The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-29
Gossip ait
the Capital


Washington. May Is.
Those who have had the experience of
long observation in such matters can now
form some opinion of the duration of the
debate upon the tariff bill in the senate.
At the present rate of progress four or five
months would be required for the disposal
of the schedules, working as the senate
is doing now, about three hours day on
the bill, which is not before the senate
regularly until 2 o'clock p. m. Of each
day. 1t may be taken for granted, how
ever that the time for consideration will
soon be extended by earlier meetings, and
that four of five hours each day will be
devoted 10 the measure. No one need look
for evening sessions. Senators value their
personal comfort and leisure too much
| for that. 1t is doubtful if the business
| interests OF the country could present so
| mandatory cause as to induce these COM
| Portable gentlemen to give up their evell-
ings to work. They must also have time
| to look after their patronage. That is
even more important than the business
| interests of the country, because 1t is
| the business interests of the seantors.
| Take 1t all in all, the people need hardly
| expect the senate to act finally on the bill
before the early days of August, and 1t is
| quite possible that as the feeling between
| the various factions grows less and less
| amiable the progress will be slower and
| slower, and thus lengthen the time beyond
| that period. Speed is not likely to gather
| impetus as the days pass, but quite the
| opposite. When the sugar and tea AMI
| tobacco and beer provisions are
| reached there will be speeches galore ana
| it is simply impossible to guess the lengths
| to which these fond lovers of the people
will go in their talk about the poor mans
| cup of tea, his glass Of beer, and his pipe
| and plug. Indeed, the more one scans the
| prospect the more one is forced to the
| OclnSiOO that mi y hafora the
| great and final cortest comes in the con-
| ference committee of house and senate,
where the real battle Of the bill is to be
| fought.
| am assured that notwithstanding the
| denials of those gentlemen the story of
fierce quarrel between Senators Aldrich
| and Hawley, at the Arlington hotel Is
| entirely true, the cause of the duel being
the tobacco schedule. Both gentlemen are
impulsive, and even disposed at times to
be venomous5 in their language. Aldiich
is in the prime of physical life, being but
| Sc years old, while Hawley is upward of
20. Aldrich is tall and athletic, while
| Hawloy is short and fat. One may sup
pose, therefore, that the older man struck
out first, though all the witnesses are re-
ticent on this point / ann tod that Haw-
ley made a three-score-y years-and-ten-up
per-cut which Aldrch caught artistically
were separated by friends. 1t Is to be re-
gretted that this exhibition of Puritan art
with bare knuckles should have been so
exclusively private. AS Boston claims the
proud distinction of having given to the
world the greatest of prize fighters, it
would have been interesting to have COM
pared his historical methods with those
of the gentlemen from Hartford and
Providence. Senatorial friends are sug-
gesting to Hawley and Aldrich that they
give a public exhibition at one of the
local theaters, the proceeds to 30 to the
starving Cubans.
This affair calls attention anew to the
fact that Aldrich contrived the senate
view of the tariff with little advice from
his associates in the senate. 1t was a
sort of senatorial trust, of which Aldrich
was the Havemeyer 1t remains to be
seen whether his case will be as easily
dismissed by the high court of the people
as that of Havemeyer was by the District
court. 1t really does seem astounding
that the representative in the senate from
a little neck of American woods so small
that II can hardly be found on the map
J should have the power on account of his
, position in committee to play fast and
loose according to his own win or inter-
ests with great national measure which
was profoundly considered and digested
= by committee of the house with public
a lhearngs of representatives of all of the
great industries. one may say that the
l senate can easily undo his work, but 1t is
5 the experience of both houses of congress
5 that II Is much easier to make than to un-
, make when the work Is done by a commit
tee appointed for the purpose. 1t is AN un.
I written law that the fat of a committee
I shall at least bind that psrty which Is re-
' sponsible for the committee and with
such important committees as those OF
ways and means IN the house and finance
I in the senate II is rare indeed that theil
e conclusions arc reversed. They are sup
posed to know the will of their own party
and TO do it, There is hardly a shadow o
a doubt however, that A.drich will SUIT 81
D more than one important reversal through
[ the opposition of members of his Owl
party.
Broker Chapman, who enjoyed a brie
4 respite from his pleasant rest I'm the Dis
: trict jail through being called to cour
as an eXpectant witenss I'm the Have
u meyer case, is said to be indignant tina
= the sugar king is not to be sent to keel
: him company. II would have brought tn,
two into fratelTnal companionship, ad,
the association would have been invalua
: BILE to the broker I'm his business as III
y Fing could hardly have refused some goo