The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-15
SENATORIAL COURTESY
As an Institution Has Vanished
from the Chamber. 55.
SHORT BUSINESS METHODS
Take tho Place OF Old and Vicious
Custoins...itenarkablc Changes
liavo Taken Place with tho
Advent OF Progressive ldcns. d.
spteia, pl.pa.tA 10 u. ln,1l,ia,,,elr

Special bhpd.ch 10 he tattl,igeneu.
WASHINGTON, D. G., Dec. 1i.--Sena
tofial courtesy as IN institution has
vanished. Ills no great loss, but It may
be slated as matter Of history that It Ii
gone. The probabilities arc that 1t will
never again regain its footing. In
short, the United States Senate Ia ap.
preaching the short, sharp business
methods OF tho House OF Representa-.
tlyes. To certain extent this is due ia
an infusion Of new element in the
upper body. The new Senators from
Northwest found on their entrance 10 the
Senate that custom made it obligatory
upon them not to participate actively In
Affairs. Coming as they did from the
most prosperous section of the country,
they could not tolerate this, and the
nrst blow they struck was TO elect n
sergeant.at.Arms designated by them.
selves. With this much Accomplished.
the progressive Senators have gradually
broken down that time.honored institu.
ton which went by the name of "Sena.
torial courtesy" ,1
A VICIOUS PRACTICE.
In the past it was only necessary for
a Senator to State that any particular
private bill was his pet measure, and no
y, would raise bis voice against It.
mat was called Courtesy" Public
building bills, private pension bills,
GLAZING OF all sorts, and a general class
OF legislation not involved in politics,
went through the Senate without cues.
ton or discussion, simply because Sen.
at'r in each case would announce in the
cloak rooms, II want this bill to pass"
The extreme to which this was car.
rled produced a reaction. The senatora
found that they were obliged by the old
practice to vote for all sorts OF bills,
which they could not defend when taken
to task by the press and the public. They
may not have formed a combination in
the technical sense Of that term, but
they did use their influence in direc.
ton to break down the custom. The re.
sult has been that, at the present time,
no Senator can stand up and secure the
absolute support Of his associates for in.
dlvidual measures by simply asking for
the extension OF Senatorial courtesy.
FREEDOM oEspEEcu.
II has gone farther than this, Sena.
tors now speak with freedom regarding
atlalrs which has hitherto been heard OF
in that body. A practice has existed in
the past which had almost the force OF
rule that no disrespectiul mention
should be nude Of the House Of Repre-.
sentatives. 1t ia now frequent occur
renee to hear the House spoken OF by
Senators as a body incapable OF judi.
cicusly enacting laws. Speaker Reed
has been spoken Of in language almost
as direct aB could be applied and crit.
clsed Tor bis conduct OF public business.
Nearly every measure that comes from
the House and is discussed at any length
bring out from one side Of the Senate or
the uncomplimentary references to the
action OF the lower body.
MOST REMARKABLE CHANGE.
The most remarkable change, how
ever, that has come over the practice OF
the Senate is the indulgence OF members
OF that body in reflections upon each
other. Within day or two Senator
Blair has distinguished himself by de-
clarlng the whole Democratic side OF the
Senate as stupid and intellectually def
Gent. This brought the retort from SO
courteous a gentleman as Senator Nor
gan, OF Alabama, that Mr.. Blair was a
bore and that the people Of New Hamp.
shire had declared themselves tired OF
him by refusing 10 return him to the
Senate. Senator Sherman has been
charged with triclzery in the prepare.
ton Of the Silver bill in language unmis.
taxable by distinguished party ascot
ates rs Senator Plumb and Teller. Dur
ing the recent discussion OF an appropri.:
alton bill, Senator Stewart, OF Nevada,
was practically arraigued as the repre-
OF English syndicates and not
Of the American people,.