The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-19
II Differed but Little from the Ordinary Daily
Rows in the House, and Nothing More Will
Be Heard of locating the Blame.
Democratic Senators Finally Come to-
the Defense of the President.
A Photographers Roseate Hopes Blasted by
Growers Refusal to Sanction the Public
Sale of Mrs. Cleyeland's Pictures.
1t Wasn't Much of Fight, and Nothing More
Will Be Heard of the Matter.

1t Wasn't Much of a Fight, and Nothing More
VIII Be Heard of the Matter.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July ia very great deal
more prominence has been given to the Laird
Cobb difficulty at the Capitol on Friday after
noon than the facts warranted. Little has
occurred here for months worthy of newspaper
space, and the quarrel and the blow were worked
up with enterprise and genius There was but
one feature in the trouble which marked differ
ence between it and the many others which take
place in the hall of the House of Representatives
every week That was the little blow delivered
by Laird.
Usually there is great deal Of bad blood
among members Of the House and very large
amount of quarreling and the wonder is that
there are not many blows. There is scarcely
committee in the whole body that has not
member who is on i'll terms with another mem
uer--if not of that committee, of some other one.
Bad feeling abounds everywhere-rivalry jeal
ousy, desire to do crooked work. Hot words are
banded daily, in private as well as in public.
The encounter between Laird and Cobb,
within itself, amounted to nothing The blow
which caught the latter on the lip would not
d
little scratch. Probably if it had not been for
the fact that Judge Payson stood between the
two men, and made the reach for Laird very
long. it would have been a hard hit; but it is
also probable that if it had not been for the
presence of Judge Payson there would have been
no blow as Laird seemed to be nerved
by the fact that a man of character and reputa
ton stood between him and his opponent. Face
to face with Cobb he had been reasonably docile
The most sensational and lamentable part of the
whole affair was that two members of Congress
should stoop to go out to have rough and
tumble fight 1t is the moral, or immoral, of
that arrangement that makes talk to-day. The
fact that there was quarrel is not unusual and
the delivery of light blow was not source for
a sensation, because it was all done for display,
and nothing further was ever intended.
There is nothing in the reports of future
meeting between these men. 1t is all over,
and there has never been any more significance
in the row than there has been in a hundred
others here. The blow amounted 20 no more than
another epithet. It was not signal for seri-
Gus fight as the men could have fought to their
hearts content, then and there. True, Judge
Laird could have brushed him aside, and no.
body else would have interfered. So much had
been said by both of them about fighting that a
desire really existed to see them get together.
Opinion seems to be pretty we'll divided on the
subject of blame. Democrats say Cobb was
right and the Republicans think Laird deserves
praise for resenting the insinuation and the in
suit Laird. however was the aggressor. He
interfered with private conversation between
Mr.. Cobb and Judge Payson, and when the
former showed disposition to talk the matter
over dispassionately the Nebraska man began
heaping harsh words upon the Indanian. Both
men are of high temper, and the conversation
soon came to a head But, so far as the trouble
between the two men making excitement or
great commotion is concerned, the statements TO
that effect untrue 1t created only the
slightest comment at the time, and made no dis
turbance of the proceedings on the floor of the
House, only dozen feet away