Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-06-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial to Argus.1

ISaturday for that express purpose
The supposition is that the scrap.
pers who are to lead the debate
which Operieh this week In the senate
wanted to catch their breath before
the beginning of the great contro-
versy, but In truth the senate is not
a very hard working body except in
session and all its actions are de-
liberate, though far from being &C.
Icompanied by the sOlemnity of for
mer times. AS matter Of fact
most OF the traditions of the upper
house are no longer held immutably
sacred, a step In Legislative progress
which has been brought about by
Iyoung members who havecome from
4 the new states and, in an increasing
number of instances, from the older
Populist leader from North Carolina,
was one of the first to assail- the
4 wall of senatorial precedent which
acquired a new member to be mute,
like children at table, in presence of
their elders, and the admitted force
of his eloquence and forensic power,
afterward supplemented by that Of
lCannon, Duboise, Carter, Mantle and
Others, proved the the weapons with
which the barrier of silence was
finally overthrown and its Fragments
scattered never to be rebuilt. AS a
matter of fact the senate has become
in recent years the more radical of
| the two bodies, a result never fore
seen by the architects of the govern
ment.
The closing scene in the senate
chamber on Thursday last, when the
final arguments were submitted by
Vest, Foraker, Hawley, Gallinger,
Hoar, Hale, Spooner, and Others,
was a memorable one. The feeling
upon the question In all circles in
Washington has been, intense, and
public meetings among sympathis-
ers with Cuba have been frequent,
enthusiastic and largely attended.
AS an expression of the public inter-
est felt in the result, the gallaries Of
the senate chamber were packed and
the ringing speeches of the champions
of the revolutionary cause were
loudly applauded, In spite of the re-
Vice-President Hobart il not inclined
to be martinez with the gaval and
that he allows gallery demonstra-
tions to sometimes pass unchecked,
| while some senators when called to
the chair, pound the table fiercely
and read the riot act to the people
The strength of the vote in favor of
the Morgan resolution surprised
even the warmest friends OF the meas
ure, many old Republican leaders
who voted for it having been rated
with the opposition. Party lines in
the Senate were not distinctly drawn,
but in the House 1t was apparent
from the first that political strug-
gle would ensue.
The Democratic friends of the SEN
ate resolution were led by Bailey Of
Texas, a man who in person much
resembles Bob Smith, tall, strong,
smoOth-faced and self-confident. He
is a skillful parliamentarian and the
speaker finds himself strongly en-
gagged when he gets into a tilt with
the Texan. And, speaking of Tom
Reed, the conviction comes pretty
clearly before one has been long in
Washington, that the burly man
from Maine is the greatest living
potentially in the nation. So COM
pletely have the house Of representa-
tives abdicated their functions to
their presiding, officer and SO mas
terfully does that brilliant parlia-
die his mighty power, that the con-
viction comes at once, when one
looks down from the galleries upon
the working system of the house,
that no man in America compares
with Tom Reed as a dominating
force in our politics. Yet the mem
bers OF the house like their master
and while they make a show of op-
position In the Hobbies and cloak
rooms, they meekly bow to his will
when in their seats. And 1t may be
said that there il almost universal
confidence In the judgment, conserva'
tism and patriotism of Tom Reed
which makes the man a wall between
the passions OF contending factions
and the general citizenship of the
country. Tom Reed Is all right
u In the marble room of the senate
chamber the members OF the senate
meet their friends who send in theil
cards. Here during the session ont
may, closely note the manners and
personality of the men whose names
are household words in every En-
glish speaking, home of the worit
and will live in history. MARI
Hanna has q smooth agreeable face
, but one would recognize it quickly
enough from any OF the caricatures o
, the last campaign. His smile cOmei
] quick and is not unpleasant, but
: cannot help imagining that it con
tains a CLEAN of cynicism now ant
r then. He is, of course, looked upoI
as the closest man to the presiden
In Washington and his vote on al
questions is intently watched. Ii
, this, as in many other things, tn
J public is apt to be misled.