The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-22
Washington
Day BY Day

Washington, April 21.-(Speciai.) AFTER
the disastrous defeat of the three proprl-
etors of the House of Representatives In
their battle against the proposition to
amend the Cuban sugar reciprocity bill
by. striking out the differentiai tariff on
refined sugar, two of them. the miserable
Payne and equally miserable Dalzell
walked YEARLY into the House restaurant
and securing an obscure little table for
themselves they each ordered a. long
glass of grog.
This incident would seem trihing enough
to any one not familiar with the situation
in the House: but in point of national In
terest 1t was one of the most striking oc-
curances OF that most memorable legisla-
tive day. In their long careers in Con-
gress neither Mr. Payne nor Mr.. Dalzell
ever before fingered after the adjourn
ment of the House to take a drink or for
any other purpose. Ordinarily both these
leaders leave the Capitol instantly after
adjournment, refusing to linger for any
reason or excuse whatever.
AS the Speaker says, THE House stands
adjourned. the white whiskered Mr..
Payne and the grey-mustached Mr.. Dali
zell habitually hurry out and Off and away
to their homes. But they had never be-
fore met disastrous defeat while, in con-
junction with Speaker Henderson. owing
to the majority of the House; and so they
were so amazed and dazed by the final re-
volt of the beet sugar members. COM
monty called either blanket Indians or
Insurgents" and the union of these with
the Democrats In knocking the pet Cuban
scheme of the administration into a cock
ed hat, that the great and srieved two
felt impelled to seek grog to strengthen
their overwrought nerves end their down.
cast spirits.
Mr.. Payne and Mr.. Dalzell over long
glasses of grog In the House restaurant
presented one Of the most novel specta-
cles witnessed In the capitol in recent
times. Neither of the grieved great two
Is accustomed to strong drink In their
homes and their clubs and at their dinner
parties they take little for their stom-
achs' good and because 1t is the GUS
tom In polite society; but 1t is proper to
say that they are not strong on strong
drink. Nor are they accustomed to visit
ing the House restaurant at all. Virtuai
ly they are strangers there. for both are
very busy legislators and are not over
fond of the pleasures OF the tables.
Therefore you can wcll Imagine that
the presence of Master Payne and Mas.
ter I,alxell at a little table In the House
restaurant afttr o,elu-k in the ey.ning,
with two long glasses of grog between
them and in slow process of beire
emptied. was somethil very far out of
the ordinary. In good s0cth the two mas
tiers, members If tn, firm of Henderson,
Payne and Dalzel. late owners of the
House OF Representatives, were bad sick
and If they had been In the nature of
violation of their pledges to go their way
and drink no more.
1t was one of the instances, very numer-
Gus in the lives of ordinary men who
never expect to own the House of Repre-.
seatatives. when long glasses of grog are
a necessity-arc real, life-saving medi-
cine. Master Payne and Master Daizell
were very sick men-politically sick, it is
true: but IL there be any one particular
sickness IN this world demanding SYM
pathy and long glasses of grog, it is the
painful and deadly political sickness
which disables so many men from time to
time.
Thus, warm and weary, grieved and
sick. unto death, Master Payne and Mas
ter Dalzell, sat at little table in the
House restaurant and slipped life from
two long glasses OF grog. Custom that
had grown habitual required them to
speed away at the moment of the Houses
adjournment. and in ordinary conditions
they would have been at their respective
homes eating their respective dinners
But conditions were not ordinary. Mas
ter Payne and Master DalzelI were rnh-
bling their wounds and trying to drown
their sorrows. Even the walters In the
restaurant regarded them with interest.
and the crowd of men who lounged with
the usual tipple looked upon the famous
SICK ones with surprise; but the sick ones
TOOK notice OF nobody but each other.
They slipped their grog talked intently.
looked unutterably miserable. The unex-
ampled disaster which had overtaken
s''SAA uPSeaiiS hurried Lnem as things of
shreds and patches down below.
This Is how Jared two of the great
triumvirate after the mighty battle with
the Democrats and the blanket Indians''
and insurgents of Republicanism. The
object lesson they presented was remark
able in its political suggestiveness It
showed that the Democrats had at last
got together and the Republicans had
got apart.
The tragedy and comedy OF partisan
politics were strangely mixed In that
final struggle in the House. At the in
slant when tellers were demanded on the
amendment to remove the differential
tariff from refined sugar the excitement
was SO intense that scarcely man spoke
above a whisper. =
The tellers stood as usual in the open
space in front Of the Speakers stand
and near them awaited the chief of the
triumvirate and principal owner of the
House. Speaker Henderson. His ordinari-
ly red, round fat and stolid face was a
study in pale excitement. He faced the
excited House. and swiftly catching the
eye of every Republican he moved for
ward few PAGES. and turning slowly he
limped back and passed between the
tellers. the first man to be counted
against the amendment. that Is In favor