The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-13
oOLL DOGS OF CONGRESS
The Fighting Qualities Of the Fear
less Men on the Two
Sides.
Kennedy, Who Forgot that Quay
Was q Republican, and
Flayed Him,
And Kilgors, Whose Foot was All Pow
erful In Breaking Quorum
Others Like Thorn.

Especial Correspondents Of THs INDEPEHDENr.l
WAsmNoroH. Oct. s.-You hear good
deal about the watch dogs Of the house, but
nothing about the bull dogs. Yet there are
more bull dogs upon the floor than watch
dogs. Tho watch dog is usually mild snd
undemonstrakive. There is nothing SNAIL
ing or bristling about watch dog Holman.
Watch dog Kerr, Of Grundy Centre, Ia, has
a temper AZ warm and placid az q day in
June. He irritates others at times, but is
never irritated himself. The bull dogs, ON
tho contrary, are aggressive and ferocious.
When they get on the rampage, the
cracking of bones is heard. It ia hard
to loosen the grip of one of these fellows.
You may throw ice water upon him and fill
mis- eyes with red pepper, but he will retain
his grip. It would take a crowbar to open
his jaws when his mouth is set. These
bull dogs in legislation sometimes do a
great deal of good. They not only stir the
house to action at critical moments, but
they frequently touch the national mar
row and thrill the country with excitement.
There is an equal number of them ON each
side of the house, and they are about even-
" matched.
One Of the pluckiest among the republic
cans is the Hon. Jonathan H. Rowell, of
Bloomington, Ill. He has been in many q
hard fight, but his teeth are as sharp and
his grip as strong as ever. This is his
eighth year in congryss. He was Union
COLDER and is 81 years old. Mr.. Rowell sue.
ceeded Mr.. Crisp as chairman of the COM
mittee on elections. He has had plenty of
unpleasant work to do in this con-
gress, and has done il remorselessly.
He has thick gray hair, blue eyes,
and the muscle and stamina Of q
frontiersman. Aside from his intellect, the
most remarkable thing about him is his
| vocal power. It is deafening. To use
classic expression, he has throat of brass
and adamantine lungs. His voice is strong
and resonant, and yields to no strain.
Nothing apparently can break it. Rowell
seems to be as fresh in voice and physique
at the end of three hours speech as at the
beginning. Despite his political ferocity
he is one Of the most agreeable and enter
tanning of men.
One Of the sturdiest OF democratic bull
dogs is the Hon. William Henry Hatch, of
Missouri. He is match for any of the
bull dogs on the republican side of the
house. Hatch is a handsomer man than
Rowell, and has voice as clear as bell.
He comes from Hannibal and has been
coming from that city for twelve years. In
the last congress he was chairman of the
committee on agriculture. He has an
excellent pedigree, for he was born in
Scott county, KY, and was educated
at the home of Henry Clay. He was
| kko -
good record as soldier. It was made,
however, in the confederate army. His
flow of language is remarkable. He ls
never at loss for words and he has never
yet been floored in repartee. He has gray
| hair. smooth face, and the physique Of an
athlete. He never relaxes his grip in a
fight. He might be dragged around the
ring for hours, but would then turn and
thrash his antagonist. No man in the
yielding in his political contests. his genial
! ity endears him to all who know him So
cially. He is an ardent fisherman, and is
said to waste much of his salary upon bait.
An interesting republican bull dog is the
Hon. Robert Patterson Kennedy. of Belle
He is of medium height and of strong ply
siqne. He has swapping eyes, dark hair,
and close cropped beard. He entered the
| Union army as a private and came out of it
brigadier general. He was once lieuten-
ant governor Of the Buckeye state. While
presiding in the state senate, he is credited
with having decided that seventeen mem-
bers were quorum of thiFty-six.
This is his second term in congress.
The ferocity of his late attack on Senator
Quay was fully equaled by bitter and un-
provoked assault upon Gen. Hooker and
other crippled confederate veterans IN the
last congress. The assault was so Rratuitous
and entirely uncalled for that it was taken
as a personal affront by some of the demo
cratic representatives. They have not yet
forgotten him, and have no personal rela-
tions with him. Like all political men,
however. he has friends as warm as his ene-
mics are bitter. Kennedy is man OF in
tense convictions, rash and impulsive. He
has all the pugnacity and ferocity of q
thoroughbred. He would fight either q
/ tiger cat or buzz saw, without regard
TO consequences. This accounts for his
sttack upon Senator Quay. Gen.
the most violent speech made in favor Of
the force bill. Quay's action postponed il
| it did not prevent action on that bill in the
senate. Stung to the quick. Kennedy circu-
lated paper in the house in which the SUBJ
scribers pledged themselves to prevent
action upon the tariff bill in the house If the
senate failed to take action upon the Lodge
bill. He failed to obtain the necessary
| number of signatures and darted headlong
upon quay At the 0r6t opportunity. He
gripped him under the foreleg and shook
him with such savage delight that it
attracted the attention Of the whole coun-
try. Since then the republicans have been
trying to put muxzle ON him.
An equally prominent bulldog ON the
democratic side is Constantine Buckley
Kilgore. of Willis Point, Tex. Kilgore has
bristling gray hair, we'll trimmed gray
mustache, and clear gray eyes. He il six feet
tall, as straight a. ramrod, and has the
physique of John L. Sullivan. Buck, - he
is famillarly called in the house. WAS q gal
liant Confederate soldier. He was born in
Georgia fifty-6ve years ago. He has super
| ior skill az horsemAn. He wears huge SON.
brero and frequently indulRes in squestian
feats. While going at full speed recently,
he stopped from the saddle and picked mp .
lady's handkerchief. It had been dropped
from carriage and was 90 small and deli
cate in texture that Buck stuffed it
into the she'll Of 6lbert, and
afterwards returned il to the lady.
Such 10 the story told BY his friends,
In the Last coagreas be distinguished him.
self in tilt with Gen. 6pin0la and Asher
g. Caruth. He il daring and aggressive,
and Was Just tho man 70 walk down the
aisle and break quorum BY kicking open
. door OF tho house, aid TO have been
locked by ordsr Of Thomas B. Reed, 20 -
to secure . quolum.
Harrison Kelly, Of Burlington. KanA. IL
eu<Al,>p t,oaAnkrrsU n0d mun0nlnY Hnunhli-