Evening star., 1899-03-02
CONGRESSIONAL GOSSIP.

L u
The last days Of Congress- are always
| very trying on every one, who has anything
| to do with legislation to be enacted in the
| rush Of these times. Thelpresent is no ex-
| ception to the general rule and the condi-
| ton is affecting legislation in which the
| District is greatly Interested. AS the time
| for adjournment draws near many senators
and representatives see their fond hopes of
getting bills and ainYslnIhments Ilents to bills
| They are during this time getting to work
earlier and continuing epp duty at night,
and the strain and loss Of sleep incident to
such experiences cause iErita biltty that is
sorts of legislation at any time. Altogether
the last days of the CongIsss are extremely
trying.
The success of Mr.: Gofman in having his
amendment attached to the army bill pro-
viding that all increases shall he merely
| temporary is attributed in senatorial cir
| cles chiefly to the attitude assumed by
| Senator Hanna. Mr.. Hanna, Mr.. Allison
and Mr. Spooner took the ground that Mr..
| Gormans claim that his proposition was
| a part of the original understanding was
| justified by the facts and that, therefore,
| there was no proper avoidance. M Cor.
| mans skill and power in compelling the
Senate to yield to him is being much COM
| mented upon, but it is safe to say that he
| would probably not have won or even made
| the fight if these three distinguished re-
publicans had not taken the position that
| there was justice in his claim as to the
| character of the original compromise agree
ment.
The idea that senatorial dignity is in
consistent with simplicity of manner is en-
| tirely erroneous. This dignity is a quality
which attaches to the person of senator
and to the Senate itself in the higher moral
serse, and can exist under shabby coat or
| a very simple manner. Senators Morgan
and HOar, who are the personification of
rs,1I orhp cd fnrt oair SIM
plicity of manner and eCockrell, who is
scarcely less appreciative of senatorial dig
nifty, is not only as simple as possible in his
| manners. but is very Indifferent about his
coat.
An example of the combination of sim
| plicity and dignity attracted the attention
| of visitors at the Capitol the other day
| Mr.. DAME, who is careful of his appear
| ance and very dignified in bearing, and also
| punctilious about small points of decorum
| met one of his constituents in the corridor
| on the basement floor. They had much to
| talk about. There were no chairs and It
was tiresome standing. A four-wheeied
| truck used for hauling heavy things
| through the corridors was standing against
| the wall in one of the most public passage
ways. The senator seated himself on this
| rough old truck few inches above the
| floor and for half an hour entertained his
! visitor, the center of observation to the
paSSersby.
The very unusual sight of Mr.. Hanna ad-
dressing the Senate was Witnessed vest terday
afternoon. when the Ohio senator advo-
| Gated an amendment to the pending appro-
priation bill for the purchase of two patent
guns manufactured by a company of
| Cleveland. Although appointed by Gov
ernor Bushnell March D 1897. TO fill the va
| cancy caused by the resignation of Mr.
| Sherman, Mr. Hanna has seldom been
| heard in the Senate
| When he became a member of that body
| there was very general feeling among
| many senators that he might wish to take
! q very prominent part in the work of the
| Senate because of his position as leader in
| the presidential campaign that had just
| closed. This caused 81 resentment on the
| part of many senator's who declared that
| Mr. Hanna would have-to enter as a fresh
| man and serve his time before coming
| prominently to the front like any other
| new member of the Sehatei Whatever the
| expectations or intentiens1lof Mr.. Hanna
| may have been he settled down to play a
very modest role in the Senate, although
! Mr.. Foraker who came in at the same
time, has uniformly filled a prominent
place in the Senate and has been one cf
| the most powerful factors lin guiding and
! controlling the Senate.
Representative James hamilton Lewis
has the little finger of his right hand dCne
up in rag. To his friends he explains
| that the tip end of his finger was cut off
a penalty Of Idle curiosity. IF any one
tells you that James Hamilton Lewis is a
fool, he says do not enter into a con-
trcversy over the assertion. / was exam
| lining one of those patent spring cigar cut
| ters and put my finger into>it to see how it
worked dr. {"
AS the Fifty-fifth Congress is about to
adjourn there are many speculations re-
E2rding the influence that the various
| states will exert in the upper branch of
the national legislature in the next Con-
gless. 1t is well known that it is seldom
| that a senator becomes very influential
dlty " iS for of 1poS in tI.sfS
half of that term. This argument is nearly
| always used by senators when they go be-
! fore their legislatures for reelection. but
| In many states it does not prevent a policy
| of rotation in office being pursued, so that
when a senator from such states gets down
| to work and acquires standing in the Sen
| ate, he is succeeded by a new man, who
has all the work OF establishing himself
! to do over again. Especially in eastern and
| in many southern states senators are
| elected term after term, and by long ser
! vice secure the choice committee appoint
| ments and complete Familiarity with con-
| g'essional business and methods. which re-
| suits in a very extensive influence being
| eXerted by them. In tmany well-known
| cases influential senators will be retired
| from congressional life next Saturday. and
| in December their seats will be filed with
new men, who, in turn, will secure that
| lhnuence which retiring senators possess.
AT the latter portion of a Congress, when
legislation is progressing rapidly. many
rates are seen IN the PUBIC galleries that
become famiiiar to senators and rcpresen-
| tatlVes. They are seen there from day to
| day. These men, and sometimes wonen,
| sit in The galleries from the beginning of
| the session until adjournment and they
| keep close watch on everything that is
| done. They are in very large number of
| instances people who are interested in
legislation being enacted or which is con-
stanty expected to come up for considera
| ton.
Monster Moose.
From the Anaconda Standard
| The biggest most magnificent and most
| beautiful moose head that has eyer heen