The Portland daily press., 1891-01-26
THE MOST PROMINENT TIME KILLERS.
Senator German Furnishes the skin
and Brains
And Men Like Mills Make a Bad
Mess Of L..
The Good Record Of Maine officer
OF Marines.
Especial to the Press.1

Especial to the Press.l
WASHINGTON, January 24.-The recent
flibustering in the House and Senate is wor-
thy Of more than passing notice. 1t has
undoubtedly marked an era in our legisla-
tive history: and has placed In store for
those who have been responsible for 1t har-
vest Of future troubles and perplexities. In
the House an obstreperous minority have
de6ed the majority and insulted the Speaker.
Plantation swaggerers have boldly held
themselves forth as blackguards. and when
confronted with the enormity Of their offence
against good manners and the commonest
rules for gentlemen's conduct, have invited
the House to censure them in order that they
might make their own disgrace the means of
additional obstruction of the public bust
ness. This may seem incredible, but 1t Il
true. In the stormiest passages of Mills's
abuse OF the speaker eonspIcaSas In all the
about among their followers TO prevent any.
one moving the vote OF censure which Mills
courted, and which would have delayed busi-
ness for days. And when, finally, General Hen
derson of Illinois, gentleman Of the school
who are gentlemen in all places, finally de
clared that such abuse Of the Speaker was
uDbearable longer, whether business was
transacted or not, he was confronted by the
fact that 1t would be necessary to censure.
not the whole Democratic minority by any
means, but an unscrupulous faction, large
enough to make the procedure so long as to
imperil the whole business of the govern
ment. Men like Mills Of Texas, and Rogers
Of Arkansas, and Bynum Of Indiana are not
SAMPLES Of the Democratic side of the
House. but they constitute the leadership of
faction that was able TO carry high hand
until the gentlemen of their party let them
understand that they had gone far enough.
The Mills following were quite ready TO ac.
cept the hint, because the Speaker had met
every hour Of additional contest was uniting
mis- party behind him In still closer union.
Very different was the accompanying con-
test In the Senate, although perhaps the diff
ference was due somewhat to the fact that
the obstructionists were meeting with no
frm and unyielding opposition. But more
than all else 1t was due to the fact that the
Democratic party In the Senate has been,
and still Is, led by a leader whose skill and
wisdom are not rivalled by the abilities of
any man who has yet asserted command on
the Democratic side in the House. Senator
Arthur p. German Of Mary land has been the
prominent figure In the Senate throughout
the contest. No higher tribute can be paid
TO his peculiar abilities than the tribute bis
Democratic colleagues paid to him when
they agreed to make him the leader OF the
contest against the election bill, and took
service as privates under him. In seniority
OF service and In fame throughout the ma
ti0n there were many Democrats In that
body who outranked him many grades; but
the veterans who are the grayest and the
politicians who are the most Jealous of fame,
II outward appearances signify, We'd In fol-
lowing the lead Of the Maryland Senator.
The visitor in the Senate gallery will not
be long In discovering the leadership of this
man Of middle life and medium height, W hose
smooth combed hair Is never ruffied, upon
whose clean-shaved face there are many
passes through the Senate with smooth
and gliding step as he gives word to this
Senator or significant nod to that, but
never word that Is taken In leyity or a sug-
gestion that does not have immediate con-
sideIati0n. The prominent nose and the
cold gray eyes are the striking features of
his pronounced Jesuitical face, and In the
view OF the spectator In the gallery they will
claim equal attention with the scrupulous
neatness and taste of their possessor's
clothes. Mr.. German may not be conscious
that his tailor is master of the trade; but
his suggestive habit Of stroking the front of
his wellitting cut-a-way leaves the impres.
sion that In this respect. as In many others,
Mr. Gorman knows more than he pretends
TO. Upon the floor, while addressing the
Senate he gives the impression that he Is the
soul OF courtesy. ready to do anything 10 ae-
comodate the other side and preserve the
dignity OF the Senate and the traditions of
Senatorial courtesy. He Is grieved to the
heart II some Republican Senator passes the
bounds Of courtesy for a moment In trying
to prevent some crafty Democratic scheme
to put the majority Of the Senate at a dis
advantage. No Puritan OF the seventeenth
century ever rolled his eyes more reproving-
ly at the scandals OF an easy court than car
the Senator from Maryland at some un-
guarded outburst Of sorely badgered Repub-
ncans whom ne has caught In his tolls. Mr..
Pecksnin never grieved so over the sins Of
the world as Mr.. German seems to
grieve over those little breaches Of dignity
which tend to discomft the Democratic
side. But 1t would be mistake to suppose
that Mr.. German Is wholly Pecksniff. He
has also good share Of those qualities
which made the elder Martin ChuZzlewit so
picturesque character. Mr.. German can
storm, although he never loses his temper In
doing II; and no one has yet found him a
coward or lacking In the keenest sarcasm.
But he never storms when he can wheedle;
and 1t has generally been when they have
been completely bamboOzled that the dis
cordant Republican majority have found
that Germans velvet glove conceals an iron
hand. While his lieutenants were debating
the merely formal approval Of the Senate
Journal for IL hours and were preparing to
continue the debate indefinitely, Mr.. German
smilinRlY assured the Republicans that this
debate was necessary that the liberties of
the people might not be destroy ed, that he
regretted the necessity of 1t and that 1t
would be brought to conclusion as soon as
compatible with the general welfare. Then
he would lit down, probably to devise new
modes Of wasting time. In this he Is un-
doubtedly very expert. In early life, when
Mr.. German was Republican, and before
1t occurred to him that In order to succeed In
Democratic state like Maryland a change
Of politics would be desirable, he was page
of the Senate and later its postmaster. OF
course he then learned any things that
have stood him In good stead since. IL Is
also whispered that Mr.. Germans own inge-
nuity has been stimulated by sugges-
Senators who have been conspicuous for
doing nothing for the elections
bill and whose only active participation In
the contest has generally conduced to the
pleasure Of the Democrats. But how much
Of Mr.. Germans ingenuity Is his own and
conferences with Republican marplots he
himself smilingly neglects to give informa-
tion.
With such leader the decorous and state
ly but tremendously effective flibusterlng Of
the Senate Democrats has been possible.
Nerve and unity Of action on the Republican
side would have checkmated 1t In spite Of all
Mr.. Germans tricks.
How different is the Texan method Of the
House? The ilibustsrlng began boldly and
unblushingly when the District appropria-
tion bill was taken up, and as time went on
the minority took no pains to conceal the
fact that they were stopping business in the
House because the elections bill was up in
the Senate. On Saturday, January 1S. the
Democrats, as usual, made the approval of
the journal pretext for debate and a roll
call. The long roll was called and 1t was
found that the journal had been approved by
165 votes In the affirmative to IL In the mega
tive Prnmntlv Milla of Tavaa moo ~ hfs