The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-18
MARRIAGE AND CLOSURE.
WOmanS Influence In the Senate is
Exercised for Good.

Senator Hill is Contradioted-His
Statement That Fashionable Wives
Drag Their Husbands Away From
Their Senatorial Duties Controver-
ted by Facts.
From the New York Mail and Express
Washington, D. c., Jan. pa new
turn to the discussion of marriage as a
failure has been given by Senator Hill in
his remarks to a Mail and Express rep
resentative that if the membership of the
United States Senate were confined ex-
clusively to bachelors, legislation would
be expedited for the fashionable wives.
who drag their husbands away from duty
in order to proloug the social festivities
of the capital, are responsible for the
failure to adopt a closure rule and the
bachelor senators are unable TO make the
laws without the quorum furnished by
the married men.
The idea is not wholly original, but it
has been so boldly put forth as to attract
considerable comment, and its effect has
been to call down the wrath of Washing
ton society women upon the unpro tected
pate of the New York senior senator, who
has enthusiastically braved the storm
by abandoning the recluse-like life he has
led so long, and plunging directly into the
social maelstrom which he had criticised
After scrupuiously avoiding all possible
contamination with Washington society
for nearly year, during which time he
evolved his theory that the country must
look altogether to the bache ors for legis-
lation, Senator Hill has recently sue
Cumbed to the Establishments of Senator
Murphy, and while retaining his position
as head of the firm in political matters
has become the enthusiastic junior part
ner in social enterprises.
Thus brought constantly face to face
with his senatorial associates under en-
tirely new conditions, he has naturally
modified his opinions to a greater or less
degree, but his own personal experience
has simply emphasized his adherence to
| the theory that fashionable wives have
the power-and exert tito prolong' the
| sessions of congress in order TO maintain
the length of the festive season. This re-
| asserted opinion, which may have some
| practical foundation, is direct recogni-
ton that the wives of statesmen are in
| Guential, and removes the first prop from
| the scatfolding that supports the bach
| clorls Importance. At this rate Senator
! Hill will, in a few months, become con-
| vinced that it is the duty of legislators to
| get married.
HOLD OPPOSITE VIEWS.
| It Is odd that the two men who were
| the last bachelor governors of New York
state should be Numerically opposed on
every question that is presented, but that
| they should be extremists on such q sub
| lect as the advanta and disadvantages
! of celibacy in public servants, irrespective
| Of politics, is more than astonishing
! President Cleveland came to the white
! house two weeks before his 4sth birth
| day. He was thought TO be a settled old
! bachelor, and no one at the time imagined
| he would ever marry Strange To say,
| the first intimation of his matri-
monial intentions was given by him
| in an official document, his
| first annual message TO congress, trans
| mittcd Dec s, 1885, several months be-
| fore Miss Folsom went 10 the executive
| mansion TO her own wedding. One page
10 that state paper marked a wide de-
| parture from the sub Gets treated by his
| presidon tial predecessors, and, coming as
! II did from bachelor, excited cOnsidera-