The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29

likes. There Is no need OF any violence.
The Senator who talked Of violence wa
sorry afterward that he had done so. Anothe
Senator, being asked for an interview upon tn
subject OF Senate tradition, volunteered {
write out his views and send them to the cor
respondent. This he did but 1t remains to b
said that he is new to the chamber and ha
not yet learned that the dignity" OF the Sen
| ate will permit him to talk freely to-day ant
tomorrow deny having spoken.
| But the reader should not understand thu s,
| to be serious matters. They are merely laugh
able. They nre part OF great nj ess O. non
| sense that has Kept the country amused al
often rs 1t has aroused its indignation over thu
| Senate's course during this financial debate
| just now Senatorial dignity has taken on
new phase During the latter part OF last week
several Senators were trotting to and fro be
| tween Secretary Carlisle's Office and the CAPT
toll engineering their great compromise flasco
They also made one or m ore visits to the Pres.
dents office and his country house. They
got up tho compromise scheme. and. solely by
insisting that the scheme was agreeable to Mr..
Carlisle and tho President. induced several
Senators to sign request that 1t be intro
duced There is no more doubt OF this than
that Washington is beside tho Potomac River.
Thoy said SO themselves. and tho Senators
their reason for doing so.
On Sunday the President declared himself
uneuulvocnlly for unconditional repeal. and
the news went out that there had been mis-
understanding about the attitude OF tho Cabi-
net toward compromise Instantly the Sena-
tors who were thus spanked in the sight OF the
whole country adopted a characteristic means
of hiding their discontinue in peculiar dust
Of their own raising. Whenever correspond
ent went to them they became theatrical and
pompou and said they wished to correct the
preposterous notion that they had taken ad-
vice, suggestion. or dictation from Mr.. Car
Isle or the President" One Senator wished
the country to know that he was mot a mes
senger carrying news from Mr.. Carlisle or any
body else" Others talked about their sense
Of dignity as Senators" From half q dozen
this sort OF buncombe was sent out to the pub
lie. The simple fact was that they had been
turned down. II 1t was Mr.. Carisle's fault
not man would say SO except in
strict confidence. To illustrate Senatorial
methods. inside one room certain Senators
begged to be relieved OF tho suspicion that
they could be influenced by or cared what Mr..
Carlisle said. Outside the door a Senator
whispered. Don't quote me. Mr.. Carlisle told
the steering committee to go ahead and get up
their bill" Pressed to tell the facts, the Sena-
tors In the room replied. Sir. We cannot dis
cuss q personal matter Of that sort"
They are 30 accustomed to protecting each
other and themselves by hiding behind tho
thin hedge OF Senatorial dignity or denying
the truth when it is unpleasant that It be-
came second nature to protect Mr.. Carlisle and
to deny having played tho part they were
known to have performed during the time
they were digging the pit into which they fell
The young men newly elected to the Senate
are shaking up the dry bones In the chamber
with resolutions for closure and talk OF new
methods OF transacting business. They may
succeed. though the Senate will not listen to
hem. It Is believed. pending tho passage OF
any bill that Is the subject Of such hearty con-
ention as the Repeal bill has been. Afterward
closure may be adopted. but 1t Is significant
act that one man who started In to bring 1t
about has already drawn In his horns and de-
dared that 1t is useless to try to enforce 1t.
Tho old traditions that hedge the Senate about
ire in some cases very nonsersical. as We have
zen. but they are strong and deep rooted. and
n spite OF Senator Shermans alleged change
II heart with regard to closure the common
ustom is for the Senators to plan re-
orms only while they are fresh In their places.
Afterward they acquire for the old modes Of |
PROCEDURE the queer traditions. and tho moss
lacked dignity Of the body a reverence that
hey find it impossible to shake off,
Tho public. even In Washington. Is keenly
live to the sef-aggrandizemen OF the Sena-
ors and to the humorous side OF their sense OF
Importance. This was illustrated day or two
go when the cable railway mpany was ex-
erimenting with a new m IAN catcher that has
cen invented to be fixed to the front OF every
rip car in order to lessen the frequency OF
erious accidents In the streets In place OF
Cob 80 |
as stretched on frame projecting far ahead
the grip car and close to the ground. The
apartments were conducted on Capitol
Ill, between tho Capitol grounds and
le Maltby House-the great club house Of
rivate rooms which the Senators have bought
nd fitted up for themselves. The car COM
any had hired or ordered a number OF men
stand in front OF the now device and suffer
to he run down as IL they were ac-
Tally struck while crossing the tracks. The
evice proved itself great success. 1t caught
le mems legs and toppled them into the can
Is trough as neatly and as accurately as
orkers are passed through the scalding and
having machines In the Chicago stockyards
he men shot Off the cobblestones and into
10 canvas sack without being hurt In the
asst degree.
The crowd OF onlookers made believe they
|
'es Senator Stewart" they shouted. when a
ry heavy man was knocked upside down and
nded in the queer scoop net. When taller
I'd thinner man. wearing long beard, stood
fore the car waiting his turn. they cried out,
Let's see how PETER takes a tumble" One I
an who was not employed to help along the
periments. a bystander. hurried across the
ick. in front OF the car. and the people yell {
That's Senator Harris. He thinks that's a
'Rure patent for taking vote. and he don't
o IT." Everywhere about the city there is the :
me irreverent freedom OF speech respecting
Q Senate. When the reporter OF THE Sun s
ged an Ebbitt House barber to hurry his g
rk. as the reporter wished to got to the Sen !
). the barber said: III OATS whore youse /
in. you needn't to hurry. Dey amt dom +
thin but talking. Deys been -talkin' sence y
gust. and dey clean forgot how to do any i
ng else" b
2 HAD NOT FOUND THE HAPPY MEAN.
thA I'M. Vl-