The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-05

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reached New England and threw
Charles Francis Adams into ecstasy.
He gave vent to his emotions at
dinner to George S. Boutwell,. in IBos-
ton. not long afterward. He compli-
mcnted Mccall by placing him in the
Same category with George F. Hoar
and Charles Sumner, declaring that 1t
was popularity of Massachusetts,
that she loved independence within
limits, and rarely failed to testify her
apprecia ton OF 1t. The guests shouted
with unalloyed delight when Mr.. Ad-
ans capsheafed his compliments to
Hoar and Mccall by the naive re-
mark. "They are not less honest than
| l." A proof-sbeet of this speech was
afterward sent to every member of
| oongrass. Nobody answered Mccall.
| Grosvenor, Bingham, Bromwell, Dick,
William Allen Smith. 8outell, Of IL
| linois, Moody, Of Massachusetts, and
| Bowersock threw themselves into a
hollow square and repelled cavalry
| assault made by Kleberg. Shaforth,
| Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, Otey, Stark,
Clayton of New York. Hay, Green,
| Cowherd, Slayden, Jett. McDermott
of New Jersey, and james y. Will
| liams of Illinois.
| The fiercest fight was over the prop
| osition to abolish the canteen. The
onset was led by General Littlefield,
of Maine, a pupil of Neal Dow. Fire
| flew from many a saher, but Little
field was victorious by vote of over
| three to one. Parker. of New Jersey,
made "a powerful appeal on behalf or
| the soldier, but il was entirely un-
| needed. AS the rules preclude a yea
| and nay vote in committee OF the
| whole, and as there is no provision
| by which a defeated amendment can
| secure such Il vote in the open house,
the names of those who stood by the
canteen Will never be known. 1t was
long after dark before the fight was
ended and the bill passed.
LENTz LOST AN OPPORTUNITY.
| A striking feature of the contest was
the elimination of two sections, which
| would have placed Fitzhugh Lee,
James II. Wilson and w. b. Shafter
on the retired list as major generals.
| The provision affecting Shafter was
| the first to come before the house. The
| minority, with one exception, voted
| against It. This incensed the majority,
| who revenged themselves by striking
| Lee and Wilson. 1t was a great de-
| bate-one that will furnish meat for
many future political campaign. The
| only regretable incident about 1t was
| the absence of Hon. John j. LentZ, of
| Ohio. AS a member of the committee
on military affairs, entitled to prefer
ence in recognition, he lost the oppor-
tunity of his life.
| With the bill providing for the in
crease of the army out of the way, the
| Grout bill came to the front. 1t was
| forced there by special order adopted
in the last session. 1t imposed tax
Of 10 cents a pound on oleomargarine
when colored in imitation of butter.
| The farmers We're said to be in favor
of it to man, and the mechanics
against it. Organized labor had de-
nounced it. Those living in cities
claimed that they were entitled to the
same privileges as the farmer. They
had a right to purchase oleomargarine
| because it is cheaper than butter, If
they desired 1t. without the imposi-
ton of an extra ten-cent tax. The
| strongest argument against the bill
| was the assertion that it was taxing
one industry for the benefit of another
| This was practically admitted by those
| favoring the measure. AS for the col
| oring clause, it was asserted that but
ter itself was colored. No one denied
| that statement, yet the bill was
passed. The agriculturists beat the
mechanics over two to one. 1t
required only days talk to ac-
complish this result. The victors were
cheered by the adhesion of many
strong advocates of state rights. Jo-
seph w. Bailey, of Texas, was not
among them. He said that nobody had
ever accused the ladies of fraud be-
cause they colored their cheeks. "If"
said he, 'it is to be charged that every
time an article is colored or discolored
somebody is attempting to practice a
fraud. then why not make it a crime
to color butter, just as 1t is now pro-
posed to make it crime to color oleo-
margarine?"
TRIUMPH FOR GENERAL CIRCUIT.
The passage of the bill was a great
triumph for William w. Grout, of Ver-
mont, who championed it. 1t gives a
basis on which to make a fight for a
return to congress two years hence.
He refused denomination last fall
to accept a seat in the United States
senate. Ten of his pledged supporters
in the legislature swerved from the
path of political rectitude, and Paul
Dillingham;, much to the surprise of
Mr.. Grout, slipped into the senate at
the side of Redfield Proctor.
With the Grout bill out of the way,
General Harry Bingham, of Philadel-
phia sprang the first of the fourteen
great appropriation bills upon the
house. Being privileged, it required
no special order from the speaker S
committee on rules. 1t carried $24,-
496, ,2OS,27. Under the generals skillful
guidance it shot the rapids in two
hours and a half.
On the following day Serene +.
Payne brought up the bill reducing the
war revenue. This was also privileged.
1t entailed a discussion lasting three
days. The minority sought a further
reduction. The discussion opened with
hardly a ripple, but when the beer
schedule was reached ii began to
seethe like whirlpool. With a dele
cation of brewers in the galleries, there
was q continuous struggle for the floor.
Those who made the most noise and
had the least to say usually secured 1t.
Almost invariably they damaged the