Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-13
WITH NERO'S UNCONCERN
Questions of National Importance
Are Allowed to Wait Until
ELDERLY VANITY is SATISFIED.
The House Extension in' Favor Of the
Street Railway Company
SIY0RS SOMEWHAT OF A SCANDAL
ESPECIAL TELEGRAPTTC LETTER.
BUREAU OF THE DISPATCH,
WASHINGTON, d. c., April

fling spirit of members of the National
Legislature than the performance which oc-
cupied most of the time of the Senate thi,
afternoon. Senstor Chandler, probably the
most blindly partisan member of tht
American House of Lords" in speaking
to the joint resolution of Senator Palmer
of Illinois, providing for an amendment tc
the Constitution making Senators elective
by direct popular vote, referred to epi
sodes in the personal political history OF
the author of the resolution.
Chandler, though he has breathed the
divine atmosphere of New England culture
all his life, has not acquired high degree
of proficiency in the exact art of good man.
ners, and was Extensively personal; and natur-
ally his remarks demanded a response from
Mr. Palmer. That distinguished Senator,
though he yet possesses a charm of per-
sonality and affabIlity which begets genuine
admiration and affection from all who meet
him, has reached an age in years and in
public life when the past seems to be all
important and the future of little moment,
and when men begin to look upon their own
careers as involving the best that is in the
history of their country.
Palmer His Own Biographer
Possibly it should not be surprising,
therefore, that he indulged in tedious and
garrulous explanation of his own political
acts He analyzed his party affiliations and
changes of political costume ad nauseam,
regardless of the great question under con-
sideration.
In the course of his remarks he referred
to his colleague, Senator Cullom, in a way
which set that deceased candidate for the
Presidential nomination going upon another
autobiography, which was doubtless very
interesting to him, and possibly to a few
personal friends, but which was of abso-
lutely no Importance to the country at
large.
Thus hour after hour and day after day
are wasted by members of both Houses of
Congress, in performances which contain
not a single suggestion of concern for the
substantial interests of the great public
which these gentlemen are supposed to rep
resent. Bills of Importance are DELAYED BY
this worse than waste of time, and are lost
in the confusion and hurry of the closing
weeks of the session.
Vanity, Vanity, All Is Vanity.
If it were not for this obstruction of
things important, such elderly vanity might
be exeusable to any extent, as, in itself, it
is amusing if not instructive In the pres
tent manifest on all sides and demands for
remedies and reforms becoming constantly
more portentous, it is q tragfcal comedy
which suggests the complacency of Nero
while Rome burned at his feet
The activity of ambitious dotage begot
attention for Senator Palmer at the other
end of the Capitol as well as in the Senate
The Senator's fond Imagination that he is a
candidate for the Presidential nomination
led him N criticism of ha P1apd
silver bill, which was published in a Chicago
newspaper, though the writing was care
fully deferred until after the bill was gen.
orally supposed to be dead.
A candidate for Office will even kick
corpse if it will serve his purpose The
gist of the criticism is that the bill was not
free coinage bill, an argument which was
originated in the very forcible speech made
weeks ago In the House by ex-Lieutenant
Governor Stone, of Pennsylvania.
Presidential Candidates as Sail Trimmers.
MI. Bland secured half an hour during
consideration of an appropriation bill, and
literally jumped on Palmer with both feet,
but he really failed to touch the kernel of the
matter by forgetting that the Senator had
awaited, like a careful politician, until he
could well decide which was the stronger
position on the silver question, through the
virtual defeat of the Bland bill. The trim
ming of Hill, German, Palmer and other
aspirants for the Presidency upon those
questions, renders the frankness and cour-
age of Cleveland all the more admirable
No official announcement has vet been
made OF the action of the Senate in execu-
tive session yesterday in declaring vacant
the Office of executive clerk, held for nearly
20 years by James R Young, one OF the pro-
prietors of the Philadelphia Star, and
brother of that notable writer and diplo-
mstist, john Russell Young. As Mr.. Young
was not called into the executive session,
and as he is alleged by majority of the
Senate to be the medium through which
news of secret sessions leaked to the public,
it may be curious to inquire how the word
Of his dismissal got out, as unusual precau-
tions were taken to prevent the disgraceful
performance from reaching the outside
world.
Mr.. Young's Friends Indignant
There can be no doubt of the truth of the
reported proceedings, though Mr. Young
has not vet been informed of his dismissal.
Possibly body which could act so despica-
bly, as to dismiss in disgrace an old and |
honorable officer without giving him the |
least chance for defense may not think it |
necessary to even inform that officer that he |
is dismissed.
Anything like the denunciation of those |
Senators who voted in favor OF this infamy |
which has been heard on all sides to-day has |
not been known before within my expert
ence at the capital, and so hot have been
the criticisms and so close to the ears of |
these Senators that there is already talk of |
q reconsideration of the matter, at least to
give Mr.. Young chance to be heard.
Senators Quay and Cameron are both
charged in certain quarters of having fav-
ored Mr.. Young's dismissal, but both gen.
tlemen make fiat denial of that assump-
tion.
Still the Corporation Is Happy.
A genuine storm of indignation swept
over the city to-day when the action of the
House yesterday in regard to an extension
Street Railway Company became generally
known, and, as was described in my letter
of last evening, even members of the Senate
District Committee, who have usually been
as tender of the feelings of corporations as
their brother attorneys of the House. de-
nouuce and pretend not to understand the
action of the House in granting further ex-
tension of year to the company for the
change from horse to mechanical power, and
in giving them the privilege now nrohib-
tied by law to erect overhead electric wires.
The bill was hurried over to the Senate
to-day, and public feeling in antagonism to
1t NAV induce some plain talk in that body
when it comes up for discussion.
More than one Senator broadly limited to
me that the influences which had been at
work in the House to secure the passage of
the bill would not bear analysis.
a Great Want Of Consistency.
IT seems that the claim Of the company,