Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-04-30
A LIVELY BREEZE IN THE SENATE.
Old Bones Ratified by the New Sena-
tor From illinois,

Washington, April 22.-The staid senate
was startled and the galleries broke
forth into applause when the new sena~
tor from Illinois, nIr. mason. berated that
body upon its widowed customs. 1t oc-
CURED on the resolution of Senator Ma
son. directing the committee rules to
report rule providing for the closing of
debate and for the previous question. 1t
was Senator Mason'S maiden speech in
the senate and he was followed with great
interest. He said he desired to have the
resolution go to the committee on rules.
but he gave notice that unless some re-
port 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 sena-
tor with a vein of sarcasm, that the
United States senate is a great body.
That was the view particularly of those
within the body and on the payroll, but
every one knew also that it was the only
legislative body in existence incapable of
doing business. Senator Mason said he
hoped he would be forgiven for these re-
Elections, for he was still in the kinder
garten class" and he recognized that he
was threshing over old straw, but he pro-
posed to keep threshing over this cid
straw during the next six years in the
senate.
Senator Mason referred to the ap-
preaching tariff debate. The bill would
be before the senate soon. 1t remedied
an act which promised tariff for rev.
enue'' and gave tariff for deficiency"
1t was now proposed to give protection
to American industries and to the Ameri-
can laboring man. And yet the business
interests were trembling on the verge of
dependency and democracy" because
they know the fate of the bill depended
not on the majority but on the minority.
Every one knew, he declared, that while
we profess to be a government by the
people, when we reach the highest body
in the government there is a rule of the
minority.
Mr. Mason glanced around the cham
Der and observed the smile on the faces
of some of his colleagues. They all liked
power, and as soon as man entered
these senate doors his energies were d.
rected to retaining power in the old way.
Il want to deliver message from the
people before this hope of power pos
sesses me- exclaimed the senator, and
the galleries gave response by hearty app
plause.
Senator Mason spoke of the paralysis
of business in the senate in all great
questions. At the close of the 18th CEN
fury 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
(Morgan) had presented a resolution as to
Cuba involving the great Cuban question,
handed down to us by Grover H." But
where was that resolution? 1t was i'm
possible to move the golden rod of the
senate rules in order to act on Cuba. The
senator asserted that there was a major
ity of insurgents IN this body ready to
act, but it was held back by the minority
in control. 1t was time to do away with
these barnacle rules.
II would not scuttle the old ship ex-
claimed the senator but / would like
to put her in dry dock long enough to
have her bottom scraped.''
There was another round of applause
as Senator Mason concluded
Senator Hoar replied briefly to Senator
Mason. He pointed out that little could
be expected of 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
Senator German promptly moved to re-
fer the resolution to the rules committee
Senator Mason protested, saying this
committee on rules was recognized as the
altogether lonely graveyard to which are
committed the bodies of deceased meas
ures."
The roll was called on Senator Germans
motion to refer, and it prevailed-32 to
"a