The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-18
CAPITAL CHAT.
" ashlngton Post.

Iost.
Five congressional election contests from
Alabama are already rcported Aldrich
VS.. flowman, in the Fourth district; Good
wyn vs.. Brewer. in the Fifth district;
Wheeler VS.. Hundley, In the Eighth dis
trlct; Siailngs vs. Clark, in the Second us
tr.ct. and Clayton VS.. Corner, in tic rhifd
district. Clark and Corner are gold dem
oorats; Goodwin is popuist, and Aldrich
and Hundley are republicans.
Speaker Reed sat on the front seat of
cable car all the way to the Capitol yester-
day morning, and, although there was
stiff, cool breeze blowing, he dsdaned to
button his overcoat across his broad chest.
lone might almost be certain he came
from Maine" said a southern congress-
man. who sought refuge in a closed car.
Il think it's plenty cold enough for COM
fort. but Mr. Reed seems TO enjoy it like
day in June
"Will Senator Butler reply to Tom Wat
SON. is a question that the friends and
acquaintance of both men are asking each
other. There were lighting words in that
article Of Watsons." said Georgian yes
to-day, and when l was young man it
wouldn't have been question OF publish
ing similar attack upon the other party.
To say that man tells an untruth mere
~ for the casual pleasure of having de-
ceved' would have meant duelling pistols
ard an early morning meeting in the VI
clnity of Bladensburg in the good old
DAYS"
1t is said that Proctor, of Vermont, will
be tie administration leader In the sen
ate when Mckinley comes into his own.
The marble handed senator is declared to
be closer to the next president than any
body else except Mark Hanna. The most
conspicuous thing in the Mckinley dining
room at Canton is a group picture of Proc
tor and his family. which hangs over the
mantel. Ever since the fateful day Of the
Vermont convention, which declared pref
crence for the Ohio candidate, Proctor has
been odging closer and closer to the throne.
Senator Culloms speech on Cuba, AS
printed in the Record is full OF brilliant
literary gems. His peroration was par
ii2ulariy fine and he closed by declain'ins
this beautiful tribute to the United States
from the pen of Bayaid Taylor:
Now. in her seat secure,
Where distant menaces no more can
reach her:
Our land in undivided freedom pure,
Becomes the unwilling worlds uncon-
scious teacher;
And day by day beneath serener skies
The unshaken pillars OF her palace rise
These Doric shafts that lightly upwarl
press,
And hide in grace their giant massivencas
Her onco war wasted arm.
Put forth to shield a sister land from
harm.
Ere the lest blood on her blade had dried
Shall still BE- stretched to succor and 10
guide,
Revond our borders, answering each need,
With counsel and with deed
Ainrg cur Eastern and our Western wave
sun strong to smitc. still beautiful to save.
Roprcsen Dinsmore. Of Arkansas,
and several friends were seated al table
In tho House restaurant, discussing the
best method Of cooking bass. From this
the conversation drifted to ilsh stories and
Mr. pinsmorc said that during the COM
paiEu be wen, out fishing with brother of
former United States senator from Ar
kansas, and learned something from him
that had heen source of great wondor-
rent 10 him from his boyhood days. He
noticed that the old fisherman. when he
baitod his hook. expectorated upon the bait.
lie inquired the reason for that process.
The old disciple OF Walton shifted his to-
hncco from one check to the other before
he replied: We'll, you see, there are two
reasons 1t moistens the bait and nourishca
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