Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-14
BIG BEARSIN THE GARDEN
THE TALKING MEN OF THE
HOUSE.

w WASHINGION, feD. l2.-AIl men have
their peculiarities. These are more notice.
able when under excitement or when
action is upon the impulse of the moment.
The tariff debate in the House has been of
more than usual interest. Almost daily
have there been scenes of excitement on
the flog The peculiarities of members
have been thus brought out prominently
for a period Of over two weeks. They
make a very interesting study. There's
Randall, for instance. His GOODNESS, cool
calculation, and ever readiness to look
out for himself beyond every
one else and everything else,
have been most forcibly demonstrated.
He has been Of very little service 10 the
Democrats during the debate. 1t is true
that his thorough knowledge of parlia-
AnentaFy ways has been, at rare intervals,
,d assistance to the side of tariff reform.
But that is all he has done. Another
peculiarity of his-tiiat OF dOdging-has
been put under the calcium light. He has
attempted to run with the reform hare and
ride with the prOtectiOnist hound. He has
displayed ability in this role, but
could not escape detection. Then,
Sam CoX's peculiarities have been
very noticeable. They are, princi-
pally, nervousness, agility, sound
Democracy, and an ability to get in and
ont Of scrapes with an equal facility. His
aptness for debate has been demonstrated
very fully, and his peculiarities of ges-
tieGia Jon and delivery have been thrown
boldly on the canvas The peculiarities
Of Carlisle are ability, straig' edward
ness and laudable ambitiO, "
quibbling amendments has
his feet. But he has takena
of largely discussing the to
country fully know his pos
that his views thereon
his canvass for the Speakers
has been prominent, and has ;
his peculiarities i'll the lap o.i.
grace which had seized him after the late
elections. His big yoice-the words pour
ing out like stream Of water from pump,
his wildly agitating arms forming the
pump handles-has been raised in favor,
all along, Of the robber baronS, and of
every petty iniquity Of that great fraud,
the proprosed new tariff scheme. Bragg,
Of Wisconsin, diminhtiye in form and
small Of voice, has shown most clearly his
peculiar ability for getting into rows and
staying i'm them. Bragg is regular little
bantam. II anybody says anything to
him that he does not like he quickly re-
plies, and his reply is not Of the
courteous kind. lie has been more or less
id hot water since the debate was COM
menced. Thereis is onet thing about Bragg
he don't apologize. If he says anything
hard to a fellow member. he does not say
he is sorry; nor does he try to keep his re-
marks out of the Record Bragg is a bad
little bantam. Tucker, of Virginia. has
one very striking peculiarity. 1t is an
entirely different manner of talking when
in two different moods. In plain, calm
argument, he talks as ifhe were addressing
an argument tothe learned and goNnedIu4-
tices of the Supreme Court. III pestered
With questions and irrt8ted, he puts his
thumbs in the arm holes of his vest and
talks as il he We're addressing a back
woods jury. lie is then liable to drop into
anecdote. Robinson, Of Massachusetts.
has conducted himself in bearing out his
peculiarities. These areneyer to get irri-
tated, never to get excited, and never for
q moment TO allow anythingtO fluster him.
His voice is ringing and mis- manner lit
tie pugnacious. but always cOurtly,
az he bears the stamp Of hon
esty of conviction. Reed of
Maine, has been excited often. He then
swung the scythe of sarcasm and reaped
the unwary. He is a bad man to stir up.
He has had the advantage Of all other
members Of the House in this debate in
one peculiarity. lie can say more words
under the five minute rule than any man
in the House, and when he gets his five
minutes he wont allow any one to inter-
rupt, but careers right along under fun
sail with the wind on the quarter. He is
the dismay of the official reporters. But
two of them can follow him as with
spanking breeze his ship of words
goes on. He has good strong
thoughts, a miserable thrOugh-my-no
voice and figure and gesticulatiOn that
for awkwardness robs the confectionery.
Judge Kelley has been as of yOre-though
sometimes he has departed from his usual
course, and become slightly offensive. His
voice has been for ''tareef' to lis hearts
content. He has been very prominent as
Chairman Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee-more prominent than any other
member of the House, He has been in his
element. He loves nothing better than to
wallow in pig iron and plod through iron
ore and steel blooms. His voice begins to
weaken a little, and | notice that
tressing cough. 1t is wonder
that he has any voice left, considering the
number of years that it has been elevated
loudly for a high tariff. Mr.. West of
New York, has not said much, but he has
shown his popularity. 1t is sleepiness.
He is queer looking old gentleman, with
eyelids that were born sleepy. He will
sometimes 90 to sleep in his chair. Why,
last session when the Republicans We're
great difficulty in getting together quo
rum. One day they hunted
around for an hour for a quorum
only wanting one more member. AT
last Mr. West was found asleep in cloak
room, and brought out to complete the
number. Haskell, of Kansas, never
showed up prominently until the present
debate. He is a member of the Ways and
Means Committee. He represents an ag
riCultOrai district and Vat is in favor of
the highest protection on everything. He
is one of those men that are pointed out as
being ''owned.1 He has n tall figure, a
voice of the loud and just-listen-to-me
kind. His intellect must have been
sprained in his youth. 1t is certainly very
gusting. 1t makes you feel just as
you do when you observe that the
small boy who is afflicted with an over
allowance of the 'Ebig-head." In clear
cut contrast to him is his colleague, An
derson, who is also Republican. 1t is a
diamond set in gold to a hundred pounds
of pig iron. With hands always in his
pockets, and with an unlit cigar in his
hand or mouth, he understands clearly
the subject of the tariff, and is found la
boring with the Democrats for a fair re-
vision. He is never out of temper unless
Haskell tackles him, and then he gets mad
and mOps up the floor with his colleague.
He takes delight In showing how little
Haskell does know. Calkins, of Indiana,
is noticeable for handsome figure and
form and good voice. His peculiarity is
being the pretty man of the House. He
has sense, however. He has seldom been
walked up during the present debate. He
only comes out when they propose to re-
duce the duty on glass. Indiana is great
glass manufacturing State. Blackburn,
too, has been unusually quiet His long
black moustache, ringing voice and round
ed periods of elOquence have been COM
parative strangers during the debate. He
is candidate for the Speakership, and,
as his peculiarity is to get excited and
warm in debate, he perhaps thinks it
better not to say much until
the question as to who will be the Speaker
of the next House is settled. lie has,
however, been heard from several times in
characteristic and eloquent five minute
speeches. Holman. of Indiana, has also
been quiet. There has not been much
chance for him to ''object," as under the
rules of the committee of the whole his
objection would not have amounted to
anything. But his disagreeable voice and
sound common sense, with that one jes-
ture which he possesses, have been sew
eral times on the arena. Springer has
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