The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-01

When vote ls taken IN the sena te.
or, in fact. in either house. there Is
an awakening all round Debates often
drag along pntil the beaches are
thinned 80 that often scarcely . bs-
ker's dozen of members viii be in
the;r seats.
Yet the ayes and nays are ordered.
and the scene changes Electric bells
are rung in every committee room.
lobby and room in the whole building,
notifying members that vofe Is being
taken. Meantime the vote proceeds.
which. Of course. reveals officially the
fact which was before known. that
there Is no quorum present. Then
follows the ron call, which. in time, is
followed by another call OF the ares
and nays. As have written this. in
the gallery Of the senate chamber. Just
such . proceeding has transpired Ton
the pension bill, which developed a
strict party vote, and which passed by
. narrow majority. As soon rs the
vote vas over and announced. the
seats were vacated, and the dun, mon
otonous proceedings interviewed. At
first visit 70 the chamber, one feels
that there would be danger Of snap
judgment being taken, and measures
passed not in accordance with the
ruling majority. In the vote Just re-
ferred TO, upon its face IL would seem
to have been mere chance that there
was . majority Of the Republi-
cans present. when only . bare
quorum of the senate Was present.
Gpon looking farther through, this is
seen not to be so, as opposing absent
senator's are paired on political ques-
tons: hence, those present maintain
the same political complexion that the
whole number woald, II present Al
though at first sight the thin houses
would seem to show of neglect of
public business, nevertheless it is not /;
for the reason that the real business Is
done in the committee rooms, and
bills are not investigated on the floor
OF the house except where there is OPP
position, in which case some friend or
opponent is certain to be on hand.
As ! have written, fully dozen
measures have passed, covering wide
range OF subjects and affecting large
interests; yet i. was perfectly clear
there was no quorum present.
Following upon this l went over to
the House" 1t was late in the after
noon. A loud uproar Of laughter
greeted my ear as l approached the
gallery door. II was evident that
something unusual was going on
Every Republican was in his seat. A
cloud Of anger covered the counte
nances of most all of the Democrats
on the one side. while the Republicans
showed the reverse upon theirs. Ma
son, Of Illinois, was speaking. His
voice was little "screaking" but ht
proved to be one of those character.
that no matter what he said it sound
ed funny. Bvt beyond that he wa.
possessed of ready wit, and he wa.
using it against individual members in
ridiculing their speeches. and in such
body laugh, whether they sympathiz
laughter would break out a second and
even a third time and interrupt him
and meanwhile he would stand in hi:
place and never smile. 1t seemed a,
If the members had gone crazy, shout
ing, ciapping their hands, swinging ir
their seats. doubling themselves uI
like shut jack-knife, then .openinf
out" at full length to almost lie down
as their chairs would tilt back with
them. noticed Kelly. the veteran Of
the house, the oldest member and old.
est man in il. who set near the speak
| er. He would clap his hands together
awhile, then bring his hands down
with slap on his knees. Once his
movement was so vigorous, as he lean.
ed back in his chair roaring, that his
heels actually stuck up in the air and
he came very near going over back
ward upon the floor. In word there
was complete abandonment of all
decorum and no more attention was
paid to the gavcl. than il the speaker
had been school boy playing speak
err"
At times though, Mason would dror
of into earnest talk and created sen.
sation by his saying he was willing
10 meet them Mt any other time and
place, when not otherwise engaged, ,
meaning in personal encounter. He
evidently meant it and in fact said
Il mean just what say" which rath.
er sobered the house and brought Gen.
sure upon him, rs in fact ii ought.
In striking contrast to this ami
mated scene was that of later session
at night. where twelve members out OF
the 325 were holding session Of the
great house of representatives of these
United States of 60.0o0 600 Of people,
gravely proceeding TO discuss the
tariff. said twelve; let me be accur-
ate; there were thirteen. for one mem
her was in the chair. 1t did look like
"play congress- sure enough to see
this one member bolt upright in the
chair; three sitting members on the
Democratic side overtime Republicans,
one of whom was reading a speech on
the tariff. To make the scene the
more ludicrous, II possible. one MEM
Der was reading newspaper, another
was writing letter. while third was
busy apparently mailing some public
documents This own speech probably,
most likely TO some of his eonstitu-
ents. Nevertheless. there were q good
many people in the galleries. appar-
entity interested, for the speech was a
good one.
On Friday the real beginning of the
close of the great debate began. II
was published that Randall, Breckin-
ridge and Mckinley were to speak.
The house had become very indus
trious and met at 10 O'Clock and held
night sessions besides, but notwith-
standing the early hour of meeting the
galleries were filled long before either
OF the big guns" wheeled into line.
Randall spoke first II was plain TO
he seen that great interest was felt by
members to hear what he had to say.
lie read his speech, sticking close to
his manuscript, without the least ef-
fort at oratorical display In fact, one
might say il was poorly read. Ii at
once became evident that there would
he difficulty In hearing him. Members
from all quarters of the house left
their seats aud crowded into the or,en
space between the speaker and Mr..
Speaker" until fully a hundred per
sons were standing up in front al
him. Every seat near by was filed
as well. When the gavel fell at the
expiration of the hour n member
moved that his time be extended.
whereupon Mr.. Mills. the Democrats
leader of the house. objected. III there
had been an electric battery connected
with each member on the Republican
side, and with many on the DeIno-
cratic side As well, thev could not have
moved quicker or more simultaneously
than they did. Those not already on
their feet were up IN an instant. Arms
Nszsit nm with Sk..-ss. 80 M S,,ost