The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-03-07

The death OF the Fifty-afth Congress
Wa natural and easy. There were no ex-
pIlng struggles. Crowds in the galleries
watched the quiet and peaceful demise.
like well-dispOsed mourners, with impas-
siye faces
There was nothing IN the two hours
wn.cn preceded the fatal stroke OF L
20 Indicate the trOubIous moments OF the /
long and exciting night No one could /
have imagined that there were periods
when an extra session seemed unpre-
vtuiable, when innumerable obstacles /
seemed 10 block the way Of final ADJUST
meut Of q hundred difficulties. Such, 1
however. was the case. In fact IL was l
not until twenty-five minutes to 10 o'clock 1
that the Senate breathed a sigh OF relief 4
because the threatening specter OF an eX-
ira session absolutely faded away. At /
that moment Senator Hale, having steer /
Ell the naval appropriation safely between |
the SCylla and Ch4rybdis OF Tillman and |
Butler. had the satisfaction Of seeing the /
conference report upon the measure |
agreed 10 In the Senate. little later !
and the bin might have failed. As II was, |
b was hurried over TO the House, passed 4
IN that body rushed 10 the enrolling 4
clerks, and in ample time laid before the /
with Eis Cabinet, in order TO expedite |
business. II was the last OF the great |
appropriation bills 10 be acted upon, and |
when Il had been disposed Of the path |
was clear.
Episodes of Interesting Character.
Great events we're contrasted with triv- |
iaI incidents during the eventful night |
The first were important, the latter in
teresting. For instance, IL was at least
worth mentioning that at o'clock IN the
morning May Irwin, the actress, saunter-
Cd into the Senators private gallery IN
der the escort OF d prominent Western
Senator Spectacles more ludicrous than
dignified were frequent. Senator Mason,
when stretched out asleep on the sofa.
had his head bandaged with handkeT-
chief by some joke-loving Senators. ard
Senator Plat, Of New York, spread his
atJenuated form on lounge and slum-
bered peacefully. On the whole, however,
the night was remarkable FOR its good
order. There was not the least evidence
Of insobriety. while the personnel of the
prOmiScuous crowd was remarkably high. |
SO many serious matters we're at stake
that Oh the floor there was an unusual
absence of persinage and repartee. Only
one instance is recalled. Senator Tillman
desired to question Senator Butler
Does the Senator frcm North Carolina |
yield to the Senator from South Caro- |
lina%' asked Mr.. Gallinger, who was in |
the chair
Docs the Senator know what the Gov |
ernor Of North Carolina said TO the Gov |
ernor of South Carolina INTERCEPTED MIR. |
Warren.
IT'S a long time between drinks" said |
Mr. Butler. smiling.
"a Carolina
isn't IS dry as the people out in Wyom-
ing" said Tillman, whereat the Senate
laughed at Warren, who had made an all
night fight in A vain effort 10 secure some
irrigation for the arid regions OF the West.
The Pacific Cable Lost.
It was at o'clock in the morning, af-
ter grinding out a grist OF naval nominal
tions at the rate of ten a minute, that
the Senate passed through its first squall
All during the night the Senate had been
receding from it's amendments TO various
bills. until il had seemed hardly worth
while to have passed any amendments at
al. When the conference report on the
sundry civil bin showed that the Senate
had again laid down, sacrificing, in par
ticular. a batch OF public buildings, in
which Senators GallingeT, Clark, Petit
grew. Pettus. HaWley. and others were
ii~f--AA-H
ment of the Pacific cable, the storm
broke.
Around the devoted head of Senator Al
lison the tempest ragged. Ii lasted for
nearly TWO hours, during which the House
was roundly ABUSED for its arrogance and
for every other crime in the calendar,
and there were covert Intinations OF
weakness on the part Of the Senate con-
ferees. Senator Clark predicted that the
Senate would degenerate into a second
House of Lords, the most useless leslsld-
tive body on earth and the senile creature
Of the House OF Commons. There was
other warm and fiery talk, ending with
speech by the COn1ucius-like Pettus, Of
Alabama He agreed 10 submit this time
but never. never, never again. senator
Allison listened smilingly 10 the declara-
ton and then proceeded to sacrifice every
Senate amendment IN dispute, including
the Pacific cable. Senator Stewart, VINO
had threatened 10 flibuster into an extra
session il this amendment was not
adopted, emerged from the cloakroOm ten
minutes afterward, 10 find himself TOO
ldJe. Like one Of the foolish virgins, he
OF I'm the events Of the night the defeat
of The cable item is considered the most
important II isolaIes Hawaii from the
United states for the next two years, at
least
Having avoided q wreck on the sundry
civil bill. the Senate ran perilously near
TO "a lce-sGore on the naval bill. In this,
as in other measures. there was another
victory Tor the House. The Senate aban-
doned lis every important contention, in
GLIDING the reduction OF the number o.
bailc-ships and The provision for a gov
eminent arInJr plant. IL secured the con
cessIon OF the House 10 $50 4 ton as the
price for moI-plale. but This was an
empty gain. a. the armOr already con-
t.act,d Tor Is not affected, and the new
ar"or viii not be needed until Congress
meets again. There had been a good deal
ol sharp debate over this bill during the
earlier hul.s oi the morning. Senators
'aaLl... T!llman, and Butler leading the
opposition
Senator Hale ought 10 be in the diplo-
matte service. Nothing could have been
more adIu.l than the smooth and quiet
Way in which De pll0ted the naval bin
IN oush jne ptrlis that sun beset H. lie
Woo ~GHlr and taCttui. agreeing mere and
mildly HTsEHs there. uHIll al last he had
i-r satisfaction OF seeing the opposition
totltir'- L-i tHe most interesting ucttl-
ol-LrNi Was me atur-dr ~ Mr. Chandler
40 oeloch ln the morning he was deter
mined that there should be 100 increase in
The navy al O'clock Dee was wildly def
ant Ola The auur announcing his intention
81 voting ieT ANY ana ~ll propositions that
would tend to an extra session al S.)u
O'Clock be- was pleading With Builder and
I.limIg 10 get The tlu over 10 The House
IN The next ten minutes. as otherwise u
might fan
Afler MornIn= Had DawBed.
With a sigh OF relief the managers OF
the appropriation bills saw the last OF
the big budgets out of the way. ANA the
Senate took q recess. The chamber was
scene 81 great disorder. the flour being
Uttered with what seemed 10 De tons OF
paper. but score or attendants promptly
removed the debris. The Senators. whose
dre@ry eyes and haggard faces told the
story % lbr ail-night vigil FASTENED 10
ArI bite az breakfast or . brief naB.
When The Senate reconyened the appear