The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-22
DRY BONES IN THE SENATE RAT
tiled BY THE ILLINOIS
MEMBER.
CLOSURE RULE REFERRED.
AGAIN IN SOME NEW
FORM.
THE FINAL BANKRUPTCY VOTE
ments to Come Up for Disposal
at Three O'Clock.

WASHINGTON, April q. = Senator
mason, or Illinois, made his maiden
speech in the senate today and signal
lied 1t by some breezy criticisms of the
rules of the senate. 1t was such a va
Ration from the prosy debate Of recent
days that the senator was accorded
close attention and twice received the
hearty applause of crowded galleries.
The speech was in support of a resolu-
ton, introduced by the Illinois senator,
directing the committee on rules to re-
port rule by which debate could be
closed and the previous question or
dered. In this connection Mr.. Mason
sarcastically referred to the inaction Of
the senate on all great questions before
1t; the long and fruitless debate on
Cuba; the delay of the arbitration
treaty and the inability to say whether
our difficulties are to be settled by ar
duration or by the methods of Corbett
and F1tzsimmons. Mr.. Hoar replied
briefly, pointing out that the other
branch of congress was more open to
criticism than the senate vote was
taken on Mr.. Germans motion to refer
mittee, which prevailed, yeas 80, NAYS
"a.
A further discussion of the subject is
promised, as Mr.. Hoar has a pending
resolution to discharge the committee
on rules from further considering the
reform Of the rules. Most of the day
was given to the bankruptcy bill. The
vote on the substitute and amendments
VIII be taken at p. m. tomorrow 1t
was agreed that a committee of fifteen
senators should represent the senate at
the coming Grant memorial cere-
MONIES
The very breezy speech by Mr.. Mason
aroused two outbursts from the gal
lerles 1t occurred on the resolution
OF Mr.. Mason, introduced yesterday. di-
rect1ng the committee on rules to re-
port rule providing for the closing of
debate and for the previous question
1t was Mr.. Mason's maiden speech in
the senate, and he was followed with
great interest He said he desired to
nave the resolution go to the commit
tee on rules, but he gave notice that
unless some report was forthcoming AT
an early day, he would move to have
the committee discharged so that the
resolution could be brought before the
senate. 1t was agreed on all hands
proceeded the senator, with a vein of
sarcasm, that the United States senate
is great body. That was the view
particularly of those within the bodv
and on the pay roll. But every one
knew also that it was the only legisla-
tive body in existence incapable of do
ing business. Mr. Mason said he hoped
ne would be forgiven for these refec-
tlons, for he was still in the kinder
garten class" and he recognized that
he was threshing over old straw. But
he proposed to keep threshing over this
CID straw during his next six years in
the senate
Mr.. Mason referred to the approach
ing tariff debate. The bill would hc
before the senate SOON It remedied
an act which promised a tariff for
revenue and gave a tariff for de-
nclency. 1T was now proposed to give
protection to American industries and
to the American laboring man. And
yet the business interests were trem-
ping on the verge of "despondency
and Democracy" because they knew
the fate of the bill depended. not on
the majority, but on the minority
Every one knows" he declared, that.
while we profess to be a government
by the people, when we reach the high
rule of the minority" Mr. Mason
glanced around the chamber and said
he observed the smile On the faces of
some of his colleagues. They all liked
power, and, as soon as a man entered
these senate doors, his energies were
directed to retaining power in the old
way.
Il want to deliver a message from
the people before this nope of power
possesses me- exclaimed the senator.
and the galleries gave response by
hearty applause Mr.. Mason spoke of
the paralysis Of business in the SEN
ate on all great questions. Here at
the close of the nineteenth century the
great question was presented whether
international differences were to be
settled by arbitration or by the meth.
DDS of FitZsimmons and Corbett The
senate had listened to speeches. but
IN this, as in all other questions, there
was no action. The senator from Ala
bama (Morgan) had presented a reso-
luton as to Cuba, involving the great
Cuban question handed down to US
by Grover H. But where was that
resolution? 1t was impossible to tear
down the golden God Of the senate
rules in order to act on Cuba.
The senator asserted that there was
ma jOrity of insurgents in this body;
a majority was ready to act, but was
ECId pack by the minority in control
1t was time to do away with these
barnacle rules. II would not scuttln
the old ship, but | would like to put
her in dry dock long enough to have
her bottom scraped." (Applause.)
MIR. Hoar replied briefly to Mr. Ma
son. He pointed out that little could
be expected from the committee on
rules, as several of the members were
engaged on the tariff bill and other
work. He was in accord with much
that the Illinois senator had said as
to the need of action, but he differed
from him on some of the criticisms
against the senate.
Mr.. German promptly moved to re-
Ter the resolution to the rules COM
mittee. Mr.. Mason protested, saying
this committee was recognized as the
Altogether lovely graveyard to which
are committed the bodies of the de-
CEASED measures The roll was call
ed on Mr.. Germans motion to refer
and it prevailed, 30 to "a.
Mr. Hoar followed with a motion dis
charging the committee on rules from
further consideration of his resolution,
introduced some time ago, for the re-