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

The early adjournment Of the House yes
terday. due to the death OF the late Rep
! resentative Harmer. caused many Of the
occupants Of the House galleries TO 20
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 Of the
upper than of the lower house and as
these visitors usually go 10 the Capitol
with the intention Of spending the dag
there. II 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. H. Bingham. of the city OF Philadelphia.
father of the House-that is, the member
longest in continuous service. General
Harmer began his service as a Represent
alive in the Forty second Congress. but
tailed OF election in the Forty fourth. and
was returned to the Forty fifth. since
which time his service had been con-
tlnuous. General Bingham came on with
the Forty-siXth Congress and has been
reelected every two years since. II 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'Neill, Harmer, and Bingham.
The service OF Mr.. Cannon OF Illinois.
Chairman of the Committee on Appropria-
tions. has been longer in it's full length.
but his defeat when a candidate for the
Fifty second Congress, makes his longest
period Of continuous service-fTom the
Forty third to the Fifty-first Congress.
inclusive-eighteen years.
An unusual number OF members Of the
Diplomatic Corps were present at yester-
days session Of the Senate. and the diplo-
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
a 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-
quent speaker together with the universal
interest which his subject has attracted
led a greater number of the foreign dplo-
mats and members of their families to
listen to him than have been present at
any previous session Of the present Con
gress.
Representative Adamson held a short
conversation with Senators Bacon and
Clay in the Senate chamber yesterday
morning and spent a considerable time in
writing at the desk OF the former An
election is soon to be held in the Georgia
Legislature to choose a successor to Sena-
tor Bacon, and although there seems little
possibility Of his not succeeding himself.
his friends in the House and at his home
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
he made a speech, certainly not a formal
one. He performed in other ways the
service that satisfied his constituents, vino
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 a large p-rt 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 statesman's 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
cuss the Porto Rican bill whenever several
Of them happen to come together in the
lobbies 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 comically resigned look. said. We'll I
don't know what the general result Of its
passage will be. but | do know that when
the people Of my district heard that / 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 yeste rday 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 ques
lions he might do so when the speech
was finished. Senator Lodge mas the repu- I
tation on the Senate floor Of always pick
ing flaws in the arguments of the oppOsi- I
tion at the time that the argument is I
made and he has often been known TO /
interrupt a speaker in order to ask ques-
ton or TO make some comment regarding Z
his remarks This fact made more notice
able his preface that he would not permit
an interruption. Senator Tillman evidently
did not hear this statement. for when Mr..
Lodge had been speaking for a short time
the South CarOlinian arose and addressed !
the Chair with the evident intention Of |
questioning the speaker. but. receiving no |
recOgu itOn. he resumed his seat.
s.r.u.,- ,nJ F.xtnnaI-s