The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-11-09
ABUSED BY MR.. TALBERl
Vow the South Carol1nian At
tackled His Colleagues.
He Seems to Have o Poor Opinion Of the
Average Congressman - How Speeches
Are Reported-Privileges Which
Need Curtailment.
Especial Washington letter.

lSpeclal washington L6tter.J
Rapid stenographers walk from place
60 place on the floor Of the house of
representatives, with books in their
hands, and take down every word
which is uttered by members of the
house during debates. When one ste
nographer has been thus engaged for
half an hour another expert comes to
mis- relief. Then the man whose note
book is full Of talk goes to phono-
graph on the lower floor and shouts the
words of the statesmen into the ma
chine. The speedy young lady type
writer then takes the photograph and
txanscribes the speeches. and they are
sent to the government printing office.
On the following morning the big Con-
gressional record appears with every
word reproduced just as uttered on the
floor of the house. The same procedure
occurs In the senate every day, so that,
with the aid of stenographers, phono-
graphs, typewriters, printers and
pressmen, the words. sentences, para
graphs, entire speeches of senators and
representatives are reproduced and
kept so that they may be read many
years after the statesmen are dead and
forgotten.
A great many things are said In de-
bate which ought not to be said; be-
cause they are not strictly true. The
statesmen usually talk for the benefit
of their constituencies, rather than for
the purpose Of influencing congress
sional action. They talk with a view
of having their speeches printed. to be
sent, at government expense, to their
constituents. For example, the Friday
night sessions OF the house which are de-
voted to the consideration of private
pension claims are wasted. There Is sell
dom a quorum present to do business
At one of these Friday night meetings
recently, Congressman Talbert, of
South Carolina, became angry because
30 few members were present, and he
said: They will have to give mp their
elaw-hammer coats, their euchre par
ties and entertainments and come here.
We are in a tremendous condition In
this house, which reminds me of what
I once heard Of preacher. He said:
Now, 1 want TO preach to all good
Christians little while. and want all
those who are not good Christians to
get out; and 1 will pause for them to
get out Not a single man stirred.
Well, he said, 4 want to preach to all
sinners; and all those who are good
Christians and not sinners will please
get up and go out Not a single soul
stirred Well he said. Il want to
preach to all those who are lukewarm,
all those who are good Christians and
sinners will get out Not soul
stirred. The preacher was nonplussed.
Then he got up and said: You are In a
horrible Ak So 1t is with number
of us Dozens of members are at home
imaking more promises. Republicans,
democrats and populists are doing the
same thing. Here we are without q
quorum on account of our members at
home fencing. And think the people
and our constituencies are like that
preacher found his congregation. They
'are in horrible Ak So, Mr.. Chair
man, think we ought to have a call OF
che house and send out at once to the
saloons all over the city and to the
euchre parties and bring the soldier
lovers here, and let MS pension the SOL
diers or stop this hypocriticsl can't"
That sort Of q speech may read well
down In Mr.. Talberts South Carolina
district, but 1t does not read well TO
people who know that It is both untrue
and unfair. The members who do not
attend the Friday night sessions remain
away because they have other business.
A very small percentage of them at
rtend euchre parties and attend enter
tainments in clawhammer coats. It n
nnfair 10 have sent forth the inference