The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-09-28
TALK OF THE WEEK.

of last week. In the House Mr.. O'Ferrall sat
solitary and alone on the Democratic side hold
ing at bay single-handed the serried hosts of
Speaker Reed. About the corridors wandered
like uneasy spirits the Democratic members,
passvely fighting the inevitable in the shape of
Mr.. Langston, of Virginia. Mr.. McMllin, of
Tennessee, strode about with an immense bundle
Of documents under his arm and his hat pulled
down over his eyes, plainly plunged in pro-
found thought on the vstas of Imperialism
opening up before his patriotic soul through
the steadily aggravating high-handedness of the
tyranncal majority. In the committee-rooms
other Democrats gathered in little groups and
swopped stories or discussed the situation
while waiting for new moves in the sharp game
of flibuster which was playing. About forty
Democrats established their headquarters in
hotel near the Capitol. Here they had their
clerks and typewrters attending to their cor
respondence, while messengers furnished them
from time to time with bulletins of events in
the Capitol. Probably the most picturesque
sight of all was the Hon. Richard Vaux, of
Philadelphia, wandering through the corridors
in the basement, putting fine cigar, with
bundle of newspapers under his arm, and his
long hair falling about his sturdy old shoul-
ders. He looked like old Continental come
back to life again and holding the last defcnses
working under lock and key" the old Jack
sonian said, land it is too late for me to learn"
4 X X
covered by three newspaper men who went
down into the House bathrooms to have a look
at the luxurious lavatores provided for the use
of members. AS the newspaper men descended
| from the elevator they stood for an instant
| looking at the plaster of Paris plan of New
! York Harbor, which has been fixed against the
wall in the vestbule of the Senate bathroom.
| As they stood silent from the inner rooms there
came the click-clickng sounds that unmistaka-
| bly, denoted the progress of poker game. Oc-
casionally voice was heard mingling with the
clicking of the chips, 81 pass" "Give me
marks and questions, delivered in that quiet,
concentrated tone which betokens close mutual
application, were the sounds that fell on the
newspaper mems ears. There was no doubt
about it. A trio of members were locked in
one of the bathrooms having very quiet game.
Great regret is felt among the Pennsylvania
members of both parties at the defeat of Repre-
sentative Kerr for denomination. His retirement
will be distinct loss to the Pennsylvania Dem
ocratic delegation and to the party generally in
the House Mr. Kerr, while young member, has
| proved himself hard worker and useful Rep
resentative. His defeat at this time is especially
unfortunate to the Democracy of Pennsylvania,
as he is the chairman of the State committee and
is conducting magnificent fight against Quay's
candidate, Delamater. The fact that his own
constituents have repudiated him in the midst
of the campaign will furnish the Republicans
with good campaign material. The whole af-
fair is another evidence of the lack of appre-
citation of national matters by the local politi-
clans of the Democratic party. Mr.. Kerr was
sacrificed, not because of dissatisfaction with
his career in Congress, but regardless of the
good work he had done and of the effect it was
likely to have on the State campaign. The de-
feat was brought about through deal between
local politicians, and is really no reflection
whatever on Mr.. Kerr himself, except as it
shows that he is not good wire-puller as
some other men in his district
X K Il
1t is believed that Senator Paddock is the only
Republican who will vote against the con-
ference report on the Tariff bill in the Senate
There are intimations that Senator Power may
also vote against it, but it is believed he will be
fonnd with the majority when the time comes
All the other Northwestern Senators who some
days ago pledged themselves to preserve the
freedom of binder twine Or perish in the at
tempt seem to have reconsidered their de
termination to perish. But Senator Paddock i.
quoted as saying that he will fight it out
to the end single handed. Binder
twine is not the only feature of the bill the Ne
braska man is mad about. He says the North
west wants lower duties on steel rails, structu
raj iron, and tin plate. and declares that tn,
party is not keeping its platform pledges in re
fusing to give his section these things More
over, he charges that in the matter of binde
twine and tin plate the Mckinley bill plays intt
: the hands of trusts against the Western
farmers. Notwithstanding Mr.. Paddock
somewhat heated talk, there those who in
innate that he would not indulge in it if he wa
e not well aware that the passage of the McKin
ley bill would not be impeded thereby.
y There is one little woman in Washington
whose faith in the integrity of big bushes
e houses with great names has been rude
b shaken recently; also her faith in express mes
sengers. She sent to one of the Oldest and mos
+ famous dry goods firms in New York fey
days ago for dress pattern, inclosing th
u necessary amount of money. In due time tn
goods came but what was her surprise am
y chagrin on opening the package to find tina
. the material was in two pieces, and that one o
u the pieces was badly faded and shop-worn, a
q if it had formed part of window exhibit. T
receive goods in this condition iron
d the great firm in question shocke
;, the little woman as much as If sh
n She never dreamed that such thing could
e possible. Sheimmediately restored the good
to the box in which they came, wrapped the bo
rs up in the same piece of paper which had com
q around it, retied it with the original string an
g hurried to the express Office to send the whol
~ outfit back to New York, accompanie
by a letter giving the big New Yor
firm fits for shaking her confidence in huma
u nature, delaying the completion of her me-
A. dress and putting her to so much trouble. A
the express Office she received the second shocl
The charge for returning the box to New Yorl
>, the clerk said after weighing it, would be thrt