Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-01-11
THE ARENA.
"A Day With the Dakota Statesmen
and a Glimpse of the Law
making Body.
Remarks Personal, Political and
General Regarding the Distin.
guished in Halls and Lobby.
LIGHTS and SHADOWS.

LIGHTS and SHADOWS.
from Tuesdays Daily.]
There are seventy-two members III the
legislature but to have been in the Sheri-
dan lobbies yesterday you would have
thought that there were seven thousand
and that each had entered into a grand
foot race and walking match. 1t was
continual see-saw from early morn until
long after the virtuous should slumber and
it kept one busy watching the caucus
calls which were made every few minutes
for the making or breaking of combi-
nation. :.
Yesterdays trains from the east brought
in all Of the absent members with the ex-
ception of Representative Parkins of the
west Missouri country, who came in from
the west in the evening. just in time to
board the band wagon and cast his vote for
the winning candidate for the speaker
ship.
Senator Hughes, of the Bismarck dis
trict, was one OF yesterdays arrivals and
he has not been idle since his arrival, and
j. B. Welcome, the handsome representa-
tive of the district, came in Sunday, since
which time he has shown himself to be a
lively and artistic rustler- The other
members who arrived Sunday and yester-
day were: Senators Ryan, the bright-eyed
democrat of Aurora; j. Atkinson, Of
Brookings; James HALEY Of Rapid City;
G. A. Harstad, the popular Celt from Hills
boro; Roger Allin, the happy statesman
from Grafton and Peter Cameron of Penn
bina. another of the small but undaunted
democratic force.
The house members who arrived were:
Frank Morris of Hutchinson, who was one
of the most valuable members of the last
legislative assembly; w. S. Logan of
Hazleton; P. P. Palmer of Hamlin; Col.
M. M. Price of Letcher; j. B. Cook of
Faulk; G. w. Ryan Of Walworth; Frank
Lillibridge of Sully; s. p. Howell of Nc
Pherson; Chas. j. Trude of Butte; G. G.
Newman of Sergeant; E. McNeal, another
good looking democrat, of Cass; A. W..
Burnham of Cass; the irrepressible and un-
conquerable T. M. Elliott of Ransom; j. o.
Smith of Steele; Nathan Upham of Walsh;
w. E. Swanson of Ramsey, and D. R. Well
man of Eddy.
These are the members who arrived yes
terday, and they will agree that never
since they attended the last circus have
they enjoyed more interesting entertain
ment. On the Sabbath many of the men,
bers arose, donned their most sanity garb.
received the identifying touches of the
tonsorial decorators and started for church.
How many of them reached the sanctuary
and actually joined in the singing is not
known, but it is evident from the number
who stood in the phalanx of the combina-
| ton in yesterdays caucuses that the num-
Der who really permitted their thoughts to
soar beyond the practical affairs of this
wicked earth was very small. When the
first caucus was held yesterday forenoon
there was evidence of some fine Italian
work on the part of certain gentlemen and
the work grew in its maccaronl grandeur
until late in the evening, when the states
were formally framed, given rubber bumper
on the corners and carefully laid away
where they could escape the enemy's ham
mers during the night. The grand trans
formation scenes which were presented
during the day were great successes and
| gave entire satisfaction to the audience of
curious and sight-seeking spectators. The
political thermometer registered the
council and house states as follows:
$50 a. Washabaugh and Aikens.
12m.-Washabaugh and Keith.
LIP. m-Van Osdel and Aikens.
Up. m.-Stimmel and Aikens.
4p. m.-Stimmel and Keith.
The mercurial bulb has been dancing
about the Stimmel and Keith stage ever
since, and in all probability it is safe to pre-.
dict "Stimmel and Keith" weather with
Washabaugh clouds and occasional Aiken
ian squalls for to-day. There was a pecu-
liar Ominous haze in the atmosphere last
evening and the moon looked as though
she had been visiting slaughter house
but the combination smiled and exhibited
a sweet serenity-a most striking evidence
OF confidence and security.
THE COUNCIL CAUCUsEs.
For several days there has been abundant
proof that the farmers desired to organize
the legislature, but that there were many
Of the agricultural class that preferred to
organize as republicans. The strongest
Farmers Alliance candidate was Smith
Stimmel of Cass county, the leading repub-
lican candidate, Mr.. Washabaugh, and the
most poplar independent farmer, who
wished the organization to be purely re-.
publican, Mr.. Van Osdel of Yankton. Yes
terday afternoon there was call for a
caucus of the farmers of the council and
Mr.. Van Osdel consented to attend, agree
ing to abide by the decision. This was q
great hit for Stimmel as he received a