The Portland daily press., 1892-08-08
VERY QUARRELSOME.
American Statesmen Celebrated for
Their BelIigerency.

| There Were No Fist Fights During tho
| Past Session of Congress, but Many An
| imosities Were Engendered During tho
Heat ofDebate-Entertaining Incidents.
Especial Correspondence
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-Statesmen are
very, very human, and being human
will quarrel one with another. The his
tory of this capital shows that it has for
nearly hundred years outdone all the
ether national capitals in the world in
number of its quarrels and duels be-
tween prominent public men. Dueling
has gone out Of fashion happily, and
there are not SO many quarrels of Sc
rious nature as there used to be. sup
pose we are becoming more polite and
less savage people all the while, but
there is still room for improvement.
During the past session we have had
no fist fights on the floor, as we had in
the last congress, when Mr.. Wilson, Of
Washington, and Mr.. Beckwith, of New
Jersey, passed the lie over a trivial mat
ter and then sprang from their seats and
let drive at each other with their rights.
Nor has any senator pulled the ear Of
another senator, as belligerent Joe Black
burn was reported to have pulled the
ear of William E. Chandler in the SEN
ate committee room about a year and a
half ago. We have had our quarrels,
though, and il | could do so without
violating confidence think should be
able to point out to you about twoscore
Of statesmen of greater or less renown
who do not speak as they pass by owing
to hot words spoken in debate or in pri-
vate conversation.
| often wonder there are no more
auarrels than there are. Not only is
the heat Of debate likely to make sparks
of anger fly, leading to bad cases Of the
rankles and get-evens afterward, but
members have so many opportunities in
the way of objections TO unanimous con-
sents and in other parliamentary pro-
cedures to exercise one man power by
stepping very hard on some ones toes,
| that it is marvel more personal an
| imosities are not engendered. An illus
| tration of the manner in which an 81
object, Mr.. Speaker" may involve a
member in a personal quarrel was af-
forded few days ago.
Mr.. Lockwood, of New York, some
what famous as the man who nominated
Grover Cleveland for mayor of Buffalo,
for governor Of New York and for pres
ident of the United States, asked unani-
nous consent for the calling up of a lit
tie bill. 1t was measure which carried
no appropriation, and was of small inn
portance, embracing no principle or
other cause of dispute. It could have
been disposed of in two minutes, and no
one expected an objection, for Dan
Lockwood, as he is generally known, is
one of the good natured and popular
members Of the house. But Mr.. Wat
son, of Georgia, the courageous and elo-
quent young champion of the Farmers
Alliance, was not in good humor that
day, and he promptly entered the fatal
III object"
Lockwood pleaded and explained the
nature of the bill, but Watson was OBJ
durate. Then Mr.. Fitch, of New York,
added his voice to that of his colleague.
Still Watson held his ground, and the
bill was not passed. An hour after
ward Watson and Fitch met in the cor
| ridor. Watson" said the New York
er, still angry, 81 want to tell you what
| think of your objection to Dan Lock
woods bill. 1t was mean and childish"
"You have no right to talk to me in that
way" said Watson, "andif you say that
again will slap your face" t'No, you
won't" retorted Fitch. And then, to
see whether he would or not, Fitch re-
peated the offensive remark. Mr.. Wat
son by this time had his temper under
control and walked away. It was well
for him he did, for Watson is not much
bigger than peck of apples, and Fitch,
who was educated in German colleges,
is a clever amateur boxer and an all
| around athlete.
Watson is very good fellow, but he
was unfortunate enough the very next
day to become involved in quarrel
with General Wheeler, Of Alabama. It
was all about something Watson said
| Wheeler had once said. To this day no
one knows very clearly what it was.
But at any rate they were at logger
heads about it, and Wheeler wanted to
make personal explanation or defense
on the floor. Then ensued funny
scene. In the course of three hours
Wheeler made about fifty attempts to
speak his piece. But the speaker could
not see that the question presented was
one of personal privilege, nor was he able
to make General Wheeler comprehend
that he had decided against him. Four
times did the speaker state his decision
and five times did the pugnacious little
man from Alabama persist in his effort
to deliver his well prepared remarks.
Finally, while every one was laughing
at Wheeler. the speaker was compelled
to declare, 1.-The gentleman from Ala
barna is out of order" ''But, Mr..
Speaker, want to- "The gentleman
from Alabama will take his seat" Then
General Wheeler sat down, but in few