The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-06-09
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. G., May 81

sion to Montecello, the old home Of
Jefferson, last week, the senate hav~
ing adjourned over Friday and Satur-
day for that express purpose. The
supposition is that the scrappers who
are to lead the debate which opened
this week in the senate wanted to
catch their breath before the Begin
ming Of the great controversy, but in
truth the senate is not a very hard
working body except in the closing
hours Of an important session and all
it's actions are deliberate though far
from being accompanied by the sol
emnity Of fornler times. AS mat
ter Of fact most Of the traditions OF
the upper house are no longer held
immutably sacred, astepin legislative
progress which has been brought
about by the younger members who
have come from the new states, and,
in an increasing number or instances,
from the older ones. Marion Butler,
the young populist from North Caro-
(lna, was one of. the first to assail the
wall Of senatorial precedent which
required new member to be mute,
like children lat table, in tile pres
ence Of their elders, and the admit
ted force Of his eloquence and for
ensic power, afterwards supplemented
by that of Dubois, Carter, Mantle,
Cannon and ..,others, proved =,thc
weapons with which the barrier Of
silence was finally overthrown and it's
fragments scattered never to be re-
built. AS a matter Of fact the sem
ate has become in recent years the
more radical Of the two bodies, a re-
suit never forseen by the architect Of
the government.
The closing scene in the senate
chamber on Thursday last, when the
final arguments were submitted by
Vest, Foraker, Hawley, Gallingcr,
hoar, Hale, Spooner, and others, was
a memorable one. The feeling upon
the question in all circles in Wash
i ;ngton has been intense, and public
meetings among sympathizcrs with
Cuba, have been frequent, cnthusias,
tic and largely attended.
AS an expression Of the public in
tcrest felt in the result, the CALLER
les Of the senate chamber were
packed and the ringing speeches Of
J the champions Of the revolutionary
cause were loudly applauded, in spite
Of the demonstrations Of thc chair.
I notice that Vice President Hobart
is not inclined to be a martinez will
the gavel and that he allows gallery
demonstrations to sometimes pass
unchecked, while some senators Whcf
, called to the chair, pound the table
, tiercely and read the riot act to tho
people. The strength Of the vote ir
5 favor of the Morgan resolution sur
! prised even the warmcst friends O
: the measure, many old republican
r leaders who voted for it having beer
! rated with the opposition. Part!
lines in the senate were not distinct
fly drawn, but in the house it was ap
parent from the first that a Dolitica
struggle would ensue.
The democratic friends Of the sen
ate resolution were led by Bailey O.
Texas, a man who in person muc}
resembles Bob Smith, tall, strong
smooth faced and self confident III
is a skillfnl parliamentarian and th'
= 1.spcaker finds himself strongly en-
gagged when rhc gets into a'tilt Will
the Texan. And, speaking Of Ton
Reed, the conviction comes prett,
clearly before .onc has been long il
Washington, that the burly MAI
from Maine is the greatest living pc
' tentiality in the nation. So com
: pletely has the house of representa-
tives abdicatcd its functions to it
r presiding officer and so masterfull
: does that brilliant parliamentary
q strategist sustain and handle hi
q mighty power, that the conviction
:, comes at once, when one looks dow
r. from the galleries upon the worllin
r. system of the house that no man il
). i America compares with Tom Reed Il
J. a dominating force in our politics
,r Yet; the members Of the house lik
Y their master and while they make
n show of opposition in the lobbies an
- cloak rooms, they meekly bow TO hi
r will when in their seats, And
}, may he said that there is almost un
J. yersal confidence in the judgment
|, conservatism and patriotism Of IOl
" Reed which makes the man Wa
r. between the passions Of contendin
, factions and the general citiZenshi
J. of the country. Tom Reed is a
right.
In the marble room Of the scnat
chamber the members of the senat