The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-17
WASHINGTON Letter.
EYES OF STATESMEN TURNED
TOWARD MARCH 4.
Closing Day of the Fifty-Third Congress
Painful Accident Sustained By Mr.
Reed, While Performing Gallant
Act-Other Notes.
Special Correspondence.

Washington, Jan. S.-Already are the
eyes of statesmen being turned towards
the closing hours of the Fifty-third con
gress and probable outline of the work
to be done is being figured out as it were.
Under the constitution the present CON
gress will expire by Limitation at noon
on the 4th Of March next. In this date
there can be absolutely no change made.
The 4th day of March, '95 will fall on
Monday and it can even at this early
date be positively stated that congress
will be in session on Sunday, March, $.
This will be caused by the vast amount
of work that always accumulates and
must be disposed of during the closing
hours of congress. Such Sunday sessions
have more than once occurred in bygone
years when the conditions as today and
dates have been similar Such an in
stance occurred at no later u date than
the close of the Fiftieth congress during
President HarrisOn's administration. At
that time after meeting as usual on Sat
urday the second, a continuous session
was held until 2:10 Sunday morning. A
recess was then taken until 3 O'Clock Sun
day afternoon after which there was no
let up in the work until the hour of noon
on the next day. The same thing again
occurred while Hayes was president only |
Il shorter rest was then taken, the recess |
being from 3:47 to 0 O'Clock Sunday morn |
ing Il period Of less than six hours. 1t |
will therefore be seen that the history of |
the two congresses above mentioned is |
likely to he repeated in next March.
The Washington Post has the follow
ing account of the manner of in which
Reed met with his recent
painful accident in New York:
A good deal has been said about eX-
Speaker Reeds mishap in spraining his
ankle, but it does not seem to be gener-
ally known that the country ut large has
been deprived of his valuable services in
he house through an act of gallantry.
1t appears that Mr.. Reed, in his homcly
way, was riding in Il Fifth ;
venue stage. 1t appears, also, that he '
vas occupying Il comfortable seat i'll the i
tage when Il woman appeared on the !
rOssng like modern Lovely and held up Il
Ter gOved hand us a signal for the Jarvis fl
II the box to reign i'll his fiery Steeds and $
crmit her to enter. Subsequent events fl
rove that the manipulation of rhe rib t.
ons on the box stopped the horses, al b
WED the door to swing open for the lady $
, enter the stage, that the lady did enter, il
nd that Mr.. Reed, seeing that there was 81
o vacant seat, and yielding to the ire
stible impulse of his gallantry, elevated
imsclf out of his own comfortable perch
nd then and there induced the lady to III,
.cupy it, while he hung himself on Il Y
rap. III
1t appears, further, that while Mr. Reed ca
as thus clinging to the straps in the mid de
e distance between the two rows of I
ats on either side, the stage gave ~
dden lurch sideways and caused Mr.. ca
ned to throw the avoirdupOis of his es
hole being upon one ankle, causing it pr
turn over and infict an injury from Oh;
lich he has been painful sufferer, but on
)m which he expects to be sufficiently OF
covered next week to resume his public TO
ties. OF
When the hour for the assem- cit
ng of the senate arrived yesterday, lni
ere occurred a scene which has only siu
few times in the history of this coun- th'
: had its equal. As is well known the
.e president of the United States is the
esidng officer of the senate and in ac s
rdance with time hOnored rule about w
! first thing done on the converting of th,
lew congress is the election of a presi- thf
Mt pro TEN to preside in the absence ha,
the vice president. Yesterday morn III,
:, however, it was found that the SEN "a 20
/, was without a presiding officer which inv
tie of affairs was brought about by T TaI
ce of circumstances. At present the wh
,sident pro TEN of the senate is Senator 10
tic
) been at home in Tennessee, actively MS
gagged in u campaign for reelection.
)nly last week Vice President
evenson was called to North '
rolina by an unfavOrable turn in the sal
less of his daughter. According to CIR
'tom the president pro TEN, during arr
absence of the vice president from tiff
city, designates some one to act in VIII
place in case he, too, leaves Wash
iS T1pnvnntnl hninO |
)itOl. In the present instance Senator
iris left before Mr.. Stevenson, and as -
result yesterday morning found the II
late without a head.
That such condition of affairs would
st was known on Sunday night, and
er a hasty conference among the men,
IS of the Democratic steering COM
ttee it was decided to name Senator
nsom of North Carolina for the po-
ion. who it appears was Senator Har-
chief opponent when the honor was
lferred upon that gentleman. Accord
,ly at noon yesterday Secretary Cox
lied the senate to order, q resolution
ming Senator Manson n. president pro
IL for the balance of the session eff
,tually ousted Senator Harris from
e position. 1t seems that Mr.. Ransom
d previously stated to the steering
mmitte that he was not willing to pose
n uspurer and as soon as his election q
rs announced he stated from the plat \
rm that he accepted with the distinct y
that on the return OF
,nator Harris he would relinquish the
ositon in favor of that gentleman. Z
he oath of office was administered to u
m by Senator Morrill, of Vermont, the q
estor of the senate. Immediately after q
ceiving the gavel Mr.. Ransom did
ost graceful thing in at once turning
over to Senator Henderson of Ne
'aska than whom no superior as pre-
ding officer now sits in the senate. y
The past year has been most notable
~ I'll ncttT rp-