The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-25
MEN LEAD.
,,osr OF TIE INFLUENTIAL CON-
cpEsSMBN OF SMALL STATURE.

E1oor-Identif1catio That Fail to
7dantifv - Chairman O'Ferran
Et0hter All Through-Two Senators
Learn q Trick of the Trade.
No., H.. Ne,o Yor5 Commerci Gl advertiser.
:, .sHINGToN, April 25.-Every congress
has its distinctive physical peculiarities.
Some congresses have evinced a marked
.andancv to laziness. Others have been
f,I of fiery, nervous, excitable men. A
tow wears ago it was noticed-in fact it
could not but be noticed from the gallery
that there was surprisingly large propor-
ton of bald heads in the House.
For many CONGRESSES ia succession, during
the last decade, the House seemed to be
variable museum of physical giants, so
chat visitors never failed to remark upon
the fact. and amateur sociologists used to
draw learned deductions regarding the es-
santial connection between a powerful
nbvsinue and success in life. Their theory
you'd not fit in very we'll with the facts
inst at present; for the most cursory ex-
ANIMATION of the Fifty-second House of
representatives will show that there is now
= 0-aat preponderance OF small-sized men
~ the capital. The how and why of il is
NOT easily discernable-and, indeed, where
fore try to discern it2 The prevalence of
little men now, the prevalence of big men
formerly, all such things are mere coin
cidences-and that may be said to be the
long and the short OF 1t.
Many of the House giants of other days
are deDarted-some to the Senate, some to
otuer political spheres, some to private life.
Gone are the gigantic Cobb of Indiana,
Keller of Ohio and Barnes of Georgia; gone
are Hlsoock, Carlisle, Butterworth, Barnes
and many other mighty men in their day
and generation. But some few spared
monuments there are. The towering form
of Stewart of Texas still overlooks the
Rouse from a safe eminence, as it has any
timegnce 1888. The familiar figure of TOM
Reed IS still on deck and so are the burly
old timers, Oates and Forney, of Alabama,
buchanan OF New Jersey, Speaker Crisp
Culberson of Texas, Funston Of Kansas,
Harmer of Pennsylvania and Hatch Of Mis-
souri,; while among the newer members Of
generous physical proportions are Messrs.
Curtis of Ogdensburg, N. Y, Bankhead of
Alabama. Bourke Cochrane Of New York
city. Stahlnecker Of Yonkers, N. Y, Cogs-
well Of Massachusetts, kiigore, the might
kicker. of Texas, Livingston of Georgia.
Mansur of Missouri, Shlvely of Indiana
stockdale OF Mississippi and William A.
Stone Of Pennsylvania.
On the other hand, time and space would
fail in an effort to enumerate all the small
and moderate-sized men in the House. 1t
would be almost equivalent TO calling the
roll. The list, moreover, would include
many of the leaders, showing, therefore,
that the theory mentioned is faulty. In the
list would be found such men as Clifton R.
Breoki ridge OF Arkansas, Catchings of
Mississippi, Dalzell and O'NeiIl of
Pennsylvania, Wilson of West Vir-
giuia, Wheeler of Alabama, Dingley
Of Maine, De Forest of Connecticut,
Fellows, Fitch and Tracey of New York,
and Watson of Georgia. In the same cate
CORY are to be placed Messrs. Brawlev Of
South Carolina, Chapman of Michigan,
Dunphy of New York, Hayes of Iowa,
Never Of Louisiana, Miller of Wisconsin,
McKaig Of Maryland, and Washington of
Tennessee. In fact the list could be spun
out to great length. After subtracting
the very large members and without count
ing the members of good. but not immense
size, like Messrs. Springer. McMiIlin, Comp
ton, ETC., the small sized and medium sized
members will be found to constitute fully
two>thirds of the present House.
MIXED IDENTIFICATIoNs.
In various store windows in this city are
displayed plans Of che House and Senate,
giving the location of each members seat,
huu accompaniment ny u lekeuu W INC 6II6CC
that every visitor should be provided with
one Of these inestimable documents. This
would be manifest truth if members were
in the habit of occupying their own proper
seats, Except, however, when the House is
tull-a rare occurrence-or when members
are writing letters, the senators and repre-
sentatives sit wherever it happens, so that
stranger generally cannot pick out indi-
ylduals by the aid Of the inestimable docu-
nF1 a Id
mistakes have been made and overheard in
the galleries on this account. Armed with
their plans and opera glasses, visitors may
often be seen pointing out individuals on
the floor and deriving great satisfaction
from an Identification which in four cases
out of five is probably incorrect.
Thus, for example, at one moment during
the NOyes-Rockwel debate in the House,
some Of the members were observed scat
tered about in the following order, or
rather, disorder; Mr.. Reed was in Mr. Bur-
rows seat; General Hooker was in Mr..
Ierry's; Mr.. Lodge was in Mr.. Delivers;
Mr. Cobb was in Mr.. Patton's; Mr.. Bantley
was in Mr.. Rusk's; Mr.. Chapman was in
Mr., Clancy's; Mr.. Fello VS. was in
Mr. Brunner's MIR. McMilin was In
Mr.. Mr.. Andrews; General Wheeler
was in Mr.. Shows; Mr.. Wicke was making
his speech from the desk belonging to
occupied by General Colin M. Ingersoll of
Connecticut, an ex-member and formerly
minister to Russia. These were only few
OF the misplacements. About the only pros
mlnent member who was in his own
appointed place was Governor McCreary of
Kentucky.
This habit OF sitting Ground anywhere
seems to be growing on congress, and it is
more pronounced in its manifestation now
than ever before. The causes of it are man
Hold. In the first place, some seats in the
House are very badly situated, and Others
are well situated. Those who have bad
seats naturally gravltate TO the good seats
when the latter are unoccupied by their
owners. Again, during q debate it is nat
nTaI and customary for members to seat
themselves as near as possible to the speak
ers so as TO hear better. Then, again, mem
bers are continually visiting and holding
conferences with each other, and while
uoiug SO they naturally take seats adjoin-
Hg, 1t often happens, too, that members
exchange seats permanently after the plan
mas been published. Thus, for example
11r' Bland ia down on the plan as occupy
ing seat No. 40 on the west side of the
house, whereas he really occupies seat No.
10 on the east side, having effected an ex'
cnange several weeks ago. Members are
s s the while standing up IN the aisles, and
Augeuog about ana rushing in and out.
ana otherwise behaving like the wicked fec
Wnom 1t Is proyerbially difficult to catch.
az Ihese circumstances render the identlf'
cauon process a decidedly ticklish ono fol-
eNahaeTS at the capitol and tend to bear