The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-26
CURRENT TOPICS
AT WASHINGTON
Political and Other Chat from q Special
Correspondent.
THE DO!NGS OF A DAY IN CONGRESS
A Resume of Proceedings Of Senate
ana House of ofRepresentatives..Im.
pcrtant Matters Considered ut the
sessions-.Other Topics of National
Interest.
Bureau of The Tribune,
501 Fourteenth street, n. W.


Washington. May %
The death Of eX-United States Sem
ator Wallace, of Pennsylvania, removes
from the Democratic party of that state
one Of its most prominent and valuable
members. Until six years ago Sena-
tor Wallace was probably the best
known Democrat in the Keystone state.
Since his defeat for the Democratic
gubernatorlal nomination by Robert Il.
Pattison in 1890, Mr.. Wallace has not
figured in politics About that time
financial as well as political reverses
overlook him. Many Of his business in
terests centered In New York and he
lived In that city most Of the time for
the past six years.
Many good stories are told at the ex-
pense OF ex-senator Wallace. During
the sixties Mr.. Wallace was chairman
of the state central committee cf Penn
sylvania. II was just after the war and
his party was in Il badly denoralized
condition. and it was necessary to use
heroic methods 10 keep IL from going
to niec>s. A good many members Of
the Democratic party were too poor to
pay their taxes \ novel idea struck
Chairman Wallace. It was to issue
bogus tax receipts lie acted upon this
idea and issued several thousands of
them. He dated them back q year and
in order to make them look aged he
discolored them with coffee. OF course
the Republicans discovered the fraud
and exposed the whole business. From
that time 10 the day of his death the
senator was known as Coffee Pot"
Wallace.
The senator did not relish the sobri-
quet given him. He simply "grinned
and beared" it. Mr.. Wallace was en-
gagged in the lumber business during
and after his experience MS chairman
OF the state committee. He had as q
partner William Irwin. "Rill," as Mr..
Twins friends called him for short.
was practical joker as we'll as very
shrewd business man. 1t is customary
for lumber dealers to have a private
mark. which they stamp on the ends of
their logs so they may be able to pick
them out OF thousands Of others after
they are run down the river and
reach the market. Some time after Mr..
Wellace's experience with the bogus tax
receipts and the coffee, his partner, Mr..
Irwin. thought 1t would be a capital
joke to get up new trade mark. He
went to Philadelphia and secured a
new die or stamp In the shape Of a
coffee pot Upon his return home to
Clearfield. where both he and Mr.. Wal
lace lived, Mr.. Irwin ordered his log
men to use the new stamp on all logs
owned by the firm of Wallace & Irwin.
When Mr. Wallace learned of the joke
he was very angry and 1t Is said he
refused to speak to Mr.. Irwin for sew
eral years afterwards. They transact
ed their business through mutual
friend.
80 NEnsA H..
kinley seems to be the Mecca of Re-
Senator Quay's visit to the Ohio Ma
poleon is to be followed by other po-
litical generals. The next big man
scheduled to visit Major Mckinley Is
Hon. Samuel Fessenden, national
committeeman from Connecticut. Mr
Fessenden Is u warm supporter OF
Speaker Reed for the presidency, but
that fact will not deter him from call
ing Oh and paying his respects to one
OF the Maine mans most dangerous
rivals. Like Senator Quay, Mr.. Fes-
senden is Republican. and can see
no harm in one good party man calling
upon another. even at the critical point
Of battle. There was no special politi-
cal significance in the visit of Senator
Quay to Major McKinley.an there will
Ex-Governor Campbell. of Ohio. was
here few days last week., He may De
the Democratic candidate for presi-
dent. Mr.. Campbell says he is not
seeking the nominaton-that Is. he will
not die Of Il broken heart IL he does not
get it--but will accept the empty honor
II rendered him. Neither is he particu-
lar as to what kind of a platform the
party builds for him to stand upon. If
the Chicago convention declares for
sound money Mr.. Campbell will agree
with It, If 1t declares for free silver,
he will see no reason why any goos
Democrat should object He IL q strict
party man and Is in favor Of obeying
the will of the majority whether 1t
breaks the neck of the party or not.
He Il; in the hands of his. friend Sena-
tor Erice, of Ohio and New York. AS a
political general Mr.. Brice doesn't
of the Democratic forces in 1883, when
MI. Cleveland met his Waterloo.
There has been more impeachment
talk at the present session of congress
than has been heard since the days of
Andy Johnson. Representative Bar
rett, of Massachusetts,. started the ball
rolling hen he introduced resolution
to impeach or censure Ambassador
Rayard for his ur-American utterances
abroad. \ few weeks later Mr. Bar
rett wanted Representative Tolbcrt,
of South Carolina impea ched or re-
moved from his seat in the house on
the charge OF being an unreconstructed
aecessionist. Now comes Representa- =
Howard of Alabama, author of the
sensational and very much overdrawn
book entitled "If Christ Came to Con-
gress." lie wants President Cleveland
lmpeached on various charges, the
principal of which is for issuing gov
eminent bonds without authority. Rep
resentative Howard occupies the same
position In the house as "Pitchfork"
Tillman does in the senate. They are
both despised by their collea CUES. Mo-
body who has any self-respect ever
speaks to or associates with Howard,
lie Is blackguard of the first water.
1t is unnecessary to state that he il q
Populist as well as an accident In poll
ties. For many years he was q clerk
In one of the departments in this CITY.
and after he wrote his notorious book.
In which he attempted to bring ali
members OF congress down to his own
low level. the Populists of Alabama
took kim up and by scratch elected
him q member Of the body he so ma
ligned. He Is disgrace to any party
-e'eh the fopuiiats. w. r. Il.
IN THE SENATE AMI HCIJSE