The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-10
CAPITOL GOSSIP.

CAPITOL GOSSIP.
No speech delivered in the House Tues
day on the $5G0OO,OOO war measure was
more eloquent than that of Mr.. De Graf
fenreid of Texas, and but very few equal
cd it. 1t was the maiden speech in the
House of the portly Texas member. and
proved to be a, genuine and an agreeable
surprise to the many friends he has made
during the present session. Mr.. De Graf
fenreid received many warm aud hearty
congratulations.
Some years ago when eX-Congressman
Martin Familiarity known as "Old How
dy," was conducting a campaign in his
Texas district for reelection. he had oc-
caSion to address a large audience in the
open air. His voice, never strong, was
unusually weak on this day, and "Old
Howdy' was in distress. He knew he
could not make himself heard ten feet
away. Filled with despair. he made
known his troubles to the chairman of the,
committee having charge of the meeting.
The chairman was equal to the emergen-
cy. He asked Mr.. Martin how many per-
sons present knew him personally, ana
the candidate replied not half a dozen.
The chairman told 'Old HOwdy' TO rest
easy and say nothing, and he would fix
it. When the crowd began to call for a
speech from the candidate, the chairman
led Mr.. De Graffenreid to the front of
the platform, introduced him as Mr., Mar
tin, the candidate. and the substitute
made a speech. He had a strong voice
and good delivery, and acquitted himself
with such success that. at the conclusion
of the address, ''Old Howdy,' unable to
restrain his delight at the outcome of the
ruse. grasped him affectionately by the
$25 week to make all of Martins
speeches. The munifcent offer was po-
litely declined, and the audience never
learned of the deception until it was too
late for eXpostulation.
1t is understood that the Committee
Militia will report a bill very soon asking
Congress to appropriate Sl,0000O0 for the
militia of the country. The appropriation
for the current year is 100000. The COM
/ mittee will also report a revision of the
militia laws. some of which have been in
force for more than a century.
Mr.. Ferguson, delegate from New
Mexico, was promised time Tuesday by
Speaker Reed to speak in favor of the
war appropriation. Mr.. Savers of Texas,
however. granted the delegate some of
his time, and after the speech was de-
livered Mr.. Ferguson approached the
Speaker and released the time that had
been granted him. The Speaker looked
at the delegate quizzically for a moment
and then, in droli manner exclaimed:
LAS New Mexico is in line the country
is safe. Let loose the dogs of war
Mr.. Broussard of Louisiana has written
the governor of that State TO the effect
that if war with Spain should be the re-
suit of the present trouble he would like
/ to have the governor accept his reslgna-
/ ton as a member of Congress and to as
! sign him to a military duty. Mr.. Brous-
| sard has received a great many letters
from his constituents, all of which de-
/ clare that the war excitement in Louisi-
/ ana is very great. One of the writer's. Mr.
Frere, a tax assessor at Iberia. wrote that
/ he had been informed that Mark Hanna
/ had advised the President to preserve
! peace at any price, and added that If
! Senator Hanna would visit Louisiana and
! advise such a poncy he would get into
serious trouble.
Much unfavorable comment was heard
yesterday about the Capitol respecting
/ the pro-Spansh speech delivered the day
before on the floor of the House by Mr.
! Bingham. of Pennsylvania The criticisms
were by no means confined to the CALLER
les, but formed a topic of much CONVEX
sation among the members. and no one
! appeared to be able to explain the cause
for the unpopular utterances. 1t was also
said that Mr.. Bingham sincerely regrets
| now the violent Tory speech and as an
I evidence of this it was pointed out how
! the Congressional Record report of his ut
! terances had been edited and doctored un-
| til nearly If not quite all of the unpatriot-
ic remarks were eliminated
1t was freely predicted by members who
| would not permit their names TO be used
that Mr. Bingham's declarations of
/ friendship for Spain would cost him re-
nomination next fall, for the speech was
so thoroughly un-American and formed
! such a striking contrast to all the others
/ that were delivered that his enemies will
gladly avail themselves of il as a weapon.
He must have been inspired by the
| Washington Spanish organ" said one
member of the House. This was the most
charitable construction placed on the UNI
! patriotic speech. Another member de-
| clared that Bingham simply tried to
Boutelle Boutelle," without having
/ the tact of the Maine man.
1t is worthy of note that during the en-
| tire day while members were talking
among themselves about "Bingham's
Spanish speech, that all were so indig-
nant that not one expressed any regret
that the member from Pennsylvania had
made himself 50 unpopular
Again has Senator Hanna postponed
the distribution of some of the important
Offices of Ohio. Prior to the legislative
election last Fall he held everything up
until the Republicans carried the legis-
lature, and after that he again held
offices up until after he was elected to
succeed himself in the Senate. Recently
| applicants for the Office of collector of
Internal revenue at Toledo collector of
customs at Cleveland. and appraiser of
the port at Cleveland TO say nothing of
a lot of woud-be postmasters have been
on here clamoring for the spoils Mr..
| Hanna has notified them all that he will
| not consider any appointments until the
latter part of next month. This viii car
| ry everything over until after the Spring
elections, and Mr. Hanna hopes. through
this incentive, to bring about few Re-
| publican victories
Senator Wellington has been away from
the Capitol several days. Upon his re-