The Portland daily press., 1892-08-08

and Wheeler temporarily retired from
the neId. In flve minutes he was aG 1t
again with more motions to adjourn.
Finally he carried his point, and to save
further trouble the leader Of the house,
Mr.. McMillin, came to the front and as
sured Wheeler that at the proper time
he could have his support in a motion to
be heard for twenty minutes.
It is not often that we see one man,
and he a very small one, fighting zoo
successfully, but that is what Wheeler
did in this case and the members ap-
plauded him for his pluck. Though the
most nervous and excitable man in con-
gress, he is a great favorite. His activ-
ity is like that of a flea or monkey.
When he is in a hurry he runs through
the hall of the house like page.
Though threescore he runs up and down
stairs as if he were mere boy. l have
seen him travelling bareheaded at two
forty gait between the house and the
building in which he does his work, 200
yards distant.
When he makes speech he is bum
die of nerves palpitating in clothes.
Every word is accompanied by ges-
ture, and if it were possible for the hui
man frame to make more rapid motions
Wheeler would be a fast speaker. But
his delivery is regulated by the number
of gestures which it is possible to make
in given time, and SO he doesn't talk
very fast, though words come out of his
mouth like bullets out of six shooter.
| A speech by Wheeler would read some
thing like this:
'sMr. Speaker fright arm uplifted),
denounce (both arms uplifted) this infa-
NOUS bright hand pounds desk) bill Cleft
arm shoots out right angle) and declare
Stands on tiptoe and filings both arms
about it to be tyrannical (crouches be-
hind his desk like panther just ready
to spring upon victim) and d. Qhits
desk) a. describes circle with his left
arm wildly M pounds his breast) n
(claps his hands together) a. Sweeps
both arms together from extreme right
to left ble!'
There was congressional row one
| night last month in John Chamberlin's
famous restaurant. A far western mem
Der of the house, New Highlander and
a southerner were the combatants. Some
ugly words were passed, when the far
western member picked up champagne
bottle, which was about half full, and
broke it over the head Of one of his an
tagonists, scattering the sparkling liquid
all over the room. Some blood was
mixed with it too. At this critical juno
ture the southern man drew knife and
was about to plunge it into the body Of
the champagne club swinger when by
stander caught the weapon and wrested
it from his grasp, cutting his own hand
severely in the operation. Next day
two members Of congress obtained leaves
Of absence s'on account of sickness"
There have been few rows In the
senate during the session. A public and
| long continued quarrel is that between
Senators Morgan and Sherman. The
former is the great champion of free
silver, the eloquent defender of the white
metal on all occasions. He seems to i'm
agine that Mr.. Sherman is about the
greatest enemy his precious metal has in
the world, and that the Ohio senator is
| in league with Lombard street and Wall
street and the money kings to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer. He
never misses a chance to fling at M.
Sherman some words that will be pecul-
| iarly unpleasant to that gentleman. OF
course it is all done in the most polite
manner, as rule, as BELTS senatorial
courtesy, which requires that when you
tell man he is, in your opinion, a scoun-
drel you shall do SO in language to which
he cannot take exception.
Mr.. Sherman endures this persistent
goading for three or four days, and then
| he stretches out his long body, raises his
long arm and retorts. The retort is not
always mild and sugar coated, and one
day these great senators, probably the
ablest men on their respective sides of
the chamber, were actually questioning
each others veracity in public speech.
Two or three weeks ago the gossips of
the senate thought they could scent q
duel or a shooting match in the air. Sen
ators Harris and Sanders had had some
sharp words, in which Mr.. Sanders used
language which seemed to question Mr..
Harris veracity, and Mr.. Harris had re-
torted by expressing his opinion that
Mr.. Sanders was double dyed scoun-
drel, or words to that effect. Now, ar
gued the gossips, both are fighting men.
Harris has the reputation Of having
whipped his weight in wildcats in his
younger days, while Sanders was the
leader of the vigilantes in Montana
years ago, when to be vigilante meant
being shot at while engaged in the
wholesome task Of running down and
stringing up enemies of society. But
there was no duel, and so. far as can
learn there have been no mutual apollo.
gies or anything of that sort. So an.
other has been added to the long list OF
feuds already existing in the senate.
A bit of senatorial friction which end
ed more happily was a collision be-
tween Senators Mop herson, of New Jer
sey. and Coke, of Texas. Mcpherson is
suave, polite and good natured, while
Coke is gruff, big, blunt, but with z
heart that is just about right in him
This, too, was financial difficulty
| .-t.l G-oa n.1,ro.. o~,l MIDI,