edly designed to belittle the hopes
and dwarf the ambitions of the in-
dividual members of this body, and at
the same tim* to vest more power in
the hands of one or two mm than was
ever enjoyed by Oriental despot or a
ten-button mandarin. I say to you,
my friends, that the system is rotten
at b itli ends. It is rotten at one end
because it robs the individual mem-
ber in this house of the power that
the Constitution of the United States
and his credentials as a member on
this floor entitles him to. It is rotten
at the other end because it vests men
with power that have no right to it
and oftimes places on them duties
they have no capacity to 1111. (Ap-
plause and laughter.) Mr. Chairman,
let no man charge me now with try-
ing to tear down the Republican
party. 1 am nqt trying to tear down
the Republican party, but I confess
that I sometimes feel that I would
NORMAN OKLAHOMA, FRIDAY, APRIL, 25, 1902.
NUMBER
like to ptt tny hand on the throat of j this territory favor double statehood
one or two men who conceive that an(j jn the eastern part of the ter-
they are the Republican party. (Ap-!
plause and laughter.) I am a believ-
er in the Republican party. The true
friend of his partj- is the man who
does not sit idly by and watch his
party drift into disrepute and toward
destruction, but the man who rises
up and calls attention to the evils
that exist. Nero sat on the hilltops
and liddled while the Eternal City
rose in smoke and sank in ashes, and
we are sitting here idly and uncon-
cerned while the great power of this
ancient house is being invaded, be-
littled, debauched and destroyed.
(Applause.)
awful waste of money.
"There are people in Washington
city today wno are going down to a
theatre and paying out flfty cents
each in order tosee a performance of
Llliputians. What a sinful waste of
money, when they can come up here
and watch this house perform six
days in the week for nothing.
(Laughter.) Now, Mr. Chairman
member of this house said to me the
other day: "Cushman, what makes
you so thin?" I will tell you what
makes me so thin. I have half a mil
lion earnest, patriotic, intelligent
constituents behind me, demanding
that I secure certain needed and
righteous legislation in their behalf.
That is the pressure upon me from
the rear. When 1 try to secnre a
recognition and an opportunity to
bring up that legislation for consid-
eration. I go up against the stone
wall that surrounds the speaker of
the house and the committee on rules
That is the pressure on me from in
front, and between the pressure in
front, I have been flattened out like
a canceled postage stamp. (Laugh-
ter.)
"Now, in three years that 1 have
been a member of this body I have al-
ways approached the little machine
with the deference due to its age and
its station; but I hope you will excuse
my frankness wheu I tell you that
from this time on I will devote a little
of my time and a tithe of my energy
to putting a few spokes in the wheel
of that machine that the designers of
the vehicle never ordered. (Laughter)
Now 1 will leave the consideration of
this subject with the final observa-
tion that some time between now and
ritory democrats favor single state-
hood and the democratic congress-
ional candidate will be forced to
drop the statehood question entirely
or be a double statehood man in
Western Oklahoma and a single
statehood man in Eastern Oklahoma.
If only such a condition among
democrats prevailed in Oklahoma
the Democratic partys' sad plight
might not be so bad but what is true
of the Democratic party in Oklaho-
ma is only emphazied in the Nation.
The Democratic party is no longer a
homogeneous party like as was in
the days of Jefferson, Jackson, and
even down to the time whenThurman
and Bayard were its recognized
leaders. In those days a democrat
growing cotton in Arkansas thought
the same democracy a democrat
changing money in New York thought,
and democrats in the New England
states believed in the same political
doctrines as democrats in Texas,
Nebraska or California and a speech
by the "Old Roman" needed no re-
vision to make it as good a campaign
document in Texas as in Ohio; but
today the democrat does not live
who can make a political speech that
would be acceptable to democrats of
a single state much less acceptable
to the democrats of the nation. To
day the "unterrified" seem to be
badly baffled in trying to catch
wind in the sails of the democratic
ship and they must carry along with
them, even in a single state, a ward-
robe of coats of as many colors as
Joseph's coat of old. The ark of
democracy has been polluted by
practical politicians and the halo of
glory that hung over it during the
days of Jefferson and Jackson is de-
parted. Democracy is scarcely on
speaking terms with itself. A New
Yorkdemocrat looks upon a Nebraska
democrat as a dangerous adventurer
and a Nebraska democrat looks upon
a New York democrat as a fellow
simply out for the stuff caring noth-
ing about democratic principles.
