Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-21
FRIVOLOUS SENATORS.
They Pretend to Hold a Session and
Indulge in Nonsense.
MITCHELL CREATES A SENSATION.
Ills Beard and Mustache Disappear In the
Darkness of Night.
HOUSE MEMBERS BETTING ON GROVER
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT,


appearance Of things that Congress was not
in session at all. Not Republican was to
be seen, and two torlorn groups of Demo-
Gratis. two in one place and half dozen in
another, we're the only signs of the pres
ence of members of the House of Repre-
sentatives in the city, except at the Hotel
Chamberlain, wheSe q merry party OF Demo-
cratic Senators and Representatives dis
cussed mint juleps, brandy smashes and the
chances at Chicago all in breath. In all
of these groups it was the concensus of
opinion that Cleveland is the logical candi-
date, no matter what their personal opinion
may be, and that the nomination Of any
one else would throw chill like an Arctic
wave over the blossoming spring time of
the campaign.
Humorous bets ran freely around all OF
these circles, but few were taken. The
prevailing offers were that Cleveland would
be nominated, coupled with twin bet that
if nominated he would be elected. Cor
man, even among his personal friends,
seemed to have no political we'll wishers
One of the surprising phenomena of this
struggle for the Presidential nomination is,
that among the warm personal friends of
the Maryland Senator few can be found
who wish him to be the national candidate.
This is among the Democrats From a
political standpoint the Republicans favor
German, because thev believe he would be
the weakest candidate that could be NOM
mated.
Byplay in the Senate.
In the Senate, which pretended to hold a
sort of session, any byplay seemed an
agreeable reliet to serious work. One thing
that occasioned deal of amusement was
the presentation by nearly every one of the
Senators on the floor of a petition praying
that the manufacture and sale of cigarettes
be prohibited Several Of the Senators who
presented such petitions with great deal
of dignity were known to be themselves
extremely fond OF the weed in that form,
and when they presented the regulation pc
tition ripples of laughter were heard about
the chambers.
Another bit of schoolboy fun was at the
expense of Senator Nipple Mitchell, of
Oregon, whose best friends could not recog-
nize him to-day. For SO many years that
the memory of man runneth not to the
contrary, the Senator, formerly SO well
known in Western Pennsylvania as law
yer in the old town of Butler, has worn
mustache and long, flowing silken beard.
This morning he presented himself at the
main door Of the chamber with face as
bare and smooth as when he sat on his
mothers knee. The doorkeeper stopped
him as he was about to enter
"Why do you stop me?" asked the Sena-
tor with assumed indignation.
ooh, you are a member of the House?"
said the doorkeeper interrogatively.
''No, am not, said the Senator sternly.
'HThen Won are an ey-SenatOrI''
''No, l am not an ex-senator"
'Then you can't go in"
How He Fooled the Doorkeeper.
'rBut am a Senator now," said MI.
Mitchell, cheerfully.
"Oh, no; you can't come that" said the
doorkeeper.
"Weli," said Mitchell, ST guess have
had enough fun with you. I am Senator
Mitchell, Of Oregon, with my beard shaved
off"
You should have seen that doorkeeper.
He sank back in his chair in a dead faint
In the chamber only one or two Senators
knew OF Mitchel's Transformation, and
they kept quiet. Mitchell took his seat.
Immediately among the Is or 80 Senators
present there were whispered conferences
BY twos and threes. Messengers and ser
geant-at-arms were sent for to discover who
the interloper was who had usurped Sena-
tor MitchelPs seat. No one knew the man,
but as he seemed to be perfectly at home,
and was looking over the Mitchell mail, no
one dared to question. Among the first to
rise to present petitions was the strange in
truder.
"Mr President" he said, in full sono--
GUS voice, addressing Senator Manderson,
who was in the chair.
"The Senator from"-the President pro
TEN began, and then stopped. He did not |
Mitchell at all A laugh went
round the chamber and Manderson, the |
voice and the Senator's seat having con- |
vinced him, finished with the word 3'Ore-
gon," but spoken in such tone that the |
little laugh swelled into guffaw that re-
quired the gavel to subdue. Then Mitchell |
was surrounded by Senators who looked at |
him curiously and shook hands with him as |
though receiving an introduction to a new |
Senator.
One unacquainted with the rigid rales of |
the Senate in regard to the exclusion of |
persons not entitled to the privileges of the |
chamber cannot conceive Of the curiosity |
and alarm manifested by Senators while |
Mitchell sat calmly and confidently in his |
seat, unknown to but one or two in the |
room. The transformation of the Oregon |
Senator is not an Improvement in personal |
appearance. With mustache and flowing |
beard his expression was austere and ag- |
yressive. With bare face, his mouth is |
weak and his smile puerile I fancy the |
Duke de la Rochefoucauld, who recently |
married Miss Mitchell, would not like his |
in this guise.
Incidents Since Four Years Ago.
What a volume of incident has passed |
into history since President Harrison, then |
ex-senator Harrison, was informed four |
years ago in indianapolis, instead of WASH |
ington, as he has been to-day. of his NOM |
ination as the candidate of tine Republican |
party for the Presidency? Coincident with |
that event the demand went forth that |
Blaine, the idol of the party, should be |
Secretary of State. In that position he |
dealt successfully with the most delicate in |
questions that have arisen in the |
last quarter of century. Twice war has |
seemed imminent and the foundries making |
naval supplies were worked to their utmost |
tension.
Blaine and Harrison look up together as
candidates for the nomination for the next |
Presidential term. Blaine resigns his posi-
ton of Secretary of State and his resigna-
ton is accepted, both communications be- |
ing couched in the curtest language ever
used in such circumstances. Harrison is
nominated. Blaine is defeated in the most
manner, and as Harrison with
much show of ceremony is being informed of
his nomination, Blaine stands beside the |
corpse of favorite son who has been one
of the few remaining pillars of his ruined