The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-07


Exhibition of Nerve In the scnate--An
Old school Statesman In the House-A
silent Member.
WASHINGTON. Feb. - [Speoial.l 1T
appears TO be we'll settled that within a
few days there will be a new associate JUS
tice Of the supreme court. AS was some
time ago pointed out In these dispatches,
Justice jackson has long been In poor
health, and bis retirement has been con-
sidered only a question of time. lt Is tho
general expectation here that Representa-
tive William l.. Wilson of West Virginia
will be appointed 10 the vacancy. Mr.
Wilson is "A great favorite with the presi-
dent, and though no has not for some
years practiced law, having Of late turned
his attention TO educational matters, Is
understood TO be learned lawyer and
fully competent TO sit upon that great
bench. Mr.. Wilson is q very poor man
and needs settled and certain income.
Like many other able men in public and
private life, he has never developed the
faculty Of making money and has had
quite struggle TO secure for his sons tho
education and advantages which he desir-
ed them to have. One of Mr.. Wilson's
sons has made quite success as a writer
for the comic papers, and the other is n
successful author in a more serious vein.
Mr.. Wilson himself has used his pen to
add TO his income. Probably no man more
thoroughly liked on both sides of the hall
ever sat In the house Of representatives.
A Valuable Lesson.
A young lawyer from a western state
made his first appearance In tho supreme
court few days ago to make an argument
in an important case. He began at about
. O'Clock and had not proceeded far be-
fore he discovered that only two justices
were on the bench. Ono after another had
risen and slipped quietly out for bit Of
lunch until just pair of justices remain
ed, and neither Of these was paying much
attention to the remarks Of the young bar
rister. Occasionally a justice would mako
his appearance with telltale crumbs on
his lips and proceed TO ask the lawyer a
question. AS rule, the very same ques-
ton had been asked two or three timGs be-
fore, and the young man at tho bar be-
camo rather weary of going over the same
piece of ground two or three times This
is one of the penalties which must be paid
for the privilege of praoticing before the
greatest tribunal In the world. The JUS
but they make up for it In great industry
and learning The young lawyer in ques-
tion, whose argument was rather disjoint-
cd and i'll attended, learnea one very val
uablo lesson, and that Is the Importance
Of putting everything you want the su-
preme court to know In your brief The
with them and sit up till all hours Of tho
night pondering.
A Scene In the Senate.
Z 1t makes a great deslof difference in
tho senate who the man Is that occupies
the floor. For a week tho senate has been
the scene of somo great debates on the
financial question. During what is known
as the morning hour, lasting from 12 to 3
o'clock, this great topic has generally
come up for discussion, and In anticipation
of the sport large crowd has gathered ey-
cry day. All the senators are in their
seats at this time partly because they
want to hear the debate and partly be-
cause tho most Of them have small
bills and resolutions which they want
TO have attended to at this period of
the parliamentary day. 1t is during this
morning hour. therefore, that the senate
usually presents its most animated as
pects Floor and galleries are filled. At
any moment one may expect to hear the
big guns begin to boom. Every one is on
the lookout for an engagement. II 1t Is
Hill or Sherman or Vest or Wolcott or
Voorhees, or German who takes the fioor
the crowds increase and the interest be-
comes intense. But there Is in the senate
class of orators who are always trying to
use these occasions for exploiting them
selves. 1t 10 the only way in which they
can get an audience.
One day fair specimen Of this class, a
western senator, interjccted himself into
tho proceedings just at the moment when
every ono was expecting TO hear one of the
stars of the chamber. The reception which
this man received on the floor was almost
pitiful. 1t is doubtful II ever a senator
before received such snubbing. No ono
left his seat, but every senator in tho
chamber turned his back upon the speak
er, SO to speak. The conversation, tho
reading Of neMsparers and writing of let
ters, the angry glances cast in the dlroc-
tion Of the offender, were enough to have
carried less experienced statesman off
his feet and induced him to retire to the
cloakrooms in disgust. This senator held
his ground for fully half an hour, giving
the senate and spectators an exhibition Of
nerve seldom witnessed In that chamber
- Member From Vermont.
During discussion Of the Pacific railroad
bill In the house last week there was an
exceedingly Interesting scene. Judge Pow
ers Of Vermont is one of the finest looking
mon In tho lower branch. He is nearer
the old school of statesman in his person
and his methods than any one elso in the
house. When he obtained the floor TO
speak on the railroad BILL he moved down
90 the open space in front of tho speakers
desk. There had been hung a great map
of the Pacific railways map as big as
the side Of a pretty good house. Judge
Powers picked up a pointer which the scr.
gcant-at-arms had provided for that pur-
pose and Indicated TO the members OF tho
hnuse tho yarinns nnints nlnnn tho limo ~