The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-15
ANECDOTES OF SENATOR HARRIS.
How He Came to Enter Public Life-The
Poker Incident In the Senate.

Washington, July 12.-In the hotel
lobbies Senator Harris's death has
loosened the tongues of many storytellers.
One of their "reminiscences refers to the
Senator's own account of how he came
to enter public life. 1t appears that in
1847 there were two Democratic candi-
dates for the State senatorship in one dis
trict of Tennessee, while the Wings, be-
ing united on single candidate, babe
fair to win. Several old and experienced
Democrats went to Mr.. Harris and
begged him to announce himself as q
candidate also, so as to force convention
or primary and thus secure single
Democratic candidate and avert split in
the party. Harris consented, but began
operations by going privately to each of
the rival Democrats and begging him to
withdraw for the party's sake. Both re-
fused A public meeting was according
" called. Before the whole Assem- blage
Mr.. Harris took one candidate by the
hand, led him to the front of the platform
and said: "If you will withdraw, 1
will
HNo," said the aspirant.
Mr.. Harris took the other man, brought
him into the view of the people and made
the same proposal to him. He refused
also.
All the obstinacy of Mr.. Harris's nature
was aroused "Then I will stay in my
SELF" said he, land will beat all three
of you-two Democrats and one Wing"
And he did it. He had majority of
$50 votes, the largest ever polled in that
district. While he was in the legislature,
the State convention was held, and he
was made presidential elector; and he
had been In public life ever since.
Mr.. Harris knew the game of poker
very well. So does Mr.. Aldrich, of Rhode
Island. During the debate in the Senate
over the Democratic tariff bill of 1894, it
was favorite amusement of the Repub-
licans to twit the Democrats with not
daring to call vote on their own bill.
The Democrats would retort by saying
that it was the fault of the long-winded
Republicans, who consumed all the time
with speech-making. On one occasion
Mr.. Aldrich noticed that the Democratic
side seemed to be very short of Senators,
SO he sprang upon the chamber the cool
est "bluff" in the world, a challenge to
let the bill come to a vote that afternoon
at three O'Clock. 1t was then half-past
one. Mr.. Lindsey, who was in the midst
of an argument at the time, expressed his
willingness, but said he had no authority
to speak for his colleagues. Mr.. Aldrich
sat down with an amused smile on his
face; but no sooner had Mr.. Lindsay
ceased to speak than Mr.. Harris, who
was acting as Democratic leader, fastened
to the front.
"While have not" said he, "the van
ity to assume that I represent anybody
but myself on this floor, I beg to assure
the Senator from Rhode Island that so
control it, I accept his proposition; and
we will proceed at three O'Clock to vote
on the amendments reported by the com
mittee on finance and then on the final
passage Of the bill
A chorus of Democratic Senators ech-
oed: 1--WE will all agree to it,
Mr.. Harris (continuing)-This thing
can only be done by unanimous consent,
and l go one step further, and now ask
unanimous consent that this proposition
be accepted and acted upon.
The Presiding Officer (Mr. Turpie)-
The question is the request for unani-
nous consent; is there any objection?
Mr.. Cullom-I object.
Mr.. Blackburn-The Senator from
Rhode Island answers for that side of the
chamber
Mr.. Aldrich said that he had made the
offer quoted, but had had no response
from any Senator on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Lindsay beg to say that, so far
as could, responded that 1 was in IA
vor of it. l was the only Senator who
had the right to speak at that
time.
Mr.. White-The Senator offered to have
vote taken at three. He was called
on that proposition, and he has declined
to respond
Mr.. Aldfich-with my limited knowl-
edge of the game to which the Senator
referred have never heard it claimed be-
fore that man could "call hand' the
next day, after he had failed to ''call it,
at the time
Mr.. Gray-The proposition in reply to
the Senator'S offer was made by the Sem
ator from Tennessee (Mr. Harris) the
very moment the Senator from Kentucky
Mr.. Lindsay took his seat
Mr.. Aldrich-The Senator from Ten
nessee used the phrase, $50 far as he was
concerned
Mr.. Harris-If the Senator from Rhode
ASiethN CiiOobCo W UtCk CuU VI Ills Oucr, 10U
him do it like man, and not whine
about it.
Mr.. Aldrich-I made no proposition.
l simply asked the other side whether
they would accept the proposition.
Mr.. Gray-And now you hear that we
will.
Mr.. Aldrich-I did not say for myself,
or for this side of the chamber, that we
would accept it.
Mr.. Gray-But we speak for everybody
ON this side.
At this point Mr. Teller objected to Mr..
Harris's request for unanimous consent,
and the incident was closed; but that was
the last heard of empty "bluff" offers
for the rest of the session
If Senator Harris cherished one senti-