Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-06-20

back row, talking earnestly, the younger
with his gray hair arranged in the usual
disorder and his aged colleague curled
| up almost out of sight in the big chair
of Senator Sawyer. Senator Hawley was
| nervously lingering the manuscript of
reciprocity speech and Senator Mitch
ell was reading an Oregon newspaper.
Down in the front row Edmunds, Gull
1om and Spooner were drawn up IN a
| bunch, telling stories and laughing so
loudly that the presiding officer was
compelled to warn them to keep better
| order. Senator Aldrich, the argus-eyed
manager of the tariff debate, was Jug
CLING with a great mass of figures on
his desk Through the cloakroom door
the handsome and well-dressed McNii1-
Ian, of Michigan, could be seen cracking
jokes with Saunders, of Montana, whose
three yards of massive gold watch chain
shone like a streak of lightning. Sena-
| tor Hoar kept his hat and cane in his
hands and went away early.
On the democratic side, in the front
row, Morgan, Cockrell and Coke sat
reading and writing, as if they never did
anything else. The pugnacious little
Mr.. Vest was listening and nodding ap-
provingly to Vance, and the good-na-
tured, big Mr.. Gray talked earnestly
to his seat mate, Mr.. Carlisle, who
looked absolutely wornout with hard
work and the effects of the long, hot
summer. Gibson, of Louisiana, listened
wearily to his neighbor, Mr.. Blair, who
was an intruder on the democratic side;
and Pasco, of Florida, and Turpie, of
Indiana, sat as quietly and seemingly
as dead to the world Rufus Blodgett,
of New Jersey. The most uneasy man
in the chamber was Senator Hearst, of
California. He visited the republican
cloaIroom for awhile, and finding
things too dull there went back to his
own side and chewed on cigar which
he was, apparently, just dying to light.
Senator Vance is now on the other
shore, but he was very much alive on
that night. Senator Dolph was not re-
elected, and is no longer here to trouble
the senate with his singular perform
ances. Nearly all of the men who were
present on that occasion have gone
to glory or to private life. The stately
ingalls,, of Kansas, who was president
pro tempOre, is a statesman out of
job, and realizes that political life is an
iridescent dream. Senator Hale is still
member of the senate, is just as hand
some, fully as well dressed, quite as sar-.
castle and given to oratorical efforts
from day to day as of yore. Dolph has
gone out of public life and will never
again steal an audience which belongs
to another senator. Senator Hiscock,
the handsome New York statesman, has
long been in retirement. having been
succeeded by David L. Hill, the sar-
castle and aggressive ex-governor of
New York, who is willing to be presi-
dent. Senator Evarts. the learned, the
legal authority, the eN-ca binet minister,
the orator with long sentences, all of
them classical, was succeeded by SEN
ator Murphy. Senator Sawyer has gone
back to Oshkosh, and little Senator
Mitchell, of Milwaukee, occupies his
place. Senator Edmunds resigned five
years ago, and eX-Gov. Proctor, of Yer
mont, was elected to succeed him. The
changes have been numerous, but the
quality of statesmanlike timber has not
deteriorated.
Senator Blair, of the Blair educational
bill notoriety, is visitor in Washing
ton, his place in the senate having been
taken by DIR. Gallinger, who is now
chairman of the committee on pensions,
and quite a worthy sample of New Eng
land statesman. Senator Carlisle is now
secretary of the treasury. Senator Glib
son, of Louisiana, no longer entertains
in the democratic cloakroom, with his
inimitable stories with morals. Sena-
tor Blodgett, of New Jersey, has gone
back to the sand lots of Jersey, and iE
his place is James Smith, the only SEN
ator with natural. unaffected, simon
Pure, perfect and almost fabulous fog
horn for a voice.
We have managed to get along with
out night sessions of the Fifty-fourtn
congress, but the APollinaris water has |
recently been on tap in the cloakrooms. |
1t is furnished out of what is called the |
contingent fund of the senate, and dis |
bursed under the discretion OF the SER |
geant at arms, who makes himself pop- |
ular with the senators by keeping |
plenty of lemonade on hand during the |
hot weather. There is a very black |
man in the republican cloakroom, and |
a partially black man in the democratic
and these employees keep the
Iooms clean, comfortable and well sup
piled with the creature comforts which
come only to senators, millionaires and |
men. There is some honor
in being elected to congress as meiia-
Der of the house of representatives; but
he who is ambitious will aim a the SEN
ate, where for six years man may live
like lord, and the poor patient people
cay the expenses. That man who can
De elected twice to the senate can spend
I2 years in luxury; and after that
mount of pleasure in one lifetime,
man ought to be content to return home
md live with his neighbors, or else
,ather up his feet and be laid away with
MS fathers. But the average states /
man, when retired from congress, set
les down in Washington a claim |
lgent and lives ever afteryyarfl reDret- |