The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-10

course. the abuse will not be stopped,
for 1t would be quite as easy to abolish
the congress itself. People are learn
ing. however, to attach little impor-
tance to congressional debates. 1t has
not been long ago since the utterance
OF United States senator was accept
ed as oracular but that Is not the feel
ing now. The senate has changed,
conspicuously SO on the Democratic
side. Senator Vest. of Missouri and
Senator Morgan, Of Alabama, are the
two Democratic senators of note in
this congress. The Missouri senator
Is physical wreck. Senator Morgan.
at SO, Is still a strong man intellectual
~. but is marked for defeat In the APP
Droaching election in that state, by q
Populistic, demagogical, obscure poli-
tician. The south will then be left
without single senator in congress-
whose name or utterances would ever
be regarded outside the senate cham
Der. For years the tendency 10 polit-
ical decadence and degeneracy in
southern representation in congress
| has been too pronounced to have es-
capped observation. Obscurity and
mediocrity are stamped so plainly on
the Democratic side of the senate that
the stranger in the gallery with half
suppressed disappointment and chagrin
thinks aloud the melancholy refrain.
and it has come to this
TILLMAN.
| Tillman. of South Carolina, is a fair
sample of the new man from the south
| coarse, vulgar, reckless, impertinent.
| audacious. brazen and common. He
quickly perceived when he came to the
senate that his only chance to distinc-
tion was in notoriety. 1t was his
trump card, but the time quickly came
when the public tired buffoonery and
his notoriety is fast going into that
obscurity which makes him one of the
! nobodies in the senate.
Southern senators, as a class, are
well-bred, and many of them in this
congress are men of fair ability, but
apparently their sole aspiration is a
reelection. They have no time, conse-
quently, and little disposition TO study
public questions. Their speeches neve,
rise above sectional and local ques-
tions.
AN EXCEPTION.
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, is prob
ably an exception to this broad asser-
tion. His speech on the Philippine
! question plainly entities him to this
distinction. But even in that instance
he boastingly put section above coun-
try. Those who heard him doubted his
sincerity. But if he had not reflected
Il narrow. local, spiteful, public senti-
ment, how quickly some cross-road
politician in his state would have
avenged the indignity by an attempt
to defeat his reelection. The environ
ments and conditions that now obtain
in the Southern states are, no doubt
responsible for the decadence in South
ern representation i'm congress, and
southern congressman are. no doubt
responsible for the degeneracy in loca
politics that keeps them i'm public office
1t Is the story of the solid South
political condition and the use rf politi-
cal methods that gives the assassin as
much respectability as the ballot bon
suffer. 1t is Il matter OF deepest con.
cern and regret that this great pro-
ductive section of the country should
bear the curse of political degeneracy
| Time was when all the blame for this
condition of things was put upon the
"nigger,' but the black man is nc
longer factor in Southern elections
Little is left of the Democratic party
in congress, but the South, and the
average congressman from that sec
tion. is under an iron-clad pledge "a
oppose everything and every policy
that emanates from Republican
source. That is the only explanation
4 I)pnlnnra tr
Republican measures in either branch
OF congress Along this line may be
read every Democratic speech that has
been made in this congress.
CLOTURE WELL. APPLIED.
1t was wise and timely interference
to stop the miscellaneous harangues in
the senate, pending the consideration
of the financial bill. The cloture was
mot applied an hour too soon. The re.
suit is that the Aliens, the Pettigrews
the Buffers and Tilmans have lost
their occupation. and it is possible to
sit in the senate gallery and maintain
ones self-respect. But it is only a
brief respite. After the Quay and Clarl;
election cases come up. the question O.
a civil government for Puerto Rico
| $500 ''"i Z ihip'i taht SSt, thC dSlttllltIlt
between Great Britain and the United
States in reference to the building OF
the Nicaragua canal, will intervene
Hairs-and a great many Of them-are
to be split in the debate on this ques-
tion.
And the country may be prepared tc
receive the beligerent Democratic dec.
laration that the proposed agreement
Is indisputable evidence of the alleged
alliance between this country and Great
Britain. So confident are the Demo.
cratic spell-binders that this agree
ment between Secretary Hay and Lord
Pauncefote will arouse the anti British
sentiment in this country to a white
heat. that they are discussing the ex-
pediency of changing the name Of the
Democratic party to the anti British
party" and tacking to its tail the pro
Boer party" 1t may well be said thai
this country grows and progresses
despite conditions that might easily
prove insuperable obstacles to any peo-
pie under the sun but Americans.