The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-05

Il somewhat debona1r4 Ola gentlemaHs WINS
inquire III the national HOUSE OF Repre-.
ii eentatives l,ns been a prcn,nent one fol
4 many years. A tiny spray OF lilies OF the
/ valley ana two or three violets we're or
II his lnpelks and smile played over ms
snce, but as he proceeded the sn,iic os-
Thoro was Republican applause after
FL Gratis sat In utter silence. Then saw
two or three Democrats, including Cap
A tain Lamb, applaud n patriotic utterance'
y Finally General Henderson exclaimed:
''Go on With your rough and tum pic
fighting on this floor but pray YOU
"a always keep your eyes on TINT nag up
" yorder, and be willing to give UP your
~ life to defend 1t" s M
Then II was that nearly every Demo-
crat on the floor Joined In the storm OF
applause, which was maintained for
considerable time.
Sts a few words more. and General Hen
X dcrson concluded by rapping once with
II his gavel and declaring the lHfty-seventh
Congress adjourned sine die IT was then
minutes past noon.
8 Instantly about dozen Republican
members sprang to their feet waving
tiny flags. and struck up America"
4 The rest Of the Republicans soon joined
III In tho national hymn, and before the first
\ singing as loudly as any. Speaker Hen
81 derson came down from the dals, and tho
4 Republican members pressed forward to
L shake his hand. Later, when America
Il and AUD Lang Syne' were vieins with
u nach other. for supremacy Of sound. the
Democrats toinod In the procession ana
babe the Speaker good-by. One Of the
last Ito shake hands with Speaker Hen
r1erson was Mr.. Richardson, the Demo-
49,, ntrV
u and warmest strife with him for the past
six DAYS. he shook the Speakers hand
rapidly, said a few words, smiled family.
and went back to his. seat, though nearly
K every other member was standing about
1.-THE dais. 4s, lA,
s VOLUME OF SOUND
n Now the song has become "Ie's a Jol-
q ~ Good Fellow and several voices
X from the spectators galleries swell the
volume Of sound. Many visitors have
Il crowded in upon the floor BY this time.
among them number Of ladies, who go
forward with the men nnd tell the
y Speaker goodbye
Finally the press gallery started the
long metre Doxology: Praise God,
From Whom All Blessings Flow" In
Etantly there was a remarkable hush.
which continued until the four lines
were sung. Then there was loud APP
plause from the floor.
1t was now 1920 o'clock. The crowd
grew rapidly less. The corridors were
now crowded. and a. vacant seat could
be found with difficulty in either the
Senate or House restaurants while
! standing room at the bar was at
B Capitol was deserted. save by attaches,
and q few visitors. The play had
ended. The curtain had been runE
4 down on as fine a bit Of serlo-comedy
4 as the American people have enjoyed in
years. For in view Of what nll the
country had been led to expect Of this
session Of Congress, the real accom-
of last falls campaign. brought in con-
trast with the sum Of the fulhllments
as counted one by one at the end of
the session., suggest vaudeville OF the
! tnost popular type. ii Ell
MANY PLEDGES UNFULFTLLED. g5
Republican campaisners, from the Pres
ident down. promised a law that should
regulate the trusts. The fultillment is
one bill passed at the urgent request OF
II the great railway systems Of the country
and a brief provision in another bill,
which will be for tho special benefit OF
a half dozen OF the most powerful of tho
~ trade combinations.
The Republicans promised BILL to re-
form the currency. There has been abb
Z solutely nothing done, and Of the three
measures proposed by tho majority, Re-
pubicans were not United on any.
ST The Republicans promised to- complete
arrangements for tho construction Of an
tsthmian canal. An extra session of the
Senate Will begin tomorrow to further
81 discuss the fulfilment Of that promise.
1t was promised that LEGISLATION should
be enacted which would allow the inhab-
jtants Of The foreign possessions OF the
& United States to trade with u on terms
that would make their material condition
better than 1t was when they were under
the dominion Of Spain. Nothing was
4 done.
It was promised that treaty with
81 Cuba would be ratified whereby the ac-
ouisition of the freedom Of the island
z would be a blessing in commercial
sense to the Inhabitants and to the people
Il OF the United States The extra session
3 OF the Senate is also necessary to debate
whether this promise should be Kept.
1t vas promised that four territories
should be added TO tho Union OF states
1t was not done. .s
~ These are only q few particulars IN
I which campaign pledges have not been
kept. Far be t" from me to say that the
country would have pronted from their
fulfliment but promise made with
honest men, Is a promise kept. With poll
teal parties 1t is too often only means
to catch votes.
It cannot be said that the Democrats
deserves unalloyed praise for their course
a In this Congress. They have lacked
above everything n thoroughly compe-
tent leader. Mr.. Richardson is u par
Humanitarian, but he has been woefu!ly
lacking In the ncutcnesa, tho broad
mindedness, and the magnetism which
should characterize the loalar Of a poll
tical party on the floor OF the House Of
Representatives. AS a result. there has
been a noticeable lack OF cohesion. and
unanimity among the Democrats. Their
policy has been too nihillstIc. They have
jEought to destroy without being prepared
! TO offer anything by way OF suhstitu-
zion.
But tho country is unaues ttnNably un-
\ Her deep obligations to the Democracy
& for the policy OF obstruction which the
minority OF the House followed tor the
Y last week o. the session. This policy
decreased by at least nire-tcrths the
number OF laws that would have been
enacted. More than n halt OF tho statues
enacted In tho rush of the last week OF a
session OF Congress are vicious. The
y Democrats reduced the amount of bad