The above picture of the condition
of the Democratic party is not over-
drawn and it explains the helpless
party is in something of a like con- in voting the
dition; but not to the same extent
The Peoples party is homogeneous
and a populist in New England
favors the same things a populist in
Kansas favors and the only division
among Populist is one of policy to
pursue to accomplish ends sought
and this division of opinion is well
nigh obliterated now. The failure
of fusion with old parties is ap-
parent to all Populists and it will
never be attempted again no matter
how alluring, to would be office
holders, it may appear and in the
future Populists will line up behind
the principles set forth in the Peo-
ples party platform and light the
battle of reform out on that line,
free from all entangling alliances
with old parties, if it takes a cen-
tury to win.
Democratic ticket
straight this fall.
The Southwestern Normal-
Tecumseh, April 18—Judge Burwell
Prof. Elder Annihilated.
Last week's Lexington Leader con-
tained an article the authorship of
which bore well defined earmarks oi
one J. D. Lydick who had served or
the resolution committee at the dem
ocratic convention recently held ii
this county and who opposed the reso-
lution of Prof. Elder on the Public
Lands of Oklahoma and afterward
fought the resolution when it was
offered as an amendment to resolu-
tions returned by the committee.
The following is some of the langu-
age used in the article:
"Some enter politics for honor; some
for money; others for various pur"
poses but Prof. Elder and his 15 cent
book-let are about the cheapest in-
flux into the Democratic party this
season."
In reference to Prof. Elder's lect-
ure on the Public Lands of Oklahoma
the article charges Prof. Elder of
trying to introduce his ideas into the
viens of the Democratic party" and
sizes the Prof, up "as an elogtist,
whose inefficiency of mind and com-
mon sense judgment have led him to
believe that he can impose upon the
rank and file of thedemocratic party,
his superiors, his dreamy and pre-
mature ideas, and fanciful never-
practical, embryotic theories and
j thereby get a little free advertising
on hi-: locent book-let he is trying so
this afternoon handed down a deci-
sion in the Southwest Normal School
case granting the prayer of the peti-
tioners and making the injunction
perpetual
The judge holds that the board ap-
pointed by Governor Barnes is the
legal board and that Governor Jen-
kins had no authority to remove the
members of the board without cause.
The decision if sustained by the
higher courts, puts the school at
Weatherford and knocks out Granite.
The last legislature made provision
for a Southwest Normal school and
made provision for a board to locate
it. Governor Barnes, a day or two
before he went out of office, appoint-
ed a board. A few weeks later Gov-
ernor Jenkins appointed a new board
without notifying the old board or
asking for resignations. The Barnes
board refused to go out of business.
Both boards set out .about the same
time to locate the school. The
Barnes board chose Weatherford and
the Jenkins board chose Granite.
The Barnes board brought suit in
the district court of Oklahoma county
to restrain the Jenkins board.
condition of the Democratic party ' hard to sell "
audits inability to do anything for' The writer of the screed also says
the people, we care not by what i thHt the lecture "reads like a school
the close of this session I will will get I majority it may control congress or | hoy's dream unfinished." The article
a little time, at a suitable opportu-1 what man it may have in the I ais0 states that a "Lot of street
nity, and will make a speech on the
subject of the rules of this house, and
1 promise you that the speech will be
so hot that it will have to be printed
it
White House. This condition ex- boosters in Norman who did not even
plains the failure of the Cleveland j know what they were voting upon,
administration. When a political | were run in and carried in a part of
organization ceases to be homogene-; his dreamlets into the resolutions,
on asbestos paper and tied to a hand | ous its usefulness is greatly impaired, J an(i because Mr. Miller opposed them
renade for distribution.''
Democratic Partys' Weakness-
On the question of Statehood the
j Democrats in the. western portion of
if not wholly destroyed, and becomes [ whythen Elder in his usual slimy,
merely a protesting opposition power-1 sil|y, serpent hissing manner, thinks
less to accomplish anything if given I )ie has played "king of all" and that
a chance by reason of devisions in j \jr .Miller should be sent to the mad
a car
its own ranks.
The
Republican j house.
load of
McGinley & Berry,
Still have Bargains
to offer for a short
time yet, which are
too numerous-to-
mention in detail.
—Our
will only continue
a few days longer
and if you wish to
take advantage of
it. Now is your
time.
McGinley & Berry.
Miller could instruct
ilder's peers for forty years
in Territorial affairs and never strike
half way to the bottom of eis know-
ledge. Now Elder wants to get his
ideas before the Enid convention.
Just a puff of foul air on a hot
skillet."
The editor of this paper was pres-
ent when the vote was tacen on Prof.
Elder's resolution and we noticed on
side voting for resolutions such men
as Prof. Buchanaq, S. P. Render, J.
T. Phelps, W. N. Hayes, A. D. Acers
and in fact every substantial busi-
| ness man in Norman who attended
I the convention while against we
j notice A. W. Fisher, Wolf, Stovall,
| Bob Green, Lydick, Lassiter, in fact
i most of the democratic politicians.
We very much regret that the
' Leader is pleased to style the busi-
1 ness men of Norman as street boost-
: ers: but we realize that is a great
j mistake for them to make not to let
i the democratic party in this county
be absolutely run by such illustrious
! statesmen as Miller, Wolf, Fisher,
! Stovall, Green an I Lydick and ad-
vise them in the future that they see
i some or all of the above named states-
[ men and secure their permission be-
! fore they attempt to do anything in
the way of committing the Demo-
I cratic party in this county to stand
i to be taken upon public questions.
| We are indeed glad that many of the
business men of Norman were at the
j convention and that the Leader gave
J them such a rich brown roast. We
j think it will materially assist them
Democrats in Congress Getting Ready for
Fall Campaign.
The executive committee agreed
upon by the democratic congressional
committee consists of Benjamin T.
Cable, Illinois, chairman: Lewis
Nixon, New York, chairman of the
Finance Committee, David Over-
meyer, Kansas; Tlios. Taggart, In-
dina; Richard Olney, Massachusetts
aim Daniel S Lamont, New York.
The excutive committee above
named, Cable an Illinois Cleveland
gold-bug, Nixon, leader of Tammany,
Taggart, Cleveland gold-bug mayor
of Indianopolis, Olney and Lamont,
members of Cleveland's C a b i n e t,
Overmyer, of Kanias who went with
his party in lH9(i but did not like to
very much, will certainly give the
Nebraskan much uneasiness and
certainly holds out to his followers
very little hope of his again being
able to prevent the return of the
Democratic party to pure Simon
democracy as laid down by Grover,
Hill, Gorman and others.
Sunday School Convention.
Now that Friday and Saturday
April 25 and 26 have been designat-
ed as the time of holding the annual
convention of the Cleveland county
Sunday school association, I desire
to call special attention to the Sun-
day schools throughout the county.
Each school will be entitled to
three delegates to this convention.
I would suggest that the schools
make an extra effort to send good
representatives of Sunday school
workers to to this convention. All
of the township presidents are earn-
estly requested to be present and re-
port condition of school in their re-
spective township. Will the pastors
of the several churches through the
county please announce this conven-
tion from their pulpits each Sunday
until after this convention has
been held. This is the Lords work
and let us engage in it with joy and
gladness in o,r ;-arts, and victory
through Clir.st w ill be the result.
I. M. Littlk.
(' luuty President.
Territorial Sunday sjjjji Convention^
The eighth annual Oklau > n i In-
terdenominational Sunday s-inol
oiventi >n will be held at Blackwell,
May 20-22, 1932 and promises to be a
meeting of great interest. C. D.
Meigs, of Indianapolis, Ind, one of
the greatest convention workers of
the country will take an active part
in the convention, and all of the
leading Sunday School workers of
the territory will participate. Every
person interested in Sunday school
work should attend. The program
will be of benefit to all. Every
county is entitled to ten delegates
but all are welcome. Reduced rates
on railway. Write to Arthur Whor-
ton, Sec'y., Perry, for program and
full particulars.
If your watch or clock needs re-
pairs, go to Winans.
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Allan, John S. The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, April 25, 1902, newspaper, April 25, 1902; Norman, Oklahoma Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc117568/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.