The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1902-07-18
HE FIGHTING SENATE.


The recent fistic escapade, in which
Senator Joe Bailey of Texas and Sen
ator Beveridge of Indiana were the
leading actors, reminds the writer of
the fact that during the session of the
senate that has just adjourned more
fistic cOmbats and free-for-all fights
were reported among it's members than
ever before in the history of that
august assembly. 1t has been a stormy
session and frequently the members
were worked up to the point of boiling
over and almost threatening to plunge
the country into evil war Not since
the days Of 1859 and 1860 has there
existed such strained relations be-
tween the North and South in the
Senate as those in the last session.
and, as in those days, it was the fight
ing blood of the South that came prom
lnently to the front in the session lust
closed. The first disgraceful escap-
ade that was reported was when the
brute Tillman Of South Carolina rush
ed across the senate floor and struck
his colleague McIaurin in the face on
account of the latter declaring on the
floor that Tillman had uttered a ma
hcious and wilful lie. The two men
were for the time suspended but they
were finally exOnerated and permitted
to perform their duties as usual al
though the consensus Of opinion
throughout the country was that 'rill-
man, and perhaps McLaurin, too.
should have been expelled from the
senate. Following close after the Till
man McLaurin embroglio Senator
Money of Mississippi had a street
fight with street car conductor, and
the senator showed his true Southern
spirit by pulling a knife and using
it quite freely on the belligerent con-
ductOr. He, however, was worsted in
the battle and was arrested for as
sault and battery, but the case was
dismissed without coming to trial.
Senator Carmack Of Maryland was the
next to lose all respect for senatorial
dignity, and he, in heated collouuy
with Senator Deliver, threatened to
do up his opponent then and there
and further added that if he (Doliver)
would say the same things outside of
the senate chamber he (Carmack)
would use his best endeavors to put
him in condition that he would
never again be able to make use Of
the language which was so objection
able to him (Carmack). The affair
was finally hushed up and no blood
was spilled. 1t, nevertheless, showed
that Senator Carmack was ready for a
dstic combat at any time the oppor-
tunity presented itself. The last fight
reported was that of Senator Joe
Bailey, who, having been bested in
spirited debate over the Filipino
question with Senator Beveridge of In
diana, demanded a retraction while
the senate was yet in session, and that
having been refused he brooded over
his wrath until the senate had ad-
Journed, when he pounced on his op-
ponent from the rear and threatened
to do him personal violence if he did
not retract it that moment. While
Bailey weighs about 200 pounds and
is said to be an athlete, Senator Rev
eridge weighs only 14O pounds, but
the Indiana man defended himself
quite we'll and prevented his antagon-
ist from doing him any violence until
Bailey was pulled off by Senator Spoon
er, the smallest member of the pres
ent U. S. senate. 1t will thus be seen
that senatorial dignity, courtesy and
respect did not count for much among
Continued on page 8.