The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-05


Its compossure.
Judge IInney anybody who is not a
colonel or a. general is a judge In the
house, is ff1ty-six years old. He was
private Tin the confederate army, and was
so badly wounded at Chaneellorsvllle
that he was discharged from the service.
His preparatory school for congress was
three terms in the Legislature OF North
Carolina Fortunately, or unfortunately,
for him he is a member of the commpptee
ON elections and of no other important
committee. All his speeches have been
delivered on election contests. They
are in Ene with his law practics. He
analyses the evidence and addresses the
house as he would address North Car
DINA jury. In this session, however. he
may havs occasion ito display hts abafi-
ties In another field-one In which rever-
bera tlons from his speeches may be heard
throughout the land.
THE PACIFIC CHINOOK.
"A third picturesque figure i'm the house
is James H. Lewis, of the state of WASH
ington. He lis unique, but not antique.
In figure and personality he is more
than picturesque His attirs would be
e. Berry Wall. Lord Chesterfield him
self never had mere grace. An adept
in all the amenities and courtesi.s of par
Hamentary pfc, his dIiction and compost
tion are as chaste and elegant as his
dress. With disheveled auburn hair
and Macmillan beard and mustache and
manners faultlsss, he would ATTRACT as
much attemtfon at a convention or the
evangelical alliance as i'm The house OF
representatives. Arrayed in gray, with
a yellow wallstcoat, a four-An-hand SILK
die, and white spats adorning his paltsnIt
leather shoes, he might not dnaptly be
termed the Beau Brummel of the house.
Senator Wolcott in all his glory was new
er arraysd like ]. Hamilton Lewis. the
latter speaks rapidly distinctly enun-
ciating each word and tr.gling his rs
like graduate Of Trinity college, Dub
lin.
He was born in Danyille, Va, thirty
four years ago. He was educated ait the
University of Virginia, and STUDIED law
I'm the office of Gen. A. R. Lawton, off
Savannah, Ga. At nineteen he. was
admitted ito the bar, and winged his
flight to Seattle, finally settling down in
only dsmocrat who was ever elected to
congress from the state of Washington.
In the extra session Lewis sprang to the
front despite the frownings of the veter-
ans, and made a squirt for the lead =rshfp.
He raised points of order increasingly,
and gave the opposition and some of III
confreres much annoyance. At first the
speaker gave him extreme latitude and
was disposed ito play him eff against
Jerry Simpson. whose guerrilla warfare
was extremely harassing. But as Lewis
tactics began to develop. Mr.. Reed be
came wary then stern, and finally rudely
squelched him.
While extremely PERSISTENT Lewis newer
lost his Chesterfieldan grace nor COM
promised his dignity. He kept his benz
per whene many of the Older members
would have boiled over with rage, and
maintained HIS savclr faire to the day of
adjournment. His arguments against
d1,ng business before the appointment
of the committees were based upon con-
s,tIitutdonal grounds. They showed care
full study and research, and lin time to
come ara apt to attract public aIttent1n.
The reme. of Mr.. Lewis appears upon
committee ON public lands and nowhere
else. This does nlIt give him much of
an opportunity to shine in debate. but he
is man of tact and resources, and is la
BILE to break in at an unexpected moment
and astound the men who are gripping
the Legislative Rims.
A BOLD NORTHEASTERN.
A fourth picturesque figure rs Cyrus A.
Sulloway, of New Hampshire He is
the tallest man on the floor, and looks
more like Kentucllian than like Gram
ita State Yankee. Only twice has he
claimed the attention off the house. Both
times he got it and r.yeted It, His quaint
flow of eloquence drew the loungers from
the cloakrooms and Delighted the gall
leries.
Private pension bills reported from the
committee of which Cyrus is a member
were the sources of tbs inspiration One
was passed ever the presidents veto,
and the other went Through the house as
though shot out of a gun, after Cyrus
sat down. Tbs flow came straight from
the heart and foreshadowed what may
happen If the mid1'ff of this tall son of
Anak IFS ever touched i'm discussion of a
great national QUESTION.
Yet, after all, the picturesque figures
of the house are the veterans who have
charge of the great appropriation bills.
They are the. axles upon which 1.-The
wheels of government revolve 1t Us a
sight never to be forgotten to see cid
Joe Cannon shove Through the house the
sundry civil or the legislative, executive,
and judicial appropriation bill. Amid a
shower of questions and a storm of
amendm nlts he pursues The even tenor off
his way, giving ground here and TAX
ing ground there, occasionally wazdmg
hot, but never remi tlting his exerttonks
until the last item elf the bill drags its
weary way out of the committee Of the
whole and receives the sanction of the
house.
OTHER NOTED FIGURES.
Equally interesting is it to witness the
tmpetuous Bcutella driving the naval ap-
Precipitation bill over to The senate and
the wary Hull, of iowa, plotting the
army appropriation bill through the dam
geirous cha nnsls of legislation Nor
should plausible James w. Wadsworth,