Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-12-12
VIM. d. McMASTER, Editor & Pro'r.

Washington, d. c., Dec. 8, .

Washington, d. c., Dec. 8, 80.
Congress assemblies with an unusual
infusion of new blood-new men and
young men--and with the prospect Of a
new departure in the possession of n
positive policy on the part of the ma
jority. The House has good look to
experienced eyes. To glance down up
on it from the gallery the 1926 members
appear to be mostly good-looking men,
mainly men of large firmness and of
serious demeanor. The absence of
gray hairs among them is notable. The
conventional attire of Congressman is
plain black, and nowhere outside of
church funeral would one see such
gathering of men in black cloth suits.
On opening day especially, all the new
members endeavored to look spruce.
The only man bold enough to intro
duce color in this sombre mass of
statesmen-likc raiment was Pettibone
of Tennessee. He had flaming cher
ny colored handkerchief tied about his
neck, and, as necessary consequence,
attracted unusual notice. Some ac-
cused this Southern member of waving
the bloody shirt, and others called him
patriot wrapped in the banner of his
country.
But l see some in the body who look
rather out of place there. Ex-senator
Eaton, Of Connecticut, who so recently
served in the dignifed Senate, will feel
strange in his new surroundings. And
another veteran is Poland, of Vermont,
who was prominent in previous Con-
crosses and comes back after years of
absence to find conditions somewhat
changed. His sallow face, white side
whiskers, and blue coat with brass but
tons, are marked by all observers.
Then there is Kellogg, of Louisiana,
who leaves the Senate and comes back
to the House, only too glad to squeeze
in anywhere. He had his desk piled
up with flowers on opening day, prob
ably to offset the bad odor in which he
stands personally. The red-headed
Munchausen of Texas, Tom Ochit-
tree also attracts good deal of atten-
ton. Dorsheimer, of New York, is
the finest looking man in Congress,
and VIM. Walter Phelps, of New Jer-
sey, is called the dude member. His
style and dress is exquisite, and some
of the hew members expected to see
him come into the House wearing q
white velvet coat, as somebody said he
would. Phelps did not succeed in
having Keifer repudiated, but it is GER
tain that fully one half of the Republic
cans desired to drop him. The argu-
ments used in the caucus for supporting
him were amusing. They said to drop
Keifer would be to admit all that had
been charged against him. The mem.
bers said they knew it was all true,
but they could not afford for the sake
of the party to acknowledge it publicly.
That settled it. The g. o. p. had to be
sustained.
The feeling of satisfaction over the
selection for Speaker is steadily grow
ing and there is the general opinion
that no mistake has been made. The
better Mr.. Carlisle and his character
and purposes become known, the great
er the confidence in the perfect safety
and wisdom of his administration. Mr..
Randall takes his defeat easily, and
there is no doubt that his usefulness as
leader on the floor will be almost
equal to the service he might have rem
dered in the chair. The new Speaker
lsa tall man, with slight stoop in
the shoulders. He has a very large
head, high above the ears, with tre-
mendous indication of strength in This
square smooth-shaven jaws. His com.
plexion is sallow-the dead pallcr of q
close student, His eyes are a keen
blue, deeply set under bushy eyebrows.
His nose is cross between Grecian
and Roman. His mouth is large and
firm in its lines. His hair is dark
brown, and is just beginning to be thin
upon the crown. He wears the con.
ventional loose-fitting broad-cloth suit
worn by the average public man. He
apparently never gives single thought
to what he has on, but his appearance
is always neat and the very reverse of
careless. He is very simple End dem
ocratic in his manners, but is never
familiar with anyone. No one would
ever dream of taking liberty with
Carlisle, while the humblest would be
at ease in his presence. He is pro-
found student of all political questions
and is nearly always at his desk. At
his rooms, when not engaged in his
active dutios in Congress, he has
none of the arts Of the politician, and
he has won the Speakership solely upon
his merits and the general recognition
of his bright qualities as statesman.
He is torty-eight years old and possess
r n. i.