The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-23
MUST HAVE ITS FUN.
The House Has Time to
Amuse Itself,
No Matter if the Country is
Indignant.
TIME is NOTHING.
Business Languishes While the
Congressman Play.


The house has for some time been unu-
sually inclined to have fun with the appro-
priation bills Perhaps this is, as General
Grosvenor said, due to the fact that they
have plenty of time, knowing that the tar
III bill cannot get back from the senate till
long after e. are through with all press
ing business As each successive chairman
brings in his bill and explains it's provi
sions the tormentOrs fall on him from ev
cry side, and his experience is that of the
central figure in the old time sport of bull
batting. OF course a heated debate was
expected on the naval appropriation bill,
for that is the measure on which the his
tory of the two great parties is fought over
with true partisan venom, but ordinarily
the agricultural appropriation bill passes
with very little discussion This year,
however, the opposition members had evil
IDENTIFY determined to have fun with Mr.
Hatch, knowing how terribly serious he is
over everything which concerns the inter
est of the farmer No state in the Union
has an ADLER delegation in this hOuse than
Missouri, and very few can equal it, but
with the exception of Champ Clark they
are not men who take criticism very kind
ly Chairman Hatch in particular is SO
intense in everything that he believes that
petty criticism is very near akin to bias
phemy. As if with these characteristics
especially in view, the critics fell upon his
little bill with considerable acrimony.
Fun Over Seeds.
The battle for the alleged rights of the
farmer and the right of the member to
send him seeds would have seemed almost
tragic to the spectator who did not know
that it was all n hurnbug. MeSsrs. Ray of
New York, Picker of South Dakota, VIII
son of Washington and others fell upon
Secretary Morton with the dreadful charge
that he was opposed to a prorniscuous dis
tribution of seeds and was therefore an en-
envy of the farmer and politically damned
accordingly. Over one little clause in the
bill which provided that only rare and IN
common seeds should be distributed ragged
one of those noisy and comical battles
which sometimes occur and make the spec
tator wonder whether these fellows take
themselves seriously or are only pumping
stage thunder to split the ears of the
groundlings.
Mr.. Ray charged Mr.. Williams of Mis-
sissippi with saying that the gentlemen in
opposition were ''punkin seed politicians -
Mr.. Williams denied it in language of
caustic sarcasm. Mr.. Ray admitted that
he had made mistake and apologized,
and there were confessions and protesta-
tions generally and a sort of falling upon
each others necks, speaking figuratively.
In such solemn fooling as this whole days
are consumed, because, as General eros
venor intimates, the house knows it will
have much spare time. In the regular or
der the Indian appropriations bill follows
the agricultural and this year is the sub
general legislative bill, which will afford
the opportunity for the closing speeches,
contrasting the efficiency and the economy
of the two parties This will end the rack
ct appropriations, for the general def
cheney bill is about the last considered and
docs not usually excite much political dis
cussiOn-
The Doubtful Senate.
AS the house at it's present rate of prog
ress is expected to very nearly complete
its work this month, what will it do while
waiting on the senate? Several majority
members say their policy will be to ad-
journ from time to time for as long as the
constitution permits and thus emphasize
the fact that all the delay in final adjourn
ment is due to the senate. They think this
the best way to fix the attention of the
people on that dilatory body. From the
senate, however, come many fresh prom
ises that the house will not have to wait
long and it is of some significance that
many of these aye from members who have
heretofore not prophesied freely. Mr..
VOORHEES, is quite confident that the out
side pressure will force a vote at a very
early day, but he was just as confident
when the bill was received from the house
that it would be reported from his COM
mittee in a few days. Mr.. Brice, original
ly very conservative, is now confident that
the bill will proceed rapidly to its final
passage He even hints occasionally at
sudden and dramatic ending of the debate
The other senators who have been called
conservative are almost equally confident,
and the recent charges that attempts had
been made to bride certain senators have
had the effect to bring out a tolerably free
expression of opinion.
The curious fact about the count on the
final vote is the success with which the
Populists have concealed their intentions.
1t has long been taken for granted that
Senator Kyle would certainly vote for the
bill and Senator Allen probably, while
Senators PETER and Stewart were consider
ed doubtful or adverse, and yet as a mat
ter of tact no one has succeeded in getting
absolute certainty as to any of the four. OF
course both the friends and the foes of the
bill concede that sugar and incomes are
the two subjects ON which it can be beat
en- If at all If an amendment for free
sugar can be stuck on, then Louisiana and
the Sugar trust are hostile, and the bill is
doomed; If the income clause can be strick-
en- out, then all the Populists will vote
against it, and it may be doomed. Thus
runs the gossip from day to day, and it
viii do no harm for any one to make his
own calculations if he will only bear in
mind that all forecasts as to the action of
such body as the senate are very doubtful
The Industrial Movement Map.
In a certain Office in this city which is
nalneless here by request, there is a large
outline map of the United States, with
mysterious markings in red, green, yellow
and blue, which give it a curious resem-
blance TO the daily weather maps. 1t is a
map OF the progress made by the various
Coxey1te or industrial armies in their sup
posed progress toward Washington and
when the matter gets old enough to be his
tory instead of current news this map will
Dc Doth amusing and instructive Taking