The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-07
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Gathering Of Victtors and Van.
Quished at Washington.
Political Opponents Who Arc Warm Ter.
sonnl Friends-SprInEors nnd Mills
Admiration for tho "Czar"--
Opening OF tlio Session.
Especial Washington corrosponaoncc.l

! Especial Washington CorrospondcncoI
| If thore were any aches or pains under
] tho jackets of tho statesmen of tho lower
House . fow weeks ago, they have oil
| apparently disappeared, for there mover
was n jollier set Of follows on Garth than
these samo statesmen who arc assem-
| bling hcrc aftor tho hard baltic recent
ly fought
| The rising OF tho sun upon sultry
| summer morning never o'erspread tho
face of nature with a broader smlo than
| to-day gilds tho oountonanco of Speaker
Reed. AS usual he walks down tho
broad avenue to tho Capitol, disdaining
hacks, cabs, strcct-cars and all other
convcyanccs. At almost overy step no
is met by some ono OF his friends, the
| successful enemy, and they each fire
joke at him, which he Immediately
catches on the ny and returns with in
tercst. Tho people of this country havo
little idea OF what manner of man
has been in tho Speakers chair during
the past exciting and memorable ses-
sion of Congress. Tom Reed is not tho
monster that his political opponents havo
painted him. Tho reader who has not
seen tho statesman of tho land in aetna,
session will be surprised to learn that
Tom Reeds friends on tho Democratic
side of tho House arc as numerous, al
most. as they are on his own sido Of the
House. During the rcdhot mclccs of
the past session, during those times of
which tho people read, when Mr..
Springer Of Illinois; Mr.. breckenridge,
of kentucky; Mr.. Mills, of Texas, and
others were shaking their fists at Tom
Reed and calling him Gear" "tyrant,"
and all that sort O thing, they were on
friendly terms outside of tho House.
heard Mr.. Springer donouncing the
Speaker in most violent terms ono
afternoon, and his face was wrca thcd in
| smiles all tho timc. Those speeches
were made to 60 into the Record. and to
! have Il partisan effect, that is all. Mr..
Springer and Mr.. Reed have great re-
| spcct and admira zion for each other; for
they arc men of superior ability, integ-
rity and moral character. These state
mcnts will seem strange to you, dear
reader but you must sec Washington to
really know it.
Ono of tho brightest, brainicst and
wittiest men on the Democratic side of
tho House is John C. Tarsney, of Mis-
/
to be member of Congress from Mich
igan. When John came into Congress
last winter people used to say: "Oh,
| yes! You arc Tim Tarsncys brother. l
used to know Tim" Whcreupon tho
new Congressman would respond: mo,
sir. l am not Tim Tarsncy's brother.
When Tim was in Congress and was
out was his brother. But things havo
changed, and now l am hero and Tim is
out, so Tim is now John Tarsney's
brother" We'll, John Tarsnoy, Of Kan
sas City, Mo-, and Billy Mason, of Chi
cago, the brightest and wittiess Nom
Der on the Republican side. are great
friends. TO show the reader how close
these political opponents become in
their personal friendship, 1 will relate
an incident. Mr.. Tarsney was re-
elected and Mr. Mason was defeated in
the rec campaign. Mr.. Tarsney
went up;a 'nson and said Billy, old
boy, Tn ..ly sorry for your defeat;
but II" =" fully in sympathy with
you TO- Of your little one just on
the g c,ion. can understand
Jour !.illy, better than any
othcr -. You don't caro- for tho
loss e. in Congress. That Is
small have loved, fostercd.
lost II Z five children. Billy. and
an. > to-day. God knows I'd
willingis up my seat in Congress
and al @ ambitions in this life if
could have the presence and affection
OF one Of my children. know how you
feel, Billy, know how you feel"
Tho country is not near anarchy nor
revolution, no matter how intense the
excitement attending our biennial and
quadrcnnial elections, so long as politi-
cal foes can be personal friends, warm
hearted, sincere friends. Mr.. Mason
and Mr. Tarsney represent radically op-
positc views concerning National poll
cies. and they intensely and bitterly do
nounce the opinions of each other, but
mover word of personal discourtcsy
passes between them. They havo al
ways boon on most kindly terms.
The session of Congress which com
menced on December l will expire by
constitutional limitation on March 4
10