The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-29
AN ABSURD FAVOR.
A Clergyman Who Skipped to
Avoid the War Draft,
Wants His Conduct Erased from
the Records.
THINGS THAT WORRY.
Trusting to Good Sense of Senate
Must Stop.
THINGS THAT WORRY.

WASHINGTON, June % Especial -
One part of the business Of this house of
representatives can be reported in advance
with remarkable accuracy-namely, the
Friday night session on pension business,
and there il a good deal Of fun in it for so
serious subject The hot weather cut it
off for awhile, but there is strong a
pressure on mem bers from clamOring con-
stituents that business must be rushed a
little toward the close of the session This
outline report will do for each evening"
Mr. Brookshire takes the chair, and Mr.
StalIings assumes an Objecting attitude,
while Mr.. Talbert takes the most comfort
able and convenient seat he can find and
waits to be properly stirred up
Hons A. B. and G. bring forward their
bills in turn, and Mr.. Stallings cross ex-
amines and criticises till Mr.. Talbert
reaches the proper heat to make his regu-
lar attack, after which from two to five
Republican members make the regulation
reply, and then the duh routine business
comes in, and all but those taking part re-
tire to the smoking rooms or go to sleep.
Several bills for private pensions have
passed the house, of course, and now the
question is, What is to become of them in
the senate? 1t is limited by senators inter-
ested that they will not take time to ex-
anime them, but pass the whole batch on
to the president and see if his veto ma
chine is in as good order as it was eight
years ago. 1t is to he noted, however,
that those who take this way don't like
Cleveland pretty well.
An Amusing Case.
The greatest fun is in the propositions
which never get before the house. Mr..
PendIeton of West Virginia has claimed
all along that he had case which took
the cake, but New York member has one
which takes the whole bakery. The ap-
plicant is evidently a frank and conscien-
tious man, and his petition is exquisitely
funny in It's solemn absurdity. He states
that he was bat II lad when the war be-
gan, but he reached the age to be enrolled
in the hottest part of 1854, and the very
next draft caught him, whereupon he
promptly cut stick for Canada. He stooor
not upon the order of his going, but grid
ed up his loins and got. The next year he
returned, ~ q all was forgiven. He COM
pleted his s5adies, was graduated a5
theological seminary and has obtained
fair rank III the ministry. He is in fair
way to be called to a very important
charge but has learned, he says, that he
was enrolled a soldier and marked
deserter. BE ventures now to ask IA
vor'' and would like to have it attended
to privately possible" He wants
that record erased that's all He is kind
enough to add that he expects nothing
from the government, but does not like to
have that record standing against him
and his children.
Subjects That Worry.
The habit of voting for bills they do not
of the senate, - as the mem berS express it,
is responsible for the passage of much pri-
vate pension legislation, and the opposition
say his habit accounts for the vote in IA
vor of the antioption bill Very few if
any mem bers have the slightest idea that
it will pass the senate and become law,
and several who voted for it admit that
they had hoped it would not come up, but
as it did and their constituents wanted it
they helped put it through. There was
such chance to dodge on the bill to repeal
the tax on state banks, and there will be
none on the sugar question, which is now
the great subject of worry to these com
placent members.
They have got to stand straight up and
take their medicine with without
sugar, :" says John De Witt Warner, ana
If he can have his way the tax will be put
down to little or nothing. He adds that
it is pretty hot weather here, but it will be
a blessed sight hotter at home for four
hfths of the Democrats if they consent to
the senate bill. He is, therefore, for sit
ting the summer through and the winter
likewise and fighting it out on the anti
sugar tax and antitrust line till the 4th of
March.
The southern members generally are
disposed to be more moderate, and, as Mr..
Dinsmore of Arkansas expresses it, if they
can get the extra duty on refined sugar
abolished they may consent to the rest,
though they win hate like the mischief to
do it. Several counts have been made,
and the highest claim made by anybody
shows but a score Of members willing to
submit to the senate terms on any consid
Grafton There is a growing inpatience
with the ways and means committee and a
feeling that it should have been ready to
act at once Tt is amusing to hear the
vehement assertions of the young and i'm
patient ones and contrast them with the
soothing statements of the veterans, who
allege that there ism t the slightest reason
for hurry, as tllis tariff bill has already
been hurried more than bills of such i'm
portancc usually are.
Age of Former Tariff Bills.
But it may console the impatient to
republish two or three items by way of
contrast. The Morrill, tariff, SO long the
basis of Republican tariff laws, was re-
ported to the house March IL, 1860, and
became law March 2, 1851. The next
general act was brought into the house
March 20, 1882, and became law Maneh
3, 1888 The Mckinley bill started in on
the 10th of April and became law Oct
l, 1890 So it appears that this bill has
outlaSted the Mckinley bill but very little
and still has many months to run before
reaching the age of the two previous bills.
The Walker tariff bill was reported to the
house April IA and became a law July 80,
1S46, only three months and half, but it
must be remembered that the Democrats
were in practice then, and this session is
the first time IN generation that they
have had control in all departments If
they prove only as slow the Republicans
did on their first tariff bill, then this Will
son bill, which was reported to the house
Dec 19, 1898, will become a law early
next December.
The Topeka Railway company will