Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-08
AN EXCITING EPISODE
A Scene of Unusual Interest in the Senate
This Afternoon.
senator Gray Resents some Charges
Made by Mr.. Hoar I'm His
Tariff Speech.

ambled along in a discussion without inter-
ruption, until, just before o clock, he be-
gan to score the democrats for violating
their pledges to the country by supporting
tariff bill giving protection to certain IA
vorite industries of the south. He pointed
this assertion by illusions to the tariff
plank Of the Chicago platform and pro-
ceeded to sink the shaft of his sarcasm
deeper and deeper into the democratic side,
when Senator Gray of Delaware excitedly
arose and denied that there had been any
violation of pledges by Senators.
There was a moment or two of confusion,
both Senators talking at once. Senator Gal
ltr>ger of New Hampshire was in the chair
and he endeavored to quell the disorder by
rapping vigorously on the table with his
gavel. Mr.. Gray insisted, however, upon
nniShing his remarks and then sat down.
Mr.. Hoar abandoned his manuscript for the
purpose of calculating his proposition, claim
ing that there was no logical escape from
his charge for the democrats who would
give their support to the compromise tarifr
bill.
Trouble I'm the Air.
Mr.. Gray was not pacifed in the least
and long before Mr.. Hoar had finished his
rather involved sentence the tall Senator
from Delaware arose and stood in the CEN
ter aisle impatiently awaiting chance to
reply. The somnolent atmosphere of the
Senate was dissipated in a moment sena-
tors who had let their attention wander
nom the speech to other objects of interest
suddenly awakened to a realization that
there was trouble in the air. Mr.. Hoar,
urmfndful Of Mr.. Gray's attitude con-
tinued to enuaciate his proposition In a de-
hberate tone, while his opponent eagerly
er deavored to secure the attention of the
Chair before he had concluded.
At last Mr.. Hoar finished and Mr. Gray
In impassioned tones said that he threw back
into Mr.. Hears teeth the latter's words
about buster, and declared that Mr.. Hoar
himself had done nothing but buster since
he began talking. He Insisted that Mr.
Hear was violating his privileges in charging
that his colleagues on the floor of the Senate
had broken their oaths.
As Mr.. Gray sat down after making this
remark he shook his head warningly toward
Mr.. Hoar, and his eyes flashed forth a
challenge. Mr.. Hoar advanced several steps
and raised his finger. In low tone, which
II dicated mis- excitement, he retorted that
Mr.. Gray himself was violating the rules
of the Senate, whereat the Senator from
Delaware again jumped to his feet and call
ed out. Mr.. President, rise to a point of
order"
Point of Order OverruIed.
Mr.. Hoar. ignoring this interruption, was
proceeding with his speech, when Mr.. Gray
again repeated his words. and the chair rap
ping heavily with his gavel instructed the
Senator from Massachusetts to proceed.
This irfiamed Mr.. Gray all the more. and
he demanded a decision upon his point of
order.
IT call the Senator from Massachusetts
to order" he exclaimed. impetuously. THE
Senator from Massachusetts is violating
the rule by charging that Senators on this
floor have violated their oaths. l demand
from the chair a decision upon my point of
order"
1.-The present occupant of the chair is of
the opinion that the Senator from Massa-
chusetts is in order and has violated no
rule. The Senator from Massachusetts will
proceed
Mr.. Hoar, thus fortified by the chair, did
not desist from his charge, but in a moment
or two repeated IT, and again MIR. Gray
jumped to his feet and shouted: Il insist
that my name shall not be coupled with
this charge. / do not propose to sit still
and listen to the Senator from Massachu
sets charge me with a violation of my
oath"
MIR. Gray's Reply.
Mr.. Gray then could do nothing but sit
down and wait. In few minutes Mr.. Hoar
completed his speech. Mr.. Gray arose
His anger had not subsidized. This was the
sixth week of the tariff debate, he began.
If there was any doubt about the artificial
character of the edifice of protection this
debate had supplied 1t. Every attempt to
approach the monstrous aggregation Of
folly and greed known the Mckinley
bill had been met by those who raised a
clamor about the interests OF the people
and by the greed of corporations.
All were arrayed in solid phalanx
against the most moderate attempt to cor
rect existing abuses.
We are now living under the Mckinley
law, which had at last reached it's cul-
minating climax with organized idleness
marching on the highways summoning the
legislative power of the country to do it's
bidding. These bodies of men were claim
ing that national legislation was the cure
all for all existing evils.
The elimination of McKinieyism was
characterized in this debate by the wild
statements and assertions of the advocates
or the system that had wrought so much
ruin to the country. They threw aside all
restraints of speech and dealt in the rhetoric
or the slums. They cast their foul asper-
sions on those who sought to do their duty
to their country and their party. Today in
the speech of the Senator from Massachu-
sets the decorum of debate had been vio-
lated, but the language he had INDUCED in
only showed the straits to which he had
been put.
Mr.. Honr Again.
Mr.. Hoars temper was seemingly I'M
ruffled when he replied in few words to
what Mr.. Gray had said. He thought the
Senator from Delaware had been too severe
in his condemnation of the Mckinley law
when he stood here on this floor, advocat-
ing measure dotted and crowded all over
Win protectlon III protection was uncOn-
stitutional and robbery. this was wick ed
thing to do. Why did he not tell the Sem.
ate In extenuation of his course why he
had put a protective duty on sugar?
don propose to put protection duty
on sugar, calculated Mr.. Gray from his
seat. Can the Senator not understand
the difference between a protective and a
revenue duty?'
An audible litter ran round the republican
side at this retort.
Mr.. Hoar insisted that an attempt to
show that increases in the duties were for
revenue purposes and not for protection
was simply an evasion.
This ended the incident for the present.
and Mr.. Hoar continued his speech, How
ever, the affair caused considerable ex-
element about the Senate, for 1t was taken
as an indication of the high strain under
which both republicans and democrats ha We
been working for the past few days
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS-.