The sun., 1893-10-17
important Review of the Situation
in the Senate.
COMPROMISE OR A RECESS.
Some of the Causes that Have
Prevented q Vote.

wave OF Exchement hOued over tno
Chamber which was subdued by
Senator Cailoms Oily Words - Un-
conditional Repeal Improbable Un-
der Present Conditions in the Sen.
ate, and, Rather than Accept Com
promise, tho Administration win Favor
aRecess-voorhees'sL Lendership Severe-
ly CrItlcised-There are As Senators
Ready to vote for Repeal, and Many Re-
lieve TINT Under Able Leadership n Vote
Might Have Been Reached Long Ago.
WASHINGTON. OCT. 16-The flibustering sill
yer Senators were told to-day that their course
in the Senate could fairly be likened to rebel
lion. 1t was Senator Palmer OF Illinois who
said SO. Rising in his place and throwing back
his Homeric head. as he finished survey OF
the chamber. he uttered the bold words In
clear tones. Sir" said he to the Vice
President, "I insist that. excepting the
methods employed and the instruments
used. there is no difference between their
course and armed resistance to the law"
Just or unjust. 1t was courageous
declaration. and 1t at once put the noble old
Democrat upon the defensive against the as
saults Of the angry silvertes. but he was not
daunted. neither did he apologize That was
a very little juncture In the life Of a man who
that experience. and had reformed and be-
come Democrat In tho days when 1t was
heroic to be a Democrat. III l am out OF
order" said he. II will not take It back. I
have simply expressed my belief"s The
scene in the chamber of the Senate OF
the United States was one never edualled In
our history. and one never to be forgotten by
any Of Its witnesses. The day was tho seven
tieth day OF the truly extraordinary session.
the opening day Of the eleventh week OF
session which the President had not called an
hour too soon to meet the wishes Of his allies.
or to escape the denuncistion Of those partisan
antagonis who were clamoring for rolief
even more loudly than the general dis
tress warranted. The aged but vigorous
Senator from Illinois. instead OF fixing his
gaze upon his own personal interests or those
of locality. lowered above the obstructionists
and swept the whole country with his eyes.
Everywhere he saw the same woful condi-
tions. anxiety. depression. and distress. He
saw closed mills and factories. and thousands
and tens Of thousands Of idle operatives. He
saw the merchants Of the length and breadth
OF the land. helpless. alarmed. shorn OF half
their business and uncertain OF the future. He
saw stocks and bonds and securities OF every
sort offered ut panic prices. and no one with
money daring to risk his means even under
such temptation. He needed no prophetic eye
to see q revival and exaggeration Of the still
worse distress that preceded the patriotic
action OF the lower House OF Congress. Nor
did he need any miraculous power to picture
to himself ten thousand currents OF prayer
and q hundred thousand written petitions. all
directed against the once diZnined and the
long time patriotic upper House ofthe peoples
representatives at their capital
YESTERDAYS SCENE IN THE SENATE CHAMBER
But II this was the scene upon which the
aged Senator Gazed without the walls OF the
Capitol. that which lay Immediately around
him In the Senate chamber was wholly differ
ent. A sparse attendance marked by extreme
lanRuor and lack Of interest had changed the
usually busy hall into seat of idleness. rest.
and indifference to routine. II it were possi-
BILE to imagine country 30 prosperous as to
need no relief for any OF its people. so wisely
ruled as to leave no chance for further legis-
latlon. and so peaceful and content as to per-
NIT OF no discord among Its public mon-such
q country might rightfuly boast Senate
chamber such as the reporter looked down
upon from tho press gallery to-day.
Nearly all the seats OF the Senators were
vacant and In all the rooms there were only
eighteen Senator'S One or two were writing
in a leisurely way that suggested choice OF
that chamber as the quietest nook In WASH
ington-a spot as little intruded upon as the
reading room Of q club OF sporting mon. The
other Senators stood about in groups. con-
versng as m en- are seen to do In the lobbies OF
our uptown hotels after dsy'A work is
done. One voice alone disturbed the ele-
giant reroso Of the place and its occu-
pants. it was the voice of Senator Pef-
fer OF Kansas. He tho representative of
O great, imperial. and progressive State was
delivering an grafton. but no one was listen
ing to him except the stenographer. whose
pen trailed lazily over his pad in slow keeping
with the drawing utterances OF the speaker.
The clerks OF the Senate were writing upon
sheets OF note paper inditlng letters to friends
and relatives. Over In o far corner OF the
chamber handsome page. whose slen-
der . face and long, light hair recalled
the youthful portraits OF Charles the First
OF England was dancing q jig with much
energy. looseness OF time, and disregard for
the neighboring furniture. The galleries
were halt filed by a crowd OF men and women
whose faces wore surprised and puzzled ex-
preston. such as might be looked for on thsir
faces had they entered o church and found q
vaudeville troupe making professional use OF
Its chancel.
PETER HAS THE FLOOR
Mr.. PETER was not speaking with his usual
nervous rapidity. Like a man who attempts
to disguise his handwriting. ne was making a
clumsy effort to alter fixed habit, his purpose
being. as frankly admitted. to gain. or rather
waste. time. Only now and then were his
words audible to the people in the galleries.
DO what We can to return silver to favor"
was part OF sentence that he spoke aloud.
Again he was heard to say. Gold and
silver were at that time" and again his voice
sunk out OF hearing. Tho day is Monday. and
sena tor pefIer began this speech on last Fri
day night. He yielded the floor to Senator
Jones Of Nevada for a time. and now he is mid
way In his speech. the second in the series OF
speeches he has set himself to deliver. He
looks like bearded stage MephIstopheles.
such as one sees in German presentation OF
Faust" Men OF his general cut and figure.
though without his peculiar face are often
seen behind the counters OF little cross
S15 10 Chicago and Retura.
account Manhattan bay. via New YORK ontario and
Western Raj. via Niagara Fails, WeauesdAy Oct.
n huFA Ahay IafI l.aAN Maat A 'f...