The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-16
THE SENATE AS IT rs.
WALTER wELLMAN ExcoRlATEs THE
SoloNS AT WASHINGTON.


Hard Work 60 Get Quorum to Listen 60
Noteworthy speech-senators Are Lazy.
Will Listen, However, IL They Are
Amused ut tho Same Time.
It is not easy for an honest observer
to accord much praise or admiration to
the United States senate as we see it to-
day. For four days Mr.. Villas of Wis
consin engaged in the delivery Of a
speech on the Nicaragua canal bill. II
has been one Of the noteworthy speech
es OF recent years. In original inyesti-
cation, in keen insight into the condi.
tions surrounding the enterprise and its
future, in broad, statesmanlike views
expressed in felicitous language, il
ranks among the great efforts heard in
that chamber during the present gener-
alton. Yet an incident recurring almost
hourly during the delivery Of this mas
terpiece has been call of the senate in
order to produce quorum. Fifty SEN
ators appear in the chamber, coming
from their committee rooms or other
places where it is comfortable to lounge,
In response to the call. Mr.. Villas pro-
oeeds. In five minutes he is talking to
30 senator's. In ten minutes the number
has been reduced toto. When the audi
ence dwindles to half dozen, Mr.. Tur-
pie or Mr.. Bacon or some other senator
suggests the absence Of quorum, and
there is another call Of the senate.
Again and again this process is repeat
ed. If Mr.. Villas were prosy. If his topic
were not one Of vast interest and inn
portance, il he were not placing before
the senate matter highly instructive to
most Of its members, there might be
some excuse for this Indifference.
The truth is that majority Of our
solons Of the upper house are lazy. They
do not care to be instructed. They are
too well satisfied with the store Of in
formation which chance has brought
them. They will not take the trouble to
listen and learn. By exhaustive research
Mr.. Villas established quite to any ones
satisfaction that the Nicaragua canal
could never be mere private enter
prise Of the United States government.
He showed that in all probability the
Clayton Bulwer treaty must be regard.
ed as in force, and even if it were moi
the general policy Of modern nations
concerning the naturalization Of canals
connecting oceans would operate to the
inevitable naturalization of the Nicara
qua channel.
Mr.. Villas brought all this out clear.
~, quoting the articles Of the Constan
tinople convention, which secured the
naturalization of the Suez canal. Yet
half the senators who refused to listen
to him are probably still in ignorance
Of the existence Of this treaty and OF
this international spirit, and they will
60 ON talking for the Nicaragua canal
as channel which the United States
may own and operate to the exclusion
Of the vessels Of peace and of war Of all
other nations at our own sweet will.
Senators like to be amused apparent
ly more than they like to be instructed.
When Senator Hill took the floor to
make speech upon the bill forbiddine
the sale of liquors in the capitol, almost
every seat in the chamber was occupied.
Seventy five senators sat, with eager in
terest depicted upon their countenances,
while Mr.. Hill descanted upon his ia.
vorite topic of personal liberty and
worked off upon his audience parts Of
his old lecture-the lecture which did
not go before a paying assemblage. Mr..
Hill could well afford to champion the
rights Of senators to have their toddy
handy, for the senator from New York
never drinks. He was amusing at times,
too, and in the United States senate OF
today the statesman who wants to be
sure of an audience must be either fun
ny or malicious. When Hill makes jokes
about birch beer and pop, or Tillman un
corks the vial Of his wrath. the senate
.ioor is none too large to hold those who
would listen. When Villas makes note.
worthy speech upon an important sub
ject, the benches are empty.-Walter
Wellman in Chicago Times-Herald.