The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-18
[spsciaI Correspondence.l


fcisna OF ssenztor PETER.
Especial Correspondence.l
WASHINGTON, July I2.-The passage
Of the Wilson " oorhees- German Allen
bill marked the climax Of popular inter
est in the sonate's proceedings. As the
hour drew near sensati onal rumors rap
idly multiplied and the interest grew
almost painful in its Intensity. After it
came a collapse, and now it is amusing
to contrast tho picked galleries Of a few
days ago with the present beggarly ar
ray OF empty benches. And yet the scene
at the close was what might be called
al anticIlmax. The dead Hence main
tanned while the count was in progress
was scarcely broken even by the usual
stir which follows the end Of a pro-
1onged strain Of attention The senators
were more than usually decOroIs, and
there was no spontaneous OutbuTst IL
the galleries, nor was it till tie senate
had adjourned, a minute or two later,
that the applause began. For a day or
two afterward the stream Of talk ran
thick and slab with personal and parti-
san prejudice, and there was frequent
references to certain members as having
acted the s'sneak" or traitor, " but
this soon ended, and now an impartial
view can be taken, for the senate is ig-
nored, and all interest centers IN the
house
Faithful to the Last.
IT. was we'll worth the WEAKNESS Of
sitting through the ! 2 hours session to
see how faithfully every senator was IN
character to the very last. Mr.. Chan
der continued, as he bad done ever
since he became satisfied they would
vote for the bill, to embrace every OPP
,,o-.+r,,,ifr- r. and HTaecrz
Allen and Kyle, and it was too plain
that as he watched their every move
naent he was bordering how near be
could 60 to the edge Of parliamentary
rules in his sly insinuations. Mr. PEI
fer grew steadily more prOsaic, If it be
possible, and decidedly more ministe-
rial In the very climax Of anxiety on
the other side, when even the solid Lind
say and the rugged George were getting
nervous while Messrs. Jones and Vest
and Harris moved abont on the very
points of their toes he rose and talked
and talked and talked till all the Re
publicans left the chamber save five,
who were on guard, and even Mr.. Har-
ris nodded dolly. Mr.. Frye, except
when some long speech was in progress,
never for an instant relaxed his vigl-
lance, and the slightest verbal change
in any amendment did not pass without
his most rigid scrutiny. Mr.. Hoar, APP
parently as fresh as a healthy schoClboy,
beamed and smiled in his most cutting
sentences, and the more cutting they
were the more benevolent he looked.
AIessrs Morrill,, Cullom, VOORHEES, and
a few others maintained the same dig
nified silence they have through the
most of the debate
The greatest interest, however, CEN
tered in Mr. Hill His interest in each
amendment was SO great and he spoke
with such earnestness in favor of inn
proving the bill that the galleries We're
almost unanimous IN the belief that he
would vote for il until his final speech
was almost concluded, and when he ut
tered the sentence, - Sink or swim. live
or die, survive or perish, cannot and
will not support this bill in its present
shape, y there was a general drawing
back Of heads which had been showed
forward to hear every word, and some
thing like sigh was heard around the
galleries On this part Of the perform
ance only one comment has come to my
ears from Democrats, Republicans or
Populists, and it may be summed mp
in the words Of Mr.. Brookshire, Nine
times out Of ten it IS better for man to
be wrong with his party-that is, better