Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-01
THE TOPICAL TALKER.

How He Reads His Opiuious-The Su.
preme Court ms show-The Sleeping
Beauty Congressman Bayne's Duty
A Confusing ResembIance-Pittsbur
Representatives.
FROM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, D. c.. April 3O.-Chief Justice
Fuller looks q good deal more like
cavalry officer than the presiding Judge of the
United States Supreme Court. Even seated on
the bench, with the golden eagle fapping its
wings over his head, ana clad in the silk robes
OF his office, there is little of the judicial about
his appearance. 1tis the heavy mustache, nearly
white, that distinguishes the Chief Justice
from his brethren and gives him war-like
look. He is certainly the handsomest man on
The bench; men and women agree as to that.
On Monday heard Chief Justice Fuller read
the lengthy opinion in the case of Leidy versus
Hardy, which decides that State laws in prohi-
bition States providing for the seizure of liquor
brought from other States are unconstitutional
"a most important decision by the way and one
that IS regarded here as the heaviest blow de-
ivered to prohibition for years. The Chief
Justice has q good voice. and he thinks that it
is worth while to lend all the oratorical graces
at his command to the reading of an opinion.
The reading of this decision took about 40
minutes, and Mr.. Fuller seemed to enjoy it i'm
mensely. If he were less exalted person one
might imagine that he thought no small shakes
of his oratorical powers.
THE Justices Of the Supreme Court are not
to be blamed If they are vain. All day long
they sit upon the srandest throne in the United
States, surrounded by more show of Difference
and honor than even the President receives.
with theatrical curtains of crimson silk draped
behind them, and great gold eagle over their
heads, with page boys at their elbow, venerable
lawyers bowing before them, velvet carpets to
hush the fall of feet upon the courtroom floor,
negro doorkeepers watching over noiseless
doors, a dim religious light in the semi-circular
room. and never-ceasing throng of awed citi-
zens of this and other lands reverentially
staring them out of countenance. The Libyan
lion at circus excites very little more vener-
alton and awe from the spectators. should
think that the Justices must feel sometimes
how like wild boasts on exhibition they are.
Perhaps they don't think of it at all, for one
grows accustomed in time to anything. even to
being Supreme Court Judge.
ONE Of the justices at least does not allow the
curiosity of the laymen, or the speeches of
the lawyers, or the decisions of his brethren,
to disturb him. Justice Lucius Quintus Curtius
Lamar sits at the extreme right of the bench,
and he would be much happier if he might lie
down. There is no denying that sleeping in
chair. even IL the chair be of the easiest sort,
is nothing like as comfortable as sleeping on
sofa or bed But Justice Lamar has to make
the best of a chair. He did very well while the
Chief Justice was explaining why the Supreme
Court of Iowa must be overruled. When an
other jussice-it was Judge Gray. believe-be-
gan to read the dissenting opinion of the minor
ity, Justice Lamar awoke. He was asleep again
in minute or SO. however. and whenever I
have looked in at the Supreme Court between
visits to the Senate and House, there he was,
chin dropped among the folds of his robe, eyes
shut and arms folded. picture of judicial SOM
nolence. with dignity not to be beaten even in
Westminster, or the Old Bailey.
THE Hon. Thomas NJ. Bayne owes it to his
constituents to have Representative Adams,
of Chicago, suitably labeled. painted or other
wise marked SO that Pennsylyanaus visiting
the House may not mistake Mr.. Adams for the
urbane and hustling statesman who halls from
the growing borough of Bellevue. II Mr..
Bayne will ask the Houses permission to hang
a card on Mr. Adams chest bearing some such
inscription as: II am not Mr.. Bayne," l. for one,
will forgive him.
Mr.. Bayne sits in the fifth row of seats on the
Republican side of the House. His desk is the
fourth from the center aisle. Almost i'm
mediately in front of him sits Mr.. Adams, of
Chicago. There would be no harm in the &.
incidence that Messrs. Bayne and Adams both
occupy desks at the same distance from the
center aisle If they did not resemble
each other so closely. Mr.. Adams is
like Mr.. Bayne bearded, and the tint of his
beard is like Mr.. Bayne's indescribable. Mr..
Adams is probably taller than Mr. Bayne, but
he of the sama slendar and simmons huild
With all their points of resemblance all might
still be well, did not Mr.. Adams practice the
pernicious habit of thrusting his hands into his
trousers pockets-a habit to which Mr.. Bayne
is devoutly attached.
On Monday morning I saw as l thought,
from the gallery, Mr.. Bayne come into the
House. lounge leisurely up the aisle, and whis
per for a moment or two to Speaker Reed. who
b sd just taken the chair. 1t struck me that
Mr.. Bayne seemed to have made a more careful
selection of apparel than is his wont, that his
beard was unusually trim in cut and that he
seemed to have grown several inches. But
Congress changes a man SOL put these things
down to the air of the Capitol.
Presently l was in the lobby of the House,
and it occurred to me that Mr.. Bayne might
like to see a constituent or two. So we sent in
our cards. The doorkeeper was doubtful about
Mr.. Bayne's arrival, but we told him we had
seen Mr.. Bayne from the gallery. The door
keeper disappeared, and we waited several
minutes Then out came a sort of parody on
Mr.. Bayne; a man resembling Mr.. Bayne in
many ways, but at short range certainly not
Mr.. Bayne. 1t was Mr. Adams, of Chicago, who
came out to attend to fair constituent in
deep mourning. OF course the doorkeeper.
after searching the House with a fine tooth
comb, came back to assert that Mr.. Bayne was
not on the floor. He accepted our apologies
and explanations, but it was plain to see that
he, too, felt bitterly toward Mr.. Adams and
Mr.. Bayne. One of them ought to act at once.
Further resemblance is dangerous.
IT is pleasant to be able to say that aside
from his resemblance to Mr.. Adams. Mr..
3ayne deserves well of his constituents in Alle-
gheny county. Mr.. Bayne has made a reputa-
tion here for hard work and attention to the
particular interests OF Pittsburg, and 1 hear
everywhere that he has been one of the best
friends of protection in the present session of
Congress. In fact Western PENNSYLVANIA seems
to be ably represented in both houses, and a
Pittsburger need not be ashamed of his cham
pions at the Capitol. HEPBURN JOHNS.
should Seek a New Occupation.
From the philadelphia Times.l
The Bucks county farmer who testified that
he had been in the milk business IS years and