The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-11

| Senator William Y. Allen yesterday dem
onstrated that a wideawake minority is
! better than = somnolent majority. He in
| duccd his able but listless colleagues to
4 sympathize with the Beers. an action over
which they would have spent many hours
| OF deliberation had they been paying closer
! attention to the proceedings. If it had not
! been for the good nature OF Senator Allen
| in yielding his point after he had secured
! the passage of his measure by unanimous
! consent the Senate would have been placed
on record as being with the burghers in
| their struggle against British aggression.
The time for the introduction of the reso-
luton was most opportune 1t was during
the duh grind of the routine, and while
there were about twenty OF the Republican
Senators present. they were engaged in
conversation or in writing letters at their
desks. Even such alert gentlemen as Mr..
Chandler of New Hampshire and Mr.. Ali
son Of Iowa we're too busy TO pay atten-
ton 10 what was going on in the chamber.
MIR. Allen arose at his desk and said:
MIR. President. ! ask unanimous con-
sent that the following resolution be
adopted" A page carried the slip of paper
TO the clerks desk as Mr. Frye mechani-
cally repeated with the necessary changes,
the words Of the Senator from Nebraska.
Then the harsh, hard, voice OF the clerk
rang out loud and clear as he read the
Allen resolution. which follows:
Resolved, That the Senate OF the United States
OF America extends it, sympathy to the people
Of the South African Republic in their heroic
struggle for liberty anu popular government, and
believes it 10 be The duty Of the Government OF
the United States II America 10 offer mediation
TO the end that further bloodshed may he averted
and au honorable peace may be concluded between
the bcliigercHt govoruments-
The President pro tempore asked in a
significant way. if there was objection.
Senator Allison was writing a letter. and
Senator Chandler was looking over the
speech which he was preparing TO deliver
Many Senators were reading, writing. or
conversing. Only Allen Mason Pettigrew,
and Hale appeared to be. alive TO the
fact that an important resolution was
pending-that resolution was about to
go through which, IL discovered, would be
promptly buried.
Mr.. Frye alone seemed 10 realize the i'm
portance of the resolution. He suuirmed
uneasily in his seat and coughed The
cough, while unusual and even significant.
attracted no attention amid the droDlng
hum OF the voices in the chamber Mr..
Frye then seemed to forget the slight at
tack OF bronchitis that had made him
cough when he first scented danger. and
he exclaimed in a voice that was clear aad
vibrant. IF there be no objection, the
resolution will be adopted" Then came
a long pause. during which a spasm of
pain seemed to cross the mobile features
of the President pro tempore But the Re !
publican Senators were too busy inter- |
viewing Morpheus to hear the voice Of |
their leader.
The acknowledged Boer sympathizers, |
Mr. Allen, Mr. Mason. Mr.. Hale and Mr.. |
Pettigrew. were sitting bolt upright, and |
the resolution looked like the result of a |
between these champions OF the |
burghers.
As there was no objection The resolution |
was passed. When the announcement was
made, Senator Pettus OF Alabama awoke as
Il some one had stuck him with pin He |
rose 10 his feet in a dignifisd manner and
said: ''Mr. President, ] should like TO have
10 say on that resolution
Senator Allen then laughed. He had /
,iven his Republican colleagues an object
cSson in the value Of keeping awake.
The President pro tempore awakened the
Senate by announcing in loud tone. The
Chair asks unanimous consent that the
resolution be reconsidered." Mr.. Allen,
who had carried his point, said that he
would not object, and it was 20 ordered.
The resolution was again put before the
Senate and Mr.. Allison moved that it be
allowed &c 20 over under the rule. The
resolution was thus disposed of for the
ime being