The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-14
A SENATORIAL SCENE.
SIR. CAFFERY SPEAKS FOR HOURS
TO EMPTY BENCHES.

Thirteen Persons in the GALLERY at
One Time-Senator Fairbanks
Opinion of whisky and Quinine'
senator "BiIIy- Mason Has Estab-
Iished an Entente COrdiRle at the
White House.
Washington. d. c.. FEB. 13.-Mr Doug
las Story might have found a subject ior
comment as he visited the Senate cham
Der Yesterday a few minutes before J
O'Clock. He would have witnessed pan
tomine entertainment which might have
shocked his British instincts so far as
dignity and decorum relate to parliament
arv proceedings. Senator Caffery of LoulsI
Jana. who boasts that he and Senator
Lindsay Of Kentucky, are oil that re-
mains Of the true Democratic party be-
cause of their gold standard principles,
was addressing the Senate in opposition to
the ship-subsidy bill. Senator Caffery
had spent the greater part OF the day
drawing out machine-made speech
which was so dreary that it cleared not
Only the Senate chamber of its members,
but also kept the galleries practically
empty. Several times the opponents Of
the bill called for a quorum and senators
hurriedly entered the chamber, >recorded
themselves as present and then disap-
peared as soon a Senator Caffery resum-
ed his talk against time.
The scene which might have impressed
Mir story occurred wfrra-there We're by
actual count. but FIVE senators present in
the chamber, thirteen persons In the gal
lery and one lonesome newspaper CORE
sponGent Senator Teller. who figured ar
one of the obstructionists. walked over
and stood beside Senator Caffery until the
latter finished sentence. Then followed
a whispered conversation between these
TWO senators, which lasted probably from
Vhree to five minutes. In the meantime
there was "a total suspension Of business,
and the only sound audible was the rasp-
ing voice of Senator Tillman chatting
casually with member of the House of
Representatives on sofa in the rear of
the hail. After numerous gestures, which
were apparently to give force to friendly
suggestions, Senators Teller and Gallery
evidently reached satisfactory under
standing. 1t is possible that the Colorado
senator may have supplied his gold bug
associate with new train of thought for
the latter branched out on an entirely
different feature Of the pending ques>
zion.
Senator Fairbanks of Indiena and Sem
ator Clapp of Minnesota We're coming
down from the Capitol from a night ses-
sion. Senator Fairbanks was complain ms
of the inconvenience which ineffective
night sessions have upon senators,
especially if they are threatened with a
touch Of the prevailing grippe. The In
diana Senator suggested various remedies
which are supposed to AFFORD relief from
this much dreaded ailment and turning to
Senator Clapp. remarked:
Senator you are originally from In
diana and you doubtless remember that
old-fashioned remedy they used to pre-
scribe for q disease of the grippe charac-
ter down on the banks of the Wabash.
1t was whisky and quinine"
Il don't Ike your mixture" retorted
Senator Clapp with a scowl upon his In
dian-like countenanee. 1T spoils the
whisky and don't do the quinine any
good
His reply was made loud enough to be
heard by all the occupants of the car
and Ii was evident that he spoke from ex-
perlence and knew what he was talking
about.
Since Senator Billy Mason ceased firing
brlck-b bats and other missiles into the adj
ministration's back yard. he has become
q familiar visitor at the White House.
For q long time the junior Senator from
Illinois was not permitted to share in
the distribution of patronage and his po-
litical friends We're becoming hungry and
disposed to look the state over for some
one to succeed him who would have a
fair division Of the spoils over which
Senator Cullom seemed to have a mo-
ropoly. Senator MasoDs attitude towards
the administration has apparently under
gone a decided change and he is happy
in the belief that he il as welcome at the
White House as THE flowers of spring."
Just now there are several important
appointments about to be made I'm Him
cis including a United States judgeshiD
and a postmaster at Chicago Senator
Masons term is about to expire and he
is figuring on a reelection. II is under
stood that he has played the political
game so cleverly that ne has practically
secured the Chicago postoffice appoint
ment for personal friend who engineer
ed his senatorial campaign at Spring
field. In return for this concession, Sem
ator Cullom. it is understood, will name
the new United States judge to be APP.
pointed. There are several other smaller
federal appointments to be made in Him
OILS and upon the strength of his restora-
ton to good standing at the White
House, he will probably be permitted to
divide favors all down the line with SEN
ator Cullom.
Up TO a recent period. Senator Mason
had very little to show in the way OF
patronage as the result of his four
years service i'm the Senate Being a
practical politician and representing such
a large effice-seeking constituency, he is
inclined TO be very grateful for these
crumbs of comfort which fall from the
Presidents table at this particular time
His friends claim that his chances N
succeeding himself are thereby improv-
cd, Notwithstanding the report current
throughout the state of Illinois thai
Young Charley Dawes, the able, popular
and clever controller Of the currency, Is
ih the senatorial race with the admins
tration behind him. 1t is observed thai
Senator Mason is not as belligerent MOI
as pugnacious now as he was during hi
early career as a senator. lie has aban
doned fault-finding and abuse of the adj
ministration and now makes himself
more agreeable TO his Republican asso
ciates by pltnging into society. an.
amusing them with a splendid line q
clOak-rOOm stories