The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-02-05
SPEAKER HAINEs.

6HHAA Hh hAlHA0s
This man, for the past three weeks,
may be said 10 have been q bigger man
than Governor OglesbY himself, who.
though duly elected by the people as
governor, could not take his seat until
the assembly ives ORGANIZED and the vote
canvassed After HaInes was elected
temporary speaker of the house. he re-
fused to abdicats and defied 152 members
70 put him out. Now that e permanent
speaker Is elected, and that man Haines
himself, as announced in our dispatches
Thursday, the legislature can get down
to business. A correspondent who re.
Gently visited Springfield gives Q lively
account and racy description Of this &C.
centric man. In speaking OF him the
writer referred to says:
By q stretch OF imagination, his con.
duct OF affairs, snd his manner on
the floor reminded me Of the time
| Oliver Cromwell, with threatening
brow, marched into the middle Of
Englsnd's legislative hall, clspped his
hat on bis head stamped his foot and
shouted:
"Gentlemen. this parliament is ad-
iournedI" and the members thereof
skipped out the doors and windows IS II
he had turned q mad dog loose.
''Mr. Speaker, some gentleman would
yell.
"Well, what does the gentleman
Want?" Haines would ask.
81 want TO state notion" the gentle
man would say.
What's IL abouty" HaInes would in :
QuIre-and IL the member would refuse
10 say, then Haines would declare him
out of order. One could not help ad-
mire his infinite nerve and self-assur-
ance. Besides, he seemed 70 have more
head on him than all the rest put to-
gether, and his fertility in parliamentary
devices seemed ineXhaustible. Haines
has been picturesque figure In Illinois
politics for quarter OF century and
knows all about political parties, for he
has tried them all. Just now the Dem
ocrats need his vote to elect United
States senator, and they are his NEST
humble servants, though he bolted the
party's caucus when IL refused TO
give HIM the nomination for
speaker. A farmer lawyer, with
a restless brain and ready
tongue, his habits have always been &C.
centric to degree which, in q man Of
less ability, would have led his friends
to tap their heads Significantly and hint
at the necessity OF confinement. Ten
years ago he was speaker Of the house
when what was known as the Granger
Legislature'' was In session. Under his
speakership it gained . national reputa-
ton as ''Haines' Bear Garden"
met q Chicago man who was one Of
the animals IN the bear garden. Said
he: II was q good deal amused by
ElJah's capers. Ten years ago thought
he was little daft. but now / am con-
WINGED he's stark mad. You remember
that he would never recognized Long
Jones till Jones took base ball club,
followed him into the speakers room,
locked the door and argued the question
with him. After that Jones never had
any trouble in getting recognized. Now,
some one will have to do the same thing
this time; but I'm not sure it would
work, for Elijah might have q broadax
handy, since fear he broOds q great
deal about his enemies and what they
may do. happened to be IN the room
OF one of the candidates for United States
senator when Haines came in. He talk
ed awhile, jumping from topic TO topic,
but never once mentioning the senator
ial question. Suddenly he jumped out
of his chair as if lifted by hydraulic
machine, seized his hat and shot out of
the room, exclaiming, L won't, won't,
you mustn't ask me to vote for you,
Mr.. -" That's the second time he
has done that said the senatorial can
didaie, and have never asked him to
vote for me. / believe the man Is crazy.
told him my experience with Haines,
and we b 9TH concluded that 9 lunatic
was presiding over the Illinois
house of representatives. and
would probably dictate the election
of United States senator. Queer SIT
uatlon, isn't it," In personal appear
ance Haines Is an odd enough genius.
While he delivered his SIX hours har-
rangue, sat within two yards of him
and could not help but remark the re.
semblauce he bore to the life-sized pic
ture of Abraham Lincoln which hung
beside the platform. He is slender and
nervy, and wears his gray hair sadly
| disheVeled. His face is salloW and
leathery. His upper lip is his most con.
| spicuous feature. 1t is very long and
very blue from close shaver mustache
| His mouth looks like slit in drat
army blanket with the edges turned
Two upper teeth on the left side
project somewhat, giving the slit
q sinister upward curve on tina
side. His eyes are intensely black anC
brilliant, with big dark circles arounC
them and his nose Is like an eagles
The two strongest characteristics outlineC
in his face are honesty and obstfnacY
He looked hsggsrd but determined
His fingers were not at rest an instant
He seemed under intense nervous pres
sure and, therefore, so keeuly alert tina
nothing escaped him. Two gestures b
repeated frequently without thought
One was to run his right hand over hi
ear and drag his hair rudely down acros
his forehead, making his head look lik
! ship struck with gale from behinC
The other was to wipe his lett hand mel
vously along his long upper lip.