Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-10-27

SNN
In the Forty-seven,h congress there was
another bitter struggle. with many eNcit-
ing night sessions. The house had passed Il
bill reducing the tax on tobacco, and upon
this bill the senate had tackled Il complete
tariff bill. When it came back to the
house thus amended, the late S. S. Cox.
! Mr.. Springer and Others deliberately pro-
ceeded to talk it to death. They kept up
their warfare for some weeks, and finally,
when only onc-third of the bill had been
considered. and the Republicans saw thai
1t would take at least two Years to get
through the whole bill at the rate of prog
ress then being made. they temporarily SUR
rendered. Later Speaker kcifer made some
arbitrary rulings which permitted the Re
publlcans to pass the bill. The struggle
ended in 4 tragedy, for Representative Has
kell, the Republican leader, smoked so
much and talked so much during its con-
tinuance that he died soon afterward.
MIR. W.. y. Crotfut of the geological survey
calls attention to Il remarkable contest OF en-
durance made in the Legislative assembly of
Australia afew years ago, which also result
ed in "A tragedy. \ factiouS minority had
carried on its opposition with such ~ferocity
ana passion that a member who had lust
made 4 speech "a hours in length, fell TO the
floor with a bursted blood vessel and died
IN a few minute in the legislative cham
Der. Mr.. Croifut also cites a case in which
a majority of the cortes in old Spain found
way in which to rule the majority. There
was a long and wearisome debate, some
what like that which we have had in the
senate, and when fatigue had become un-
endurable and the minority still persisted
a wild bull was led into the hall by the To-
cal toreador, and while the panic which his
appearance caused was at its height the
majority passed the bill.
a Night of Combat.
One of the most remarkable deadlocks
and night sessions known in the house was
that over the bill to refund the direct tax
a lew years age 1t grew out of the refusal
of the majority to give General Oates. the
one armed fighter from Alabama, and his
associates six hours in which to debate.
Assisted by General Weaver of Iowa and
Clifton breckenridge Of Arkansas, General
Oates fought one of the bravest and most
successful fights ever seen in the house.
For three days and nights they held up the
house, and the deadlock was at last broken
by the action of Il Democratic caucus.
Oates had originally asked for only six
hours OF debate. The majority gladly gave
him three days. 1t was a notable victory.
Ben: Perley Poore gives an account of a
night session which occurred during the
Van Buren, administration: LAS midnight
approached it was curious to watch the
various effects produced by the scene on
different temperaments. Some yawned
fearfully; Others cursed and swore; others
shook their sides with merriment; others
reasoned and demonstrated with their
n%eighbors; some very composedly stretched
themselves upon the sofas, having first Dor
rowed chair cushions enough to support
their somnolent heads; others bivouacked
on three chairs, while some, not finding
other convenient couch, stretched them
selves fiat on the floor of the house, with
perhaps a volume Of the laws of the United
States rs their pillow. Thus rolled away
the hours. Candles burned down to their
sockets, forming picturesque grottos of
spermaceti as they declined; lamps went
out in suffocating fumes. Some insisted
on having a window up; Others on having
it down."
A Fruitless Night.
A memorable all night session was that
held just before the war when n. P. Banks
was finally elected speaker. Its Mr.. Poore
who describes that scene in his usual hap
Ply manner: Early in January an attempt
was made to sit it OUT and all night the
house seethed like a boiling caldron Ver.