Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-02-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial CORRESPONDENCE. |

CHANDLER AND HILL-There are no
two men in the Seuate who seem to
have more in common than Chandler
and Hill, two OF the hardest fighters,
and always on opposing sides OF
every question. Since Hill became
a defender OF the Administration the
similarity is something less marked
than it used to be, for he is
hardly at home in his new
role. aud he fails somehow to
show the spirit in defense that he once
showed in criticism. 1t is all con-
trary to his natural inclinations. But
ut bottom the two men are as close to.
gether as ever. Chandler is II parti-
san to the finger t ps. So is Hill.
Chandler holds in contempt the Miss
Nancies Of politics. SO does Hill.
Chandler has a faculty Of making
singing comments on his political op'
ponents. and in this game Hill runs
him close second. There is stall.
wart and uucompromising quality in
the makeup of each, which is always
in evidence.
The New Yorker is not SO mentally
agile as his Granite State rival, but
that is not to Hills discredit, for there
are very few intellects at all times az
nimble us Chandeliers. The element
of humor in Hills makeup is some.
what lucking, at least to outward ap'
pearances, while Chsndler's is always
conspicuously visible. Words come
easily to one. The other struggles
and strives for them sometimes in a
manner which is painful and nerve.
racking. One quality which both
men have iu common is that of lively
gesticulation. When either Of them
speaks he clears q circle of about
twenty feet in diameter, with his
own seat as IL centre. Chandler
pushes chairs and cuspidors around
with reckless disregard to conse-
quences, and the region of his maneu-
vres looks like Prize ring, after he
is through. Hills performance is
much the same. He swings his arms
in his earnestness, and PAGES up and
down, crowding one senator after
another out OF their seats, till he has
a clear floor.
A REMARKABLE MAN-Rlchard o.
ney, in one respect, is one of the
most remarkable men who ever occu-
pied high public place. He is abso-
lutely indifferent to public com ment.
TO all Appearances newspaper praise
or criticism has no effect whatever
upon him. He is moved as little by
one as by the other. H rarely reads
things which are written about him
self, and when he does so he dis
misses them promptly from his mind.
Even during these last three weeks,
when his name has been on the tips of
more pens than almost any other,
and when the writer's even Of
the opposition press have been giving
him unstinted praise, he has,
apparently, not cared at all for any.
thing that was said. When, few
months ago, he was being denounced
for his supposed tolerance of tho
trusts and for his retention of a corpo.
ration salary, he was equally imper.
vious. II Olney were ever to become
president, it is safe to say that he
would indulge in no filings at "n,ali-
ciously mendacious newspapers" He
would smile snrdonically at the malice
and leave the mendacity to work its
own remedy.
HE WILL BE M1ssED-We are to
lose Joe Blackburn. That is the one
unfortunate result OF the Kentucky
election, for Blackburn is a character
who cannot we'll be spared from the
Senate. He is picturesque and breezy
u type in himself, volcano of inii-
viduality. OF course, Blackburn has
his faults. He says o great many
things ut all sorts of times which had
much better remain unsaid at any
time, aud his thinking apparatus is
not always at purity with his voice,
but on the whole there is great deal
more to Joe than the Senate will aver
age. He is not commonplace, and
that is something that can't be
said for most of the new men
who are supplanting the old.
timers. With very few exceptions,
every recent change has been for the
worse, and so far rs color and vitality
60, that will almo, It certainly be the
case with Kentucky. Blackburn is the
most interesting talker in Washing
ton. Nobody can compare with him
for apt stories and pat comment when
he gets a group around him at one OF
Chamberlin's little round tables. 1t
is a pity that 80 few of them are fit to
print; for they are always appropos,
even when most highly seasoned. Tim
Campbell listened to him spellbound
one night for three hours, and then,
leaning over to McAdoo, asserted in
an awestruck whisper that Blackburn
was without question the most elo.
quent man who ever lived, "Why, :"
said Tim, ''the man is more than hui.
man. He could never talk that way
unless he WAS an idiot"
Mosr MEN HAVE THEM-Frisbie
Hoar is toying with mustache. The
cherubic and baby.like smoothness Of
face, which has been such Joy to the
cartoonists, is marred by an effort at
hirsute adornment altogether out of
keeping. It is the cunningest thing
Imaginable, and so Immediately white
as hardly to be distinguishable at a
distance of more than twenty feet.
The attempt is the result of wager
with Col. Stoddnrd, one of the senator's
old friends in Worcester. He, too, has
always worn n smooth face, but month
ago he issued challenge to Hoar, aud
the two youngsters are now engaged
in competition. Years ago Hoar
wore little tufts on the side OF his face,
and he appears thus in the pictures OF
the electoral commission, but this is
the first time in his life that he has
been guilty OF hair on the upper lip.
Nothing OF the kind has given rise to
40 much comment since Proctor and
Mitchell shaved off their boards.
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