The times., 1899-12-25
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

House Repub1icans.-A New England
Senator stalwart Republican, of course,
who witnessed the humiliation of Mr..
Payne in the House last Wednesday, yes
terday made some pertinent comments to
Times representative. Mr. Payne is the
titular leader of the House Republicans.
/ The position is his by reason of his being
Chairman Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, which usually is the most important
Of all the committees, though in this ses-
sion Appropriations takes the lead of the
committees, because there is nothing of
political Importance for Ways and Means
to do. In the legitimate exercise of his
functions as floor leader Mr.. Payne, it will
be recalled. moved an adjournment Of the
House for the Christmas holidays soon af-
ter the routine business of the morning
I hour had been disposed of Wednesday.
His motion was appropriate and timely
and there was no good reason why it
should meet with any opposition, particu-
larly from his side of the House. But the
ancient and honorable GalUsha 4. Grow of
Pennsylvania had one of his usual series
of annual speeches aching in him, and vio-
lently opposed adjournment. The Demo-
Gratis, in pure "devilment," Joined Mr..
Grow in opposing the Republican leader,
Z
voted in the negative on the adjournment
proposition TO defeat it several times.
Finally, out of sheer pity for Mr.. Payne,
the Democrats deserted their Republican
I allies and helped carry the motion TO adj
journ.
If Payne has ever possessed any wide
usefulness to the party said the New
England Senator referred to above, 1T has
/ been destroyed in this Congress by the
( n1 toll
him. / have seen stronger and more re-
sourceful leaders than Payne destroyed in
the House by defeats not so crushing as
this one. Still, Payne viii have to con-
time nominally in the role Of floor leader
for the Republicans which makes it all the
worse for our side. In the matter of lead
ership material we are worse off in the
House this year than l have ever known
the Republicans TO be. Probably there Is
ample material among the new members,
but under the unwritten law of Congress
those who possess IL dare not attempt to
display it, fer 1t is fatal for any new mem
Der to try to individuaize himself at the
beginning of his career. General HendeT-
son is a very acceptable Speaker but he
never was and never can be the leader that
Blaine or Reed was Joe Cannon. who, as
Chairman Of the Appropriations Committee,
should snatch up the Teins when Serene
Payne shows his inability TO handle them
properly, would make quite as big mess
Of it as the New Yorker, because Uncle
joe is TOO excitable. Russell Of Connect
cut is really the ablest man on our side
in point Of learning and mental quickness,
but he is physically too lazy to care to
bother with the leadership. Next TO him
in the matter of equipment is Moody Of
Massachusetts, but he is as modest as
woman and shrinks from responsibility
like a country boy at a circus. Dolliver Of
Iowa is a rafting taIl5er, and so is Cousins
Of the same State, but neither one Of them
would make a safe floor leader. Sc you see
we are in a bad way for proper leadership
in the House. and look for some worse
failures than that OF Wednesday before the
session closes. The country will learn be-
fore long. ! fear, that the Democrats are
much better off than we are in this i'm
portant matter"