Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-07-26

and therefore known throughout the
country as the Wilson BILL was passed
last January by the house of represen-
1atives and immediately transmitted to
the senate. The bill was considered
by the senate committee on finance for
'eix weeks and was then laid before the
senate for discussion and consideration.
The chairman of the senate commit
tee on finance, Senator Voorhees,, of In
diana, has been one of the most poten-
stiaI political leaders in this republic
efor more than a generation. 1t was
A1ne to his aggressive leadership that
gEke Sherman silver law was repealed
kluring the extraordinary session Of
congress in 1893. 1t was expected that
Ayhen the tariff bill was laid before the
Senate this year it would be passed in
n similarly masterful and determined
manner by Senator Voorhees,; but, to
the disappointment of his party friends,
Senator Voorhees, stepped aside from
the forensic arena and gave the man
-agement of the bill into other hands
than his own. This course on the part
of Senator Voorhees, was necessitated
by the fact that he is in the sere and
yellow leaf of life, approaching his
three score years and ten, ind unable
to expend in parliamentary contest his
remaining vital forces.
Won have undoubtedly read great
deal about the progressive and deter
mined manner of Senator Harris, Of
Tennessee, into whose charge Senator
Voorhees, committed the parliamentary
management of the tariff bill upon the
floor of the senate. 1t would seem
strange indeed to the average citizen
If he were to see the stalwart Voorhees,
.und realize that on account of advanc-
Eng years he had laid aside the burden
land brllnt of battle; but it would be q
greater surprise to SEQ the man to
whom the sword and shield of leader
ship were given. Senator Harris is
nearly bald, save for q thin fringe OF
gray hair around his neck. His face is
smooth shaver, barring q bristling
znnstache, which is gray. He looks
Ennch older than Senator Voorhees,,
and it is generally believed that he has
more than passed his eightieth year.
The congregational directory docs not
give his age; but states that he com
menced to practice law in 1s41." Sen
ator Harris must have been at least
fwenty-one years Of age at that time,
and, according to reasonable calcula-
tion, is therefore now not less than
SEeventy-four years old. He is never
Ehcless a strong, sturdy man of power
-fEl personality, who underworld upon
every occasion to hasten action upon
the bill.
Although Senator Harris had charge
al the revenue bill in parliamentary
sense, the work of debating and ex-
planning it was relegated by Senator
voorhees, to very distinguished and
s1b1c colleague of the finance commit
tee, in the person of Senator Jones, of
Arkansas. AS Senator Jones was called
<1pon to undertake the direction of the
preparation of compromise bill, the
passage of which might be procured in
the senate, that distinguished lawyer
entered upon the task with q degree of
energy and determination which was
surprising to his most intimate friends.
Senator Jones had mover been known
1s particular student of the subject
Of political economy, and, although it
WAS known that he was a superior
1nxzyer, it was not presumed that he
HzzH mastered in detail the subject of
The revenues and expenditures of the
ss0zern1nent. Therefore, when he
stepped into the arena to assume the
direction of the 5i2 IN debate. his mas
kexErl manner and determined spirit
azmost dazed the aggressive republican