The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-18
A FRIVOLOUS STATESMAN
That is What Some People Call The Of
liCiOHS but Ineffective Springer.

House Eeets-other Matters ofspecial
Interest.
Washington, Jan. 1l-some Of the best
/ speeches made on the floor Of the House
( Of Representatives never appear in the
+ Congressional Record. These bursts OF
/ eloquence. which do not apesr in the reg
ular proceedings. are often delivered dur
ing the half hour before the House is
formally called 20 order by Speaker
Crisp. while the members are assembling
for the days labor. Democrats wander
around Oh the republican side Of the cham
Der and engage in political and personal
, conversation with their political adver-
saries. and the republicans return the
compliment. The general public is ad-
mitted to the floor Of the House until
fifteen minutes of y o'clock, then one Of
the deputy doorkeepers mounts the plat
form in front of the speakers table and
shouts at the top Of his voice:
An persons not entitled TO the privi-
leges Of the floor will please retire The
rules Of the House require the same"
Tn casual visitor at once takes notice
and hurries off the floor but the newspa-
per correspondent and the veteran hang
ers-on around the halls of congress lin
ger until they see the speaker enter the
House TO begin the legislative day. II
is during that fifteen minutes prior to
the opening prayer by the chaplain that
many interesting coloquys take place
between representatives, Of different
shades Of opinion. which, If printed in
She Record, would render that dull and
heavy publication gay enough to ibe
classod with Town Topics or Truth.
Representative Livingston of Georgia
is usually one of the early arrivals In
the House, and he is generally an active
participant in the breezy discussions
among members before the serious bus
mess of the day commences He has a
seat on the middle aisle ON the demo-
cratic side, The adjoining desk is Occu-
pied by Representative Dunn OF New Jer-
sey, who is very sore over the defeat of
the Democratic party in his state, which
puts an end to his congressional career
He and Col. Livingston are staunch
friends but they do not agree as to
what caused the overthrow of the democ-
racy at the last congressional election.
They frequently indulge in duel of
words on that subject and the contest
is always interesting TO those who happen
TO be present Both men are ready talk
ers, and they have a fund Of anecdOte
and appropriate stories 10 point their
line Of argument Mr.. Dunn is an Irish
man, with a slight brogue, while Col
Livingston has a nasal twang to his
dice not unlike New Hampshire de-
scendent OF the illustrous Daniel Web
ster.
one day last week Col. Livingston and
Mr. Dunn had "A lively tilt on their fav-
orite topic, just before the House CON
vened The combatants soon had a
crowd Of newspaper correspondents and
others around Them and the exchange of
opinions was tart, pointed and inter-
spersed with flavorous stories. Col. Liv-
ingston declared that the northern democ-
racy had drfted away from the true prin-
ciples of democracy to follow the teach
ings of the gold bugs of Wall street, and
| MIR. Quinn insisted that the northern
democracy was indifferent and disguised
at the recent election because the south
captured all, or nearly all. of the deslr-
able appointments under the present ad-
ministration Col Livingston offered to
deliver the fun strength of the Demo
cratic party in the south to Mr.. Dunn If
the northern democracy would join in
"A movement to go back to the cardinal
/ teachings of the democratic saints. Two
or three well told and appropriate stories
by the Georgia congressman turned the
tide of argument decidedly against the
/ Jerseyman. The latter became little
ratified" and charged that the Demo
cratic party of the south deserted the
! Democratic party and went off after
false teachings of the populists.
"You are a nice one to Chide any one
with running after the populsts,' re-
/ torted Col Livingston, smilingly, but
! earnestly. How did you vote on the
| Carlisle financial bill the other day"
! y voted against it," replied Mr.. Dunn.
! eyes, and by so doing, you followed
| the lead of the populists and republicans
/ and thereby helped to discredit a demo-
cratic administration" was Col. Liv-
4 ingston's final shot as the chaplain rose
to offer prayer
Many of Tom Reeds choicest epigrams
! are delivered to the little crowd of lis
/ teners who gather around his desk every
/ morning before the House meets. He is
/ not always tender in handling men or
| measures during these impromptu dis
/ courses. He can always be depended upon
/ to say something smart on the subject of
/ Chairman Springer of the banking and
currency committee. ii is remarkable
/ that after such a long term of service in
/ the House Mr.. Springer has never been
4 able to impress his associates with the
/ idea that he has any fixed views on
/ any of the great questions of the day.
He can pile more hope on a small foun-
/ dation than any man in public life to-day.
/ His opinions are as elastic as some Of the
! currency propositions fioatin around
/ in congressional circles, and he was never
/ known to exhibit the slightest sign of
/ discoura cement after the most over
! whelming defeat. He always wears a
/ cheerful smile and a red carnation. He
/ will retire from congress next March,
/ living picture of frivolous states
/ man" lie is good-natured, honest and
! Industrious, but somehow, his associates
/ have never considered him seriously.
! During one of Tom Reeds symposiums
/ in the House the day after the Carlisle
/ bill had been defeated it was announced
! that Mr. Springer was still hopeful that
/ some financial legislation would he made
/ during the present session. Mr. Reed was
/ thcreupon moved TO remark that IF any
! body but Springer made such a deCla-
/ ration it misht come TO pass. Springer
means well, but. unfortunately for him,
! he is officious without being effective"
TimeP
From the New York Times.
! Savannah has set it's clock ahead twenty
! four minutes and as a result its resi-