Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-04-19

pages are grouped around Ike Hill, in
front of the picture of Washington,
as though they had drunk from the
tabled fountain of the "Arabian
Nights" and been turned into stone.
Even the stenographers are magnet
lied. Near the Speaker sits Andrew
Devine, the stenographcr who long
ago reported the Beecher trial for the
Sun. His hair has grown thin and he
wears glasses, but his fingers travel
upon the even tenor of their way
without a shadow of nervousness.
He takes the words that pour from
the lips of the orator from West
Virginia as easily as he would record
a speech of John j. ingalls,. ingalls,
speaks at the rate of 100 words a
minute, while Wilson will run close
to the 200 line.
But there is still another tribute to
the orator. You see it in the newspa-
per gallery, Correspondents are pro-
verbally restless. Itrequires speech
far above the average tointerest them.
There were half a dozen of them
above the golden eagle behind the
Speaker when Mr.. Wilson began his
speech, There are two dozen of them
now, and each appears to have for
gotten the errand upon which he
came. No pencils are moving. With
out regard to politics all listen to the
orator with rapt attention.
And so the speech progresses, in
rising and falling cadences. Each ar
| mt 10 n riH IL
Every trope and metaphor is perfect.
Everybody is enchanted. When a
Democrat rises with suggestion all
shout in indignant tones. ''Sit down I!
Shut up!' 1t seems like sacrilege to
break the continuity of thought that
perfects the argument,
Hotter and hotter grows the fire.
The Republicans can stand it no
longer. Doliver is the first to protest.
His quotations are questioned. He
puts himself right as to dates, but
fails wofully as to material. Like
many another, he had made a quota
ton that would not stand the test of
its context. His argument was melted
in the expose. Louis Atkinson of
Pennsylvania raises his shield. He
questions a financial statement made
by the gentleman from West Virginia.
He reads from the public record to
prove that it is wrong. There are
smiles of satisfaction upon the coun-
tenances of Julius Caesar Burrows and
Commodore Charles Boutelle, but
the smiles are frozen when Mr.. Wilson
shows that he was reading from a
speech of John G. Carlisle in which
Mr.. Carlisle had quoted as authority,
the statements of William Window,
a Republican Secretary of the Treas
ury.
J 1t was magnificent speech. It will
serve as q text book for many Dem
ocratic orator this fall When the
West Virginian sat down he was over
whelmed with applause. No speaker
ever received warmer congratulation.
In the confusion Benton McMillin
arose. In arugged voice he demanded
the previous question upon the third
reading of the bill. 1t is carried even
while the members are crowding
around Mr.. Wilson and congratulate
ing him. The bill is read third time.
THE question is, shall the bill
pass?" shouts speaker Crisp.
AT this the Republicans demand
the yeas and nays. They get them.
The bill passes by more than three
fonrths vote. Messrs. Rabbit and
Miller of Wisconsin are the only Dem
ocrats against it. No Republicans
vote for it.
1t is April z, and the fight on the
Free Wool bill is ended.
AMOS j. CUMMINGS. Z