Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-26


cf the quickest, most independent and
fcrcible men In the senate. His self re-
lance, his bluhtnas. his habit of hoeing
his own row without much care what
this man or that man Is going TO think
of him. make him one Of the most inter-
esting Of our public characters
Senator Edmunds has the reputation
Of being about the ugliest customer in the
senate. In sharp debate nc certainly Is
formidable antagonist. Edmunds does
not drink champagne-old whisky OF
brandy being good enough for him; and
when no has had three OF four nips, and
has reached the stage in which he ap-
pears to bc asleep In his chair. or II
awake, preoccupied with twidiling his
fingers, then he Is most dangerous. Then
he Is most likely to thrust himself into
debate in which no one had fancicd he
was taking any interest, and with his ter
rible sarcasm, his merciless ridicu,c, con-
found his opponent and convulse his
hearers. But Edmunds does not do this
out Of malice. He does 1t simply for the
fun of the thing, simply for the sport Of
impaliug his victim and holding him up
for few moments before the fire. Then,
M IL satisfied with himself and all tho
world, the rigor relapscs, his stern old
face breaks into smiles, and ho settles
himself still further down in his seat to
hear and enjoy his antagonists rcjoinder.
No matter how savage or personal this
may he II is all the same to Ediuunds.
Even illusions to the three or four
drinks of old whisky which no is sup
posed to have taken before making his
onslaught do not ruflle his calm exte-
rior. He has had his fun, and he is per-
fectly willing now to let some one else
have fun with him. And after 1t is all
over there il no ranking In his heart.
His eyes twinkle rs merrily az ever, and
at the first opportunity ho will shake
hands with his late combatant and ask
him to go down stairs for n few moments.
One of the frankest senators is Mr.
Farwcll, of Illinois Senator Farwell
makes fr;lnkness ono of the rules of his
life He has fewer secrets than any
other successful politician. II find it
pays in the lcag run" he says. 'Once
in while get into some sort of trouble
by being frank with everybody, but l
know that ones confidence is not so like
" to be abused il he makes it rule To
be frank and open, as If he has the habit
of concealmcnt of thoughts and facts.
Logan used to tell me that didn't know
any more about keeping secret than
woman, and not half 80 much as u GER
tain woman he knew, aud told mo over
and over again that l would, never
amount to anything in politics il Ididn't
learn how to keep my mouth closed. But
have been doing business this way all
my life, and it is too late for me to start
in now and try to change my habits"
The senator who has tho driest and
most delicious sort of humor, when no
is humorous at all, is Mr.. Blair. People
who are not aware that Mr.. Blair is u
good deal of joker in his quiet, digni-
fled way do not know him. A few
days ago the legislative, judicial and
executive appropriation bill was under
consideration in the senate. There had
been some talk about the employment
of u needless number of men in tho
senate stables. Mr.. Blair astonisl,ed the
senate by rising and remarking, when
the Paragraph containing appropriation
for the senate stables was read, that he
had been informed the number of hos
tiers employed in the stables was greater
than the number of horses kept there.
An hour or two later Mr.. Blair again
rose and solemnly said:
'Mr. President, find was mistaken
in statement which l made short
time ago concerning the senate stables