New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-28
HOT WORDS IN THE SENATE.
BAD TEMPER AT ITS CLIMAX
MESSRS. GORMAN AND WOICOTT HAVE A
PERSONAL CONTROVERSY.

PERSONAL CONTROVERSY.
THE COLORADO SENATOR DROPS SOME HrNrs
ABOUT sTEERERs' WHICH GoAD THE MARY
LAND MAN TO GREAT INDIGNATION
HE REToRrs WITH CHARGES
OF" EAvEsDRoPPING.'
(Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBUSE.I
Washington, Sept. 27.--The personal bitterness
engendered in the Senate by the long and weari-
some struggle for the repeal OF the purchase
clause of the Sherman act has found within the
last few days more and more frequent ana
unreservcd expression. But to-day's debate In
point of heat and acrimony easily distanced all
the displays Of temper and i'll feeling which have
gone before Mr.. Stewards recent assaults upon
the President though savage in tone, have not
indeed been taken by the great majority OK
Senators as very serious breaches of personal
courtesy or parliamentary restraint, and much
allowance has been made for the bitterness OF
other criticisms, personal or political, indulsed
in by opponents of repeal radical and violent
in their hostility to the Presidents programme
as the Nevada Senator. Heretofore most OF the
feeling injected into the debate has been expended
on influences and persons outside the chamber,
and il was felt therefore, that new and more
embittered stage in the contest had been reached
to-day when the epithets Of the speakers on
both sides were turned against each other, and
the passions bred by personal controversy and
incrminatiOn were let loose to darken even
more hopelessly the prospect of speedy action
or indeed of action of any sort OIL the Repeal DILL
That few pointed innuendoes launched this
morning by Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Wolcott should
have goaded cool and self-possessed party
manager as Mr. German TO drop his impassiveness
and plunge into the thick OF personal contro-
versy, in which motives impugncd and
epithets far from complimentary banded, shows
to what unexpected lengths the acridty of feeling
in the Senate may run the slightest
provocation, for it is doubtful whether the Same
challenge two weeks ago would have brought
more than a smile to the face Of the Maryland
Senator, who to-day sprang to his feet to resent
it with all the heat of unfeigned indignation and
ill-temper.
A DOUBLE PROYOCATION GIVEN.
The provocation given to Mr.. German was
twofold one, and was contained chiefly in the
brief remarks made by Mr. Wolcott in advocacy
Of Mr.. Duboiss resolution to postpone action on
the tariff, Federal Election law and financial ques-
tions until after the three seats now vacant
should be filed by the States of Montana Wyom-
sarcastically, as Mr. Chandler had done earlier in
the debate, the change of votes by which the
three claimants from these States had been turned
away in August last-it being we'll known that
Mr.. voorhees, and Mr.. German had transferred
their from side to the other just in the
nick of time to keep the appointees out.
But not content with reviving this Gus-
gestion of unworthy motives on the part OF the
real and nominal leaders of the majority, Mr..
Wolcott took occasion to repeat publicly some
Of the rumors afiOat about conference which had
been held between Mr.. German and Mr. Adrich
to make arrangements for pushing through con-
tinuous session next Monday. This premature
and unwelcome publication of the purpose of the
conference seemed especially 10 stir Mr..
Germans anger, and in the warmth of his re-
ply he stopped TO accuse the Colorado Senator
of cavesdroppng" and of heralding to the world
secrets obtained by listening AT the keyholes Of
committee rooms. So unvarnished a charge OF
ill-brecding and ndecency, uttered with an EN-
phass which could not be mistaken by the most
cool headed of the majority of leaders, marked
upeasantly the climax Of strained and belli-
cose state of feeling which hid been growing
upon both sides of the chamber, and, though on
Mr.. Wolcotts indignant rejoiner, Mr. German
modified somewhat his charge of eavesdropping,"
the effect left upon the Senate by the clash
at arms was anything but a reassurins one.
RUINOUs COURSE FOR REPEAL.
n. as Mr. German ard Mr.. Voorhees, con-
tend. the only solution of the difficulties now
in the way of the passage Of the Repeal bill
is an appeal 10 the sense OF dignity and pride
of tradition which are supposed TO govern tho
deliberative branch OF Congress- no course can
possibly he more runous than one which sets
loose all the passions Of personal strife and re-
crmination and i'm this view the occurrences
of to-day must be jud ged To have decreased Sd
riously whatever chances still remained of actieA
by unanimous consent on the Voorhees, bill.
Mr. Wocott hoped also TO checkmate the effect
of the conferences between Mr. German and Mr..
Aldrich and other friends OF repeal for stricter
" measures of coercion by publishing their scope
and intention before they had been fully ma
tured The new plan for coercion, so far as 1t
had progressed, included daily sessions of thirteen
hours from IL a. m. till midnight the sessions to
start from Monday, October ,. Whether after
the debate of to-day this plan will be attempted
to be carried through is not clear.
So far, Mr.. Voorhees, efforts at coercion" ~
long sttings have proved wholly Intellectual, and
unless he receives numerous reinforcements be-
fore Monday he cannot hope to have enough re-
peal Senators hand to maintain quorum for
the regular afternoon sessions, TO say nothing OF
the trying additional hours from I'LL IL p. u.
"STEERERS' AND "EAvESDROPPERS.'