People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-26

and, while DEPRESSION may be par
doned in Congress, must stick to
my text. To a new member, as I
was that day, it is very embarrassing
to have to turn to your neighbor and
ask: "What did that man say about
rats ?" l was obliged to interrogate
the member next to me on another
occasion when the sounds, dies
talking through his hat" came float
ing up from the sanctuary of the
national pilotage. When took my
seat Mr.. Watson, it appears, was on
his feet attempting to give an expla-
nation of the following passage in
his book:
''The Congress now sitting is one illus
tration. Pledged to reform, they have
not reformed. Pledged to economy, they
have not economical. Pledged to legis
late, they have not legislated. Extrava-
gance has been the order of the day.
Absenteeism was never SO pronounced
Lick of purpose was never SO clear.
Lack of common business prudance
never more glaring. Drunken members
have reeIed about the aisles a disgrace
to the Republic. Drunken speakers have
debated g ave issues on the floor, and in
the midst of maudlin rambhngs have
been heard to ask: ''D1r. Speaker, where
was at p
While it is true that Mr.. Watson
was called on to explain, it struck
me that the evident intention was to
prevent him from explaining. At
one time, while he was explaining,
thirty-three members of Congress
stood between the two speakers
Mr.. Watson and the other speaker.
If [ were under oath now, I could
not swear that any of them were
sober on that occasion, they did not
look like it, and they certainly did
not act ike the ''grave and reverend
seigniors" whose duty it is to guard
the veal and ward the woe Of the
State. Mr.. Watson deserves censure
for at least one passage in his book.
He should not, with his experience,
wonder why any man should ask,
ssWhere wss / at ?" On the con-
trary, the man who would not feel
round himself to see if he were
awake and sober in such a crowd,
and while attempting to make him
self heard above that bedlam, would,
it seems to me, be more than ordi-
narily gifted. If such scene as
occurred that day in Congress wore
to take place in the General Assem-
bly, of the Knights Of Labor, we
would shut the doors in sorrow after
having closed the session in disgrace.
If such conduct as manifested itself
on the floor of the National Legisla-
ture on the afternoon of July 20
were to occur during a session of our
General Assembly; if thirty three
members were to stand up in differ
ent parts Of the chamber-some with
their backs to the presiding officer,
others grouped in knots, others shak-
ing their clinched hands at the per-
son attempting to address the House,
others Kissing like adders, and all of
them talking aloud or muttering as
the spirit moved them-a vote of
censure on the presiding officer for
incompetency would be in order. I
do not wish to be understood as say
ing that the Speaker of the House of
Representatives is incompetent or
that the Congress shol be charged
with blackguardism, not even infer
entially do say it, for customs differ
as you travel from home, and the
conduct which would be execrable
in drawing room would be quite
proper and exceedingly appropriate
in the lupanar. AS mans environ
ments are refnad or vulgar, SO will
his conduct shape itself after time,
and | would not wonder if our own
John Davis should become democrat
lied and wonder "Where he was at -
after few more terms in Congress.
1t strikes me that "Where was !
at?" is an exceedingly appropriate
question for man to ask himself
after he has been in Congress a few
months, but in asking the question
he should be particularly careful that
those who can ties lily are not within