The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-29
YARNS IN THE HOUSE.
LEGISLATIVE "REMINISCENCES IN
HOT WEATHER.

NcMillin's Funny story-Monarcn OF
,ha Brutss Speaker Reed on the
po.d that Leadeth to Destruction
I,due Culberson Tells a Little Texas
Tale.
Fron, the Neir York Sun.
m--,,xcroN. Aug. 23.-Lots Of stories
coating through the House III the dog
- Members who usually take an active
- i, debate when the weather is cool be-
E r., 70 subside with Sirius appears above
- - bo-iz,o. Some sit languidly at their
- a,d listen abstractedly to discussions
-. items in appropriation bills. The
o,,s in the rear Of the last row of seats
-. baen removed to allow free cir
-,..;on of air. There are, also, screens in
--irdows of the cloak-room. The
60 doors leading to the speakers lobby
- ,,s, on,n. aud thu atmosphere of the
- is warmed by breezes which come
-, the Potomac and sweep over the hot
~, Some of the members promenade the
80 of the hall and solace themselves with
u;-.ars Others sit in cane chairs around
cissn,7o5s and water coolers and speculate
i1,,,T' their political prospects. Many good
stories are retailed.
po.+or NcMillin of Tennessee told one
!. aIber dav which created much merri-
Int II was concerning a prominent can
Ii5o+a for the legislature many years ago.
t-tod GIVEN up his business as a saddler to
enter the political field. lie had arrived at
a. Conclusion that he was a statesman and
- ~ tba naoDle were in need of his services.
n. ,,oice was heard in every hamlet in the
.-.1,,ntoins aud in every town and village.
Io1aid particular attention to the farmers.
IT., we're overtaxed, and he insisted
+ba+ tbev should be relieved from their
burdens. He wanted the dog tax repealed
and the tax on land reduced. Railroad
F-eights were too high, and some hing
sbni7Id be done to reduce them. In a uhOus-
aTd and one ways he tickied
+ha ears of the agriculturists
A. all events he waxed eloquent.
In some cases he overdid the matter. He
nod read ancient and modern history, but
rarely glanced at newspaper. AS to the
living news of the day he knew compar-
tively little. One night he appeared in
town of several thousand inhabitants. Its
orera house was packed with listeners. The
speech was made while the Beecher-Tilton
trial was agitating the country. A daily
Tewsnaper was printed in the town, and the
naonle were we'll versed in the news of the
dav The orator, as usual, began to des-
cant upon agricultural grievances. He
went from one proposition to another until
his listeners became tired. His eloquence
was wasted They understood his object,
and were disposed TO chaH him. Finally,
man with a stentorian voice shouted:
,eNhat We want to know, and know ex-
pIicitly, is, how you stand on this Beecher-
ItOn trial"
For an instant the orator was nonplussed.
He knew no more about the matter than an
Ashantee chief. He felt that a critical mo
ment in his career had arrived 1t was
necessary that an answer should be made,
and that it should ne made promptly. Gath
eriug himself to his full hight, he calmly
surveyed his audience, and then said:
Il have not thoroughly studied the qres-
ton, but | think, if the people want it, they
ought to be allowed to have il"
The answer brought down the house, but
the orator failed TO secure a seat in the leg
lslaLure.
Not long ago Asher G. Caruth made an
entertaining speech upon the floor of the
House. The thermometer was up among
the nineties and the atmosphere was very
muggY. Indignant Mr.. Struble of Iowa
had given Speaker Reed a dressing. Struble
is II republican representing the Sioux City
district. He had been refused renomina-
ZION. 1t had been lost, as he thought. be
cause he had failed to secure a public build
ing for Sioux City. The bill had been left
hanging by the eyelids with thirty others
for several weeks The speaker gave no one
an opportunity to call them up, and Strubie
was indignant. He is serving his fourth
term in congress. Under democratic ad-
ministration his public building bill had
twice passed both Houses, and twice been
vetoed by President Cleveland. He had
evidently assured his constituents that
things would be different under republican
administration.
Mr. Caruth in his speech sympathized
with Mr.. Struble He said that he thought
the attack upon the speaker, however, was
unwarranted, coming from the republican
side OF the House. He dubbed Tom Reed
the Alexander Selkirk of American politics
Inc speaker could say:
am monarch of all | survey:
MY right there is none to dispute
FROM the center all round to the sea
am lord of the fowl and brute.
The house roared with laughter. The
Term brute" seemed to suit its palate 1t
was IN committee of the whole The speaker
stood near the door of his lobby with twink
ing eyes and an open mouth. He did not
smile. Some time after member asked
aim what he thought of Caruth's speech.
wen, he drawled in his broad Yankee
accent, u am trying to oblige my friends
on that side. | have been CHARGED with
assuming almost every prominent charac-
ef IN an ancient and modern history. |
nave oeen called Caesar. Charles the First
aua cromwell, Danton and Rohespierre,
Hl1 now this man Caruth accuses me of
UeIig thomson Crusoe. It's too much. |
edu oe Caesar and a Robinson Crusoe
Oharies the First and a Cromwell, or a
pan'on and RobesPerre all at the same
uule Let my democratic friends settle
lyon some character aud I'll be in better
o,; some time ago democrat received a
mp gtippI9a from Texas paper. Il alleged
o on@I :. roger u Mills, in one Of his speeches
IN c oIeEe' had said that If Speaker Reed was
Ho uoH ne would count the democrats in the
motrLo ~ make a quorum. A democratic
WV1g WI showed the slip to the speaker.
"M Cn grave dignity MIR. Reed replied
tb 1ol Mills IS right. Why shouldn't count
the u wo,. II i they weren't there they'd be on
b, Iue OF the ablest men in the House is
is not.! DaVld b. Culberson of Texas. There
dig ro.alGg snowy about him. He is a quiet
sb SIiiIea man, with a heavy brow. broad
0coae'S ana great intellectual capacitv
OH .9i3'nSily he visits the cloak room. The
ocro., Jay ne entered it while several dem
tho az members were commenting unon
the D1,oc made by the farmers alliance in
~