Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-28
CONGRESSIONAL DESUETUDE.
Slow Progress i'm the House this Ses,
sion.

S60o
sion.
HOW MEN AND THINGS ARE VIEWED FROM THE
GALLERIEs-MEMBERs WHOSE HABITS HAVE
CHANGED-OLD MEMBERS WHO HAVE QUIETkD
DowN-NRw MEN DEVELOPING.
The House has been In session nearly two months
without developing anything characteristic. The
qualities OF timidity and lassitude appear most
marked to the habitue looking down upon the
assemblage from the gallery. There are plenty OF
young men, and there are some fne heads and
bright eyes, but no one has said anything or done
anything. The habitues, pointing out the states
men to their visiting friends are at loss for some
thing to say about them. All the members seem
to have settled down to the dullest sort OF
commonplace. There is none Of that noisy
demonstration and busting generally char.
acteristic OF the House. Not even q rampant
demagogue has made any striking showing.
THE OLD MEMBERS ARE UNUSUALLY QUIET.
Mr.. Cox has been particularly subdued. on one
occasion when the House expected a funny speech
from him and had moistened their lips for alaugh,
10! he was serious He is quite serious this session
and II seems as II he We're going to start out on an
entirely new plan. He is very dignined, and not
the merry little Cox OF old.
Mr.. Reed seems to find nothing against which to
whet his irony. He has made only one or two
little salles, but he appears too serious for sar
caSm Most OF the time he sits silently in his seat
watching the plodding of the House with a scorn.
ful expression on his face Occasionally he walks
halfway down the second aisle and stands there
with his hands against his hips looking challenge
turns back to his seat as il it were not worth the
trouble, and collects about him three'Or four men,
bers who are good listeners or apt story telers He
ciates well into the traces which disposed
TO kick over.
FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE
He seems little lonesome since Mr.. Hiscock has
gone into the Senate. Sometimes Mr.. Hiscock
comes over for call, but he is generally too much
occupied with his new duties Men who have gone
over TO the Senate from the House generally hold
in fond memory their Old associations for a short
while, but they soon break and become absorbed
In their new dignity. When Mr.. Blackburn first
his time chatting with his old associates and list
ening to the turmoil Of the House. Already he
has got over this At the opening OF this session
House every day. so soon they have ceased tc
come; and Mr.. Reagan, who was so Indifferent as
to his dress while in the House, is clothed in a
suit OF shiny senatorial broadclOth." Jones OF
Arkansas is most constant OF them all in his devo
tion to the House. All these men are well out Of
the House now.
THE MINORITY LEADERSHIP.
Without Mr.. Hiscock Reed is alone in his leader.
ship Of the minority, except for the occasional as
sistance OF his colleague, Mr.. Boutele, who seems
less active than OF yore. Gov. Long makes no con.
test for the leadership, and he and Reed are SC
different that they seldom are much together.
The heretofore silent Mr.. Lyman, OF Iowa, Is one
OF the few remarkable developments OF the session
In his active prosecution OF the Thobe case he de-
veloped from SILENT retiring man to an active
partisan.
Mr.. Springer has been remarkably quiet. He
has had hardly anything to say on the floor, and
Ing over OH rhoma and all the other territories he
hopes to ordain as states. The other day there
was long discuss on on point OF order and he
Mr. RANDALL is in his seat more than formerly
He does not give any demonstration OF active inter
est in the drifting" OF the House. and is seldom
members before the Speakers table. When he 1:
not quiet In his seat writing or eating apple hi
Is busy In the appropriations committee room
The whole House seems to drag and be out o.
joint.
PROMISING HEADS.
There are some very promising shaped heads ir
the House. Probably the biggest head is owned by
Bourke Cochran, but several have an advantage
heads In the House Is that of Mr.. Bacon, OF New
York Another is that OF Mr.. Rayner, OF Maryland
who parts his hair In the middle Much is expected
OF these two men. Mr.. Bacon's head Is one thai
attracts attention, and is pointed out and talked
OF In the galleries. Mr.. Rayner has shown that hi
has good tongue also. He promises to be one o.
THE STRONGEST SPEAKERS
on the floor Of the House. Two or three times tha,
he has taken the floor he has made a good i'm
preston. He has some Of the characteristics as
to the House. He is fiery, bold Jalker.
Mr.. Grain has developed much more composure
Of manner, and is rapidly growing to be one OF
Tracy, OF New York, who Is a great personal
friend CT Mr.. Cleveland's, Is another OF the new
members from whom much is expected In time
He has little head and IL thin face.
Phelan, OF Tennessee, is plain, unpretentious
young man, with very bright eye and manner
that makes his associates watch his movements
with interest.
THE ASSISTANT LEADER.
Gen. Weaver. Of Iowa, Who used to sit just on
the edge OF the democratic side, and of whose de-
mocracy there was some doubt, has got right into
the heart OF the party, and has jumped into q
prominence that is astonishing to some OF his old
associates. He comes TO the front with more bold
ness than any other man on that side, and has de.
velOped qualities as leader He is conferred with
by Mr. Mills, who, as leader Of the House. relies on
with much more respect than he ever was before,
The House seems to have Just discovered there
Is q great deal In him.
Mr. ''Scott, Of Erie." whose voice could not reach
the galleries In the last Congress has developed
his powers Of speech. He has peculiar, husky
voice, but 1t can be heard distinctly now, and he
makes some show Of elo9uence. 1t is said that he
has been taking instructions in elOcutiOn
Gen. Hooker looks scarcely Older than when he
was in the Forty seventh Congress- His nous
tacne is, perhaps whittier. but his hair is as dark
from his broad forehead, He sits erect in his
seat, like good horseman in saddle, with his
empty sleeve hooked to the front Of his coat. He
leans his head forward little only when he is
writing. He and Mr.. Boutelle are the most erect
men in the House.
Mr.. Norwood, Of Georgia, who has made himself
aisle, leaning with one hand on his desk, and
watch the House. with an amused and interested
expression in his bright little eyes.
The Massachusetts men are priding themselves
that they have discovered an orator among them
10 the person OF Mr.. Allen, who went very quietly
through the Forty-ninth Congress.