Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-01

ported from the Committee on War
SiaillS. headed the private calendar.
Hlrinsing behind them were several
nuhured measures from other commit
tees, half of them pension claims For
niuhy years, Friday night, under the
rules OF the House, has been set apart
LOT the consideration of pension bills.
Unfortunately for Mr.. Mahon, Prof
iaioert, of South Carolina. ut the be-
Slnifg of this session inauguratcd n
system of night schools At these re-
UNIONS he insisted that no pension bills
should pass without the presence OF Il
quorum. This forced the Committee
on Rules to the front John DalZell
was in evidence. They brought in a
special order, setting aside two Fridays
each month for the consideration of
pension bills. thus robbing Tantalus of
one half of his useless time.
1t was too much for Thaddeus Ma
non. Hc evidently wanted to see the
1000 on the table. even IL unable to
taste 1t. In an instant he became n
picturesque figure on the floor. Cunning
with Indignation, he denounced the at
tempt to interfere with the privilege
oil his committee. In sonorous tones
ana combative gestures he declared
mat there were bills upon the private
calendar, reported by him, that in
VOWED claims of soldiers of the Span
lSn-American war, as we'll as those of
the civil war. In Importance, they rose
iar above the claims of any descrtcr
whose bill might be covered by the
proposed rule. Then he poured the
Vlais OF his wrath upon Prof. Talbert,
eliminating in these words:
IT would have been n great pleas
urc III the Fifty-ffth Congress to as
sist in throwing the gentleman from
South Carolina out OF his seat, because
ne never was elected. l wish and hope
| and believe" he continued that the
! result of his course will be that some
republican or Populst may be in
uuced To run against him for Con-
| Sre.'s, and break up the rotten record
| of his district
At this Prof. Talbcrt became some
what excited. He persisted in inter-
| rupting Mr. Mahon, until finally the
| Speaker said:
'"rhe gentleman from South Carolina
Is out of order; and the Sergeant-at-
Arms will take charge of him If he
does not obey the Chair"
Ii was the first time since his cleo
ton as Speaker that the gritty nature
| of David b. Henderson had crnpped to
| the surface. The South Carolina pro-
Iossor afterward obtained the floor and
III burning words upheld his right 10
demand quorum whenever pension
| bills were under consideration.
The new rule, however. was adopted.
ana Tantalus again took his seat at
the half furnished table. Seventeen
| pension bills were passed while he sat
there. on Friday, March 16, after
some desultory firing, the private call
endar was again reached. Tantalus
| was not allowed a sip of the nectar.
| Under the rules, the Committee on
Claims and the Committee on War
| Claims alternate in the consideration
| of bills every fortnight. This Friday
fell to the Committee on Claims. The
| first measure considered was bill in
| volving expenses incurred by the Hon.
| claude y. Swanson, of Virginia, in de-
Tending his seat iiff-tito- Fffty-frrth Con-
| gress against Republican contestant.
! The day was wasted in the considera-
| tion OF this claim and the bill was
| finally withdrawn by Swanson himself.
| And Tantalus still sits at the table,
under the rules. never eating, nor
drinking, under the rules, although the
table is furnished, under the rules, and
| he has right to eat and drink, under
the rules, provided he can reach the
delicacies, under the rules.
RMS. however, is not all. The Fifty
ifth Congress developed n similar ia
iality, when measures from the Com
mittee on War Claims were reached
| Week after week and month after
month took wings. and Tantalus. with
hungry eyes and craving stomach. sat
at the table smacking his lips I'm vain.
At last, Selling q favorable opportu-
nifty, Thaddeus punched his claims and
threw an omnibus bill from the House
| into the Senate. 1t was master
stroke but the result was hardly en-
couraginS. The Senate loaded up the
bill 10 fabulous amount, involving
millions in money, and sent it back to
the House. Thaddeus had it thrown
INTO conference, where it remained for
months, and finally came out thorough
~ eviscerated. Mahon made a bitter
fight against the insatiate annette of
the Senate. and at last came to a COM
promise, losing some Of his own claims.
out saving the country over s200O.OOO
Many n worthy creditor of the gov
eminent, however, was ruthlessly
butchered
These claims appear perennially be-
fore Congress. awaiting a propitious
moment. Creditors of the government
are seen in the corridors on every leg
islative day. Some are we'll dressed :
others in shabby raimcnt: but. there is
Glimmer of hope In every eye. The
wealthy applicant usually finds n seat
in well-furnished committee room
while the INDECENT one remains in the
corridors and' window embrasures with
achiWg feet and downcast heart All
recall the>fate of William McGarrahan
owner nj the famous quick silver
mine. lie paced the same corridors
and passed hours every day in the same
cnibrasures for more than thirty
years When his bill had passed both
Houses by an overwhelming vote. he
took on renewed youth and received
the congratulations of his friends with
fearful eyes. After nearly forty weary
years he saw the fruition of his hopes
within reach. From the depths of pow
erty he mad climbed to the elevation
OF wealth. In his old age he had reach