The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-29
WOMAN'S COUNCIL.
Judge B0nney's Talk ON the United
States Senate.

Ahc senate COuBlueTtu IlsCofRSAllJ-4 AC
Quality Analyzed-Its Methods of Pro-
cedure Criticised.
Judge Peroival Bonney of the Superior
court was the essayist in the course of
monthly talks before the Woman's Coun-
Gil OF this city Saturday afternoon, at
Fraternity house on Spring street. There
was very good attendance of ladies who
gavn His Honor the closest and most ap-
preciatiye attention. He talked for over
an hour and his essay was one of the
most entertaining yet heard by the Coun-
oil.
Judge Bonney had a fruitful subject in
"The United States Senate" and he
made the moet Of 1t.
1t is entirely safe to say that his hear
ers now possess much clearer idea of
the history and functions OF this historic
and important branch of great govern
ment than ever before and Judge Bonney
received unanimous and hearty vote of
thanks when he had concluded.
Judge Bonney devoted the first part of
his paper to graphic and exhaustive re.
oital of the Senate from a historical
standpoint. He told of the conditions
confronting the builders Of the nation.
When the United States had won its
right to exist as AN Independent nation
of free men by the glorious deeds Of the
forefathers. He described how the Senate
was created as most important branch
of the legislative governments of a new
nation. 1t was set forth how the Senate
with its equal representation for all the
colonies was the outcome of the consensus
ct opinion of the political economists of
the times. 1t was vital and critical
time in the life of the new star in the
armament Of nations and the history of
that nation has inscribed indelibly upon
it's pages how wisely the fathers builded.
Through the long years of mighty pro-
gress and wonderful achievement of this
nation, reared from the graves and ashes
of a bloody revolution; from the poverty
and desolation which was the fearful
price Of liberty, unchanging and endur-
ing as the everlasting hills has stood the
t'AaeCNs tothcto AoH0uC, q 1uUAumOuu w
the craftsmanship and foresight of these
great minds of great crisis who wave
the fabric of government that YVES des-
tined to endure till the end of the world.
Judge Bonney continued briefly to
sketch the history of the Senate to the
present time and pointed ont its growth
in harmony with the nations growth.
each entering state added to the blue
field of cold Glory" star, two new
Senators took seats in that historic body
to represent the rights and sentiment of
a new ami sovereign state. From the
two Senators from each of the IS original
colonies the body has grown to IS Sena-
tore. Immensely larger in size. it re-
mains as its founders planned it, the
checking and governing wheel OF the
governmental engine.
The Judge discussed at length the vast
amount of gratlitous criticism and vii
LITIGATION that is today hurled at the Sem
ate and with eloquence and great force
defended it's honor and it's value to the
nation. lie had no patience with the
pessimists of today who ridiouled the
Senate and loudly howled for the spirit
and days of their grandfather The Sem
ate remained today in it's scope of action
aud conduct just what these same grand
fathers intended it should be, removed
somewhat by the nature of it's formation
from the cratic and frequent changes of
sen timent of the populaCe. Often by the
time an election of Senators by the legis-
lstu1es comes around. clamorous wave
of public sentiment that could it have
reached the Senate at its height would
have swept from office it's members, has
mad it's second and sober thought and
only desires continuance of present
candidates.
The speaker took up at considerable
length the much muoted theme of Emil
lionaires IN the Senate''and characterized
the wholesale slurring of millionaire
Senators ami violent abuse of men sim
ply because of their riches as "wioked,
senseless and ludiorous. He pointed out
how thera might be bad rich Senator
or a bao poor Senator, but asserted that
mere riches or poverty neither made n
scrupulous or INSCRIPTIONS Senator. Be-
cause some of the members of one legis-
laturs might be bought, securing the cleo
ton of bad man to the Senate the whole
body should not be judged by this fact
Such an estimate was neither fair nor
honorable. The Judge recited a telling
sy llogism when he pointed out that prac-
tically the whole world is struggling
after wealth, but hen man succeeds
in getting 1t large part of the world
begins to hurl at him abuse and
calumny. He discussed the manner of
choosing Senator'S at present compared
with election by popular vote and was
inclined to think the present method
best for the whole interests of the coun-
try. The methods of Senate procedure
and rules the unlimited debate SO
much criticised and many of the other
much ventilated criticisms of the upper
branch. its personnel aud methods were
taken up and many of them analysed
and their fallaoy pointed ont.
The whole essay was scholarly and