The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-08
SEEN AND HEARD ATTHE CAPITOL

SEEN AND HEARD AT THE CAPITOL
The early adjournment of the House yes
| terday. due to the death OF the late Rem
| resentative Harmer, caused many of the
| occupants of the House galleries TO go
over to the Senate side. where a good
share of them spent the remainder of the
day. Under ordinary circumstances many
more people attend the sessions CT the
upper than of the lower house. and as
these visitors usually go to the Capitol
with the intention of spending the day
there. If one house adjourns at an carly
hour they spend the remainder of the
time in the galleries of the other.
The death of Gen. A. C. Harmer. of
pennsylvania, makes his colleague, Gen.
II. ii. Bingham, of the city OF Philadelphia,
rather of the House-that is, the member
longest in continuous service. General
mariner began his service as Represent
| slVe In the Forty-second Congress, bat
tailed OF election in the Forty fourth. and
was returned to the Forty NTH. since
Whlch time his service had been con-
tinuous. General Bingham came on with
the rorty-siXth Congress and has been
reelected every two years since Il is
an interesting and significant fact that,
beginning with the famous pig IRON
Kelley. Philadelphia Representative has
four times been father of the House.
Kelley, O'N4ill, Harmer, and Bingham,
The service OF Mr.. Cannon of Illinois.
Chairman of the Committee on Appropria-
tions, has been longer in its full length.
but his defeat when a candidate for the
Fifty second Congress, makes his longest
period of continuous serviee-from the
Forty-third to the Fifty-first Congress.
inclusiye-eighteen years.
An unusual number OF members of the
Diplomatic Corps were present at yester-
days session of the Senate, and the dipIo-
matte gallery did not present its usual
deserted appearance. The British and
German Embassies were represented By
visitors of both sexes, as were also the
Swedish and japanese legations. II was
noticeable fact that as each of these
parties presented their cards at the door
OF the diplomatic gallery their first ques-
ton was as to whether Senator Lodge
had begun his speech. The reputation OF
the Massachusetts statesman as an elo-
Iuent speaker together with the universal
interest which his subject has attracted
led a greater number of the foreign diplo-
mats and members of their families to
listen to him than have been present at
gress.
Representative Adamson held a short
conversation with Senators Bacon and
Clay in the Senate chamber yesterday
morning. and spent considerable time in
writing at the desk of the former An
election is soon to be held in the Georgia
Legislature to choose successor TO Sena-
tor Bacon, and although there seems little !
nf nt dinp n
his friends in the House and at his home I
are already beginning to organize in his |
support.
The late Representative Harmer was one /
Of the most striking figures in the House /
but in all his career it is not recalled that 7
he made a speech, certainly not formal
one. He performed in other ways the
service that satisfied his constituents. who /
made him their Representative fourteen /
times. 1t is related OF him that he an
swered with his own hand every letter re- /
ceived from constituent. and to this fact |
was attributed large p TT Of his success
i've denominations and elections. General /
Harmer's last appearance in the House, |
and the only one this session. was on the |
opening day, when, as father of the
House he administered the oath of Office /
to Speaker Henderson. At that time he /
was so feeble that he had to be supported |
by two of the House employees, the veter-
an Captain Chancey being at his left. The |
aged statesmans eyesight had also failed |
him. and Captain Chancey several times |
had to prompt him in repeating the words |
of the oath. 1t was a pathetic scene and /
closed the public career of one long ia
miliar to the place.
Members of the House continue to dis
10 r1,t,a- o-olt
of them happen to come together in the
Hobbies. and many statements are made on
this subject which are not intended to be
quoted. Yesterday several Republican
members were discussing the probable
results of the passage of the bill when a
Representative from Western State. with
a comicaliy resigned look, said. We'll, 1 |
don't know what the general result of its
passage will be- but | do know that when I
the people of my district heard that I had |
voted in favor of the bill they at once /
began to make preparations for my politi
cal funeral"
Some comment was caused by the state
ment made yesterday by Mr.. Lodge before
beginning his speech that he would de-
cline to yield TO Interruptions. but that If
any Senator desired to ask him any CUES
lions he might do so when the speech
was finished. Senator Lodge has the repu-
tation on the Senate floor of always pick
ing flaws in the arguments of the opposi-
tion at the time that the argument is
made. and he has often been known TO
speaker in order to ask ques-
ton or to make some comment regarding
mis- remarks This fact made more notice
able his preface that he would not permit
IN interruption. Senator TiIlman evidently
lid not hear this statement. for when Mr..
Lodge had been speaking for a short time
he South Carolinian arose and addressed |
the Chair with the evident intention of
questioning the speaker. but, receiving no
'ecCsr ition. he resumed his seat.
TRUSTS and rcxf-Rooks