The daily gazette., 1882-08-03
HOW m WAS DONE.
sSsnas I'm 0sAstsss Dafa&k ems dsnsunaa.
tAon OF tine River and HarbOr Outrage,

WARRINGTON, August 2.-The House had
Just assembled and run through the gloomy
routine Of Its opening minutes, when Mr..
Rage, burly, short-necked, thin-haired
man In black, called up the River and
haFbor bill and proposed to put 1t upon lts
immediate passage. Page began life as q
stage driver, and he puts his measure through
with both hands straight out before him
az ne speaks, and his feet will spread as II
they were against an invisible dash board.
About him the House was In a bread hum
OF eonfugion-h busy, stirring, talking
thronR of men, busy over their morning
mail. kasson, tail, sharp voiced, In q
ginger-colored suit, cuts across the path
with motion to refer the bill with in
struetons 70 cut its amount down
one-half to $4,000 600. The floor whitens
with opening books as fifty members open
their manuaie TO refer TO the rule Kasson
begins, keifer, with rap and an awkward
sentence, rules Kaseon down al ripple OF
protesting argument runs around the House,
sam Cox Jumps up, both thumbs doubled
dawn over his open book of rules, works the
book back and forth, and argues for
kasson's position. The real issue Is SfS.-
10000, and record for economy, or ex-
travagance In next fall's elections II but the
Wrangle here and now is over the meaning
OF half dozen words In the rules. Page
had moved the previous question. This
forced clear vote on the fate of the bill as
u was. TO let Kasson's motion In for the
Dill as 1t might be was to divide the vote for
the bill. All its friends fight it.
The House woke up TO interest in the mat
ter BY sections. Robeson, big and red-faced,
ten pudgy fingers spread on a green desk top
~ he spoke, put IN the clear-cut argument
that the House had got to take the bill as it
left the President; or not at all. 1t could
not change bill which legislatiyely had
passed out OF its hands, much less refer with
Instructions to change. Calkins pushed
home the same point in jerking way,
slamming red-bOund book on his desk by
way Of emphasis. The stroling, circling,
numerous crowd that thread the aisle ii
every debate began to increase. Page was a
centre of men coming with questions, going
with answers on the Republican side. Ellis
OF Louisiana, a man of like build, brains and
assurance, was like centre on the Demo.
cratic side. It early began to be plain
that the great army of jobbers knew what
they were about Robinson, Of Mas
sachusetts, thin-voiced, and piping,
with no pressure, but quick wit and most
judicial air, gets up to say last Word for
the motion to refer. Gradually this lucid
thinking man with no voice cleaves way
through the thick buzz and for five minutes
the House listens to his technical argument.
The faces all facing one way as he closes fail
apart as man, tall, large bearded, with a
resonant voice, Haskell of Kansas shouts
tArough ten minutes Of inattention, his
words sounding out over running obligato
OF mUrmuring voices. That was the end.
Kiefer, his hair grayer than six months ago,
whitening fast on each temple, repeats his
decision. Kasson's motion can be made,
but only after the motion for the
previous question is defeated. The
voting begins. 1t is all one way.
heavy majority is scored on
every division.l There Is faint flutter as
the roll call goes on. The fate of the bill
quivers on q vote or two. For awhile Cox
and Allen and Springer on one side, and
kasson and Robinson on the other are
laughing. A minute more and they are all
sober and Page and Ellis are one broad
smile. The members with the big approprf.
attons beam. Gibson colOrs (sugar planta-
tion is improved In value for the passage OF
the bilD and looks the picture of placid
satisfaction. AT last o clerk writes the
figures on each corner of square bit of
paper, and hands 1t to the Speaker. Speaker
keifer gives no room for doubting men to
change, and amid a clatter of applause the
bill passes, the objections of the President
to the contrary Notwithstanding
The Senate had quiet time of it. There
elderly men when the news came over. Mr..
Mcmillan moved silently around, stopped
here, and whispered there to make sure OF
his votes. Cameron of Wisconsin, a slender,
tall, bald d-headed man with thick white
monstaehe, stopped over a long tape-like
tally list counting up the votes for the bill
with Ransom ofNorth Carolina, dark haired
and military-looking. The success of the
bill Is settled before Clerk Mcpherson comes
In with broad, rustling sheet of parchment
paper, lays his broad straw hat against the
wall, puts one hand In his pocket and hold
ing out the sheet reads the action of the
House. A boy takes the bill up to the desk
and Senator Don Cameron steps up, sliding |
one foot after the other as he walks, to say |
word or two to the clerk, jerking |
over with his turned hand at the |
bill as 1t goes rustling down the |
aisle. A little sparring for position follows.
Mcmillan, a short man with round brown
head and stiff pointed beard, tries to get |
the veto up at once. Ingalls, rises, fight all |
over, and whirling his eye e-glasses, now left |
now right, grimly asks IL there Is to be no |
debate. "Oh, no." says Mcmillan, cheerily,
cit won't take long to put 1t through;" and |
1t does not. Ten minutes later the veto Is |
taken up. The old clerk reads I'M quaver- |
ing voice first the bill, broad and yellow,
and then the message, half dozen sheets OF |
stiff blue foolscap tied with blue ribbon. |
The Senate is still listless. These elderly |
men rather enjoy sitting back in back |
chair with a good deal of white waisteoat |
exposed listening to an official paper The |
voting begins straight away. Long before |
1t Is over, Page, who sits on back seat, |
smiles and dives for the telegraph office out |
side. The bill is law.