Arizona republican., 1903-03-15
CUR B ENT
 COM M ENT
The Tea of the Crocodile.

On Sunday, March 1st, the National sulosies of dead members of congress. This notwithstanding the pressure of public business in the last days of th, 5ession, and with the certainty in view that even with the utmost possi- ole dispatch. it would be impossible to get action on a number of important bills. By a discreditable parliamentary fiction which distinguishes a 'legisla- tive from q calendar day this did not take place on Sunday, but on the prs ceding Saturday. That, however, has nothing to do with the waste of time; it is mentioned only as an instance of congressional morality, a morality that IS not inconsistent with Justification