New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
THREE DOUGHTY FREE TRADERS IN THE
SILVER FIGHT.
SENATORS HARRIS JONES AND VEST AND rhE'"
QUALITIES AS POLITICIANS.

QUALITIES AS POLITICIANS
washington July (SpeciaD.-lt so happens
that three Of the most prominent SILVER 'e"0e
now on deck at Chicago are the men WIN s'e
the Wilson Tariff bill in its extraordinary .o'>
through the Senate. They are Harris Oh ~"
nessee: Jones' Of Arkansas. ana vest Va "
souri, The situation was most oi"eu''' w
called for men Of experience. The No'o ia VIZ
Senate was close. Democratic oeie'"o ~,
threatened, and detection meant oea'" " '"'
And 80 1t was that. in their apuno""' '""', w.,
The Democratic Senators decided to put the Dill
49,. ~. h.,as q, three OF their members and hold
them responsible for it. A parliamentariah was
.s.a ara Mr. Harris was chosen. He mapped
ont al, Of the parliamentary manoeuvring' ana
personally executed good oeal Vi ''
.ot,ato was needea-a man to make compromises
u,,.h,,, % bring men around to making con-
cesxion for the party's good-and MT. Jones was
?, uss the Arkansas Senator's first as
.,rnment OF that description; but he went 10
80. md managed in the end TO poll every mem
49, ~ A,s rartv but Mr. Hill for the hodse-podge
measure that was finally produced. debater' OF
5000 was needed-a ready man. of general IN
le,at,on with a cut nd thrust style. and an ar
- ,,ugnacIty and assuwnce-and Mr. vest was
,cnosen. He foundered, painfully at times anu
,roved 70 be no match at all for men IKE MI Al
Ar,ch Mr.. Allison and Mr.. Sherman p"' lie Gil
t.r~d with all his heart into the task, ana WHICH,
.ver an argument failed him ran easily OH ih'o d
..,,np speech and abused the Republican party
The work Of this triumvirate when compie'eu was
A~rcun<>ed by Mr. Cleveland in his famous "iisoh
,..+er and they took their revenge on him oy
antang up In their places one arter aho'"e' Nv
a.vs later at the invitation OF MT Gorhah a'.u
te.t,fvin4 that they had kept MI CieVeiahu "o
v,.ed Of the progress of the work on the Dill anu
had understood him to approve IT, Ihes are 81
yer men Of the most extreme school, a'io '"e' 90
taking an added pleasure in their present a'..,''
for knowing that It means a reputation o. MI
Cleveland by the Democratic party
Mr. Harris Is the senior member Oh 'h's io'''0A'
ltr,umyirate But just how old he Is csh"o' NC
stated He refuses to give the year Oh Ills ~. '''
n IA the one feminine touch IN MS pa'0ie' DN'
ma ia not far from eighty. He was ihcin'ei
in Congress in 1910. and he had helo miior o'"o'
before that. His vigor is remarKaoie ioi 0
80. wears. His voice is fine and piercing, ana
his delivery as speaker luii vi NV -.
,rerament is peppery, and his invective wheh lie
~ aroused Is Of the order of the carry oa!S
scorching and terrible. He is what is known III
experiences on the stump and In oilice-hun'lhe
i,,ara emhroidered with many stirring episodes
Ar Harris in the early days of the war was d
,nernrer of the staff of General Albert Sldhey
Johnston and was riding near at hand wheh
'his chief was struck down at Shiloh on the QUIZ
idav Of that fight He afterward was shV"h
that had anybody present known anything ABOUT
wounds General JohnsOns life might nave peeh
saved He received a bullet in the thigh' anu
ian artery was severed The tying OF hahoKe'-
chief above the wound would have stopped lhe
now of blood until the surgeon could arrlVe' nu'
1.-THE excitement was 50 great tnat even '" ,s,~n
pie expedient was overlooxeu ~ ~' dav b,ed to
death Mr. Harrlss home Is in Memphis pu'
ne spends a good deal OF his time IN Wasi IIit,
ton. He lives In qulet wa! on - ths town
and takes no part in the gayety OF the wv;
But the Tennesseeans are very fond OF MN, anu
narticularly the young men. HIS CONVEX
Nth them is mixture of instruction ana pahter'
"nd thev find IL very enjoyable. He Keeps 10
the old habits-the bracing eifects OF stloas
teddy and the exhilaration OF hndlng out VIVA.
Q pair at poker may be worth ne IS one Oh ,m'
and has run with varying experiences long
race. This silver I: iumph in his party mas gwen
him psasdrH 1ae e w H frs s elected to
Senate in 1871 His present term VIII expire IN
1901.
II.
,.s one Of the leaders Of his party over forty
years old when he entered National politics. After
two terms as a member Of the House Of Repre-
l.antat,ves he entered the Senate In 1885, and has
,rerained there ever since. His prefent term VIII
'exnire next March, but he Is already assured or
ire-election. He is giant in stature His head IS
large and bald his color high. his eyes are blue.
NE dresses after the fashion Of the ante-bellum
statesmen wearing black cloth, with long wlde
iskirts TO the coat and displaying a wealth OF
Immaculate shirt front His address IS Urine
bluf. but kindly and ne is rapid and enter
ta!ning talker For public man ne is YER! OUT
.spoken His idea Of diplomacy Is not indiscret'oh.
His work on the Wilson Tariff Dill exhipAed MIN
m new light to his party associates. Ihev mao
not credited him with half the patience ana tact
he displayed while making peace between warning
Motions Now they are willing to intrust nearly
any work to him. Mr.. Jones was one OF those
Democratic Senators who resisted the most s'up-
'bornly the effort whcch resulted in the repeai
"a, the purchasing clause OF the Sherman act He
came IN that special session Of Congress bitter
against Mr. Cleveland for his message and re-
solved to do all in his power to heip tnwar' mn
The fight continued for three months, wnen' hna,
" a compromise was cooked up and HANDED
around for signatures. Mr.. Jones al nrst re!useu
10 sign 1t. He was assured that tne unuei a. az.
ing with the White House complete. AT last
ne affixed his name. and he was the last Demo-
.crasic Senator 10 do So. The compromise was re.
undated at the white House. and uncondltionaI
repeai went through From that day the Arkansas
Icenator declared that the party II ne "a nelp
A. should never again listen to a compromise on
the silver question. While differing radically with
aim on nearly every public matter. MI Jones on
's,ar.onal grounds Is q great admrer of Major Nc
,xtnIev He regards the Republican leader as a
fne type Of man. and he knows him very wen
This is one Of the character which contribute
10 Mr. Jones's own usefulness 10 ms parIy. His
IAN leaders are cordial and ne is thus enabled 10
= ssist in keeping UP the good feeling necessary ID
Congress to the agreeable transaction OF Dusihe"'
Mr. Vest is Missourls favorite ora'o'' i'0