Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-10-10
SENATE AND HOUSE.
A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the
TWO BRANCHES.

" vRoI 6tTVGVCNSS esVeSN sVs
TWO BRANCHES.
IntsrsstisG Pastures OF Two Great Dsbasss
Senatorial Dignity Easily shesksd-MS
Iaiiis Mast Nov Keep His cess os-Nusb
Pariiansstsry Peiitsasss.
WARRINGTON, d. c.. Oct 6.-[Special.l-
By this time The Congressional Record
must be getting tired. For two weeks the
house has debated the election bill, and We
have reached the end Of the ninth week
since the senate took up the silver bill. IL
has been long and tedious contest In the
latter body. People who live at distance
from washlncton are unable TO zee why 20
much time has been consumed or how men
can be found TO do such q great amount OF
talking. Ifyou will carefully examine an
average days session Of the senate, you will
quickly Zee how time IL murdered In that
body. The senate has been meeting at II
o'clock In the morning. A rule, routine
business, such a. the presentation OF peti
lions. takes good part OF an hour. Then
some senator introduces or calls up reso
luton which he wants to discuss-Mr. Du,
bois' resolution 10 postpone action till three
vacant seats are filed, Mr.. Stewarts reso
luton to Investigate the president, Mr.
Chsndler's resolution to inquire into the
doings OF the Fairchild commission OF
something Of the sort, no matter what.
Talking Against Time.
Thus the time In consumed till o'clock,
when the morning hour Ii supposed to end,
though often by courtesy the morning houi
runs Oh till near 2. Then the silver bill II
called up. and the senator who 10 entitled
to the floor addresses the chamber. For
man TO talk three or four hours In the sen.
ate Ia nothing atall. That iss short speech
In that body. where nine speeches out OF ten
are prepared largely by private secretaries
and stenographers. IL u senator writes Q
short speech, the chances are he will be In
terripted half dozen times during Its de
livery. Often some one will interrupt the
interrupter, and another him, ~ that the
senator who is entitled to the floor II able
to sit down and rest for half an hour oi
more. II doesn't matter to him, for his
time 10 unlimited. II other senator's take
O half day with their interruptions and
crosshrings, Il il all the same. lie isentitled
to the floor till he has finished, whether II
takes day or week.
In this way the time Is filled In from oi
Q till. say, half past 5 5o'clock. and by this
time the senator's begin to yawn and think
Of their dinners. Some one moves an exec
utive session. the doors are closed. and when
they open again the senate has adjourne,i.-
another day gone, aud perhaps only one
speech or half speech has been worked
of. The senate could 90 on In this way
discussing question like the silver quesr
ton all winter. II has been at II now about
nine weeks, and No far ~ any one can zee Il
able to keep Il up for nine weeks more. A.
vet the amendments have not formed
topic OF discussion. When they ARE taken
up, they will precipitate the whole question
over again.
where Time Counts.
One great difference between debate In
the senate and debate In the house Is that
In the former body there Il not limit of time.
while there Ia limit In the latter. In the
house the time IL apportioned between the
two sides Of the hall-the Republican and
Democratic-or, In the case OF q nonpar.
tisan measure, between the advocates and
opponents Of the measure. Each side hass
manager. and he yields" 20 m ich time to
members who wish to speak. While the
senate babbles on In q s0rt OF perpetual mo-
ton fashion, time Is often precious thing
I'm the house, where the manager Of bill
counts his minutes N II they were nuggets
of gold. Not infreQuently q member has
one minute yielded TO him. In the senate
a minute IL scarcely sufficient for an orator
TO address the presiding officer, clear his
throat and utter the first sentence.
Another great difference between the
house and senate is In the matter OF dignity.
Sheer ut the senate as much as we please,it
Is the most digniHsd legislative body on
the face OF the earth. The rules OF debate,
which requirea certain considerateness and
decorum. are pretty strictly observed. Many
senators were shocked when Mr.. Mills un.
consciously rolled up his shirt sleeves
through oyermuch earnestness, but "
senator were to remove his coat, a. mem
Der OF the house did not long ago while
making a speech. probably the senate
would 40 into conniption nc. The very
least II would do would be to 60 at once
into executive session. In order TO turn out
the public and screen the offending senator
from the gaze Of the outside world.
Senatorial Personalities.
Occasionally there are personalities In the
senate, like the little row between Senator
wolcott and German few weeks ago, but
when scrap like that does occur II creates
q tremendous sensation. The Wolcott.
German affair attracted much more atten.
tion than IL deserved simply because q tilt
Of this sort Is Of such rare occurrence inthe
senate.
During this debate ON the silver bill
the feeling has often run high. Men have
been exceedingly earnest and at times
much wrought up. All the passions and
prejudices known TO public men have been
played upon. Senators have lost patience
with other senators and have even suspect
ed the good faith and the motives OF their
fellows. but only on two or three occa.
sions have there been ebullitions OF temper
or indulgence In personalities. Wolcott
did accuse German OF being "steerer,'
and German retOrted that Wolcott must
have gained his information from caves
droppers. But each was prompt To explain
that he did not mean anything offensive.
Senator Palmer did remark that Senator
Stewards speeches were rather windy, bus
that was about ms bitter personal allu.
sion ss has been heard In the whole debate.
Over In the house the lie IL frequently
passed. Members glare st each other aud
sometimes rush at each other with intent
to do bodily harm. The dignity OF the
senate has not In many years been violated
by anything like q personal encounter,
while the house has had number OF dis
graceful scrimmages. II senators wish 10
say cutting or disagreeable things about
each other In their public speeches. they
veil their thrusts under q covering OF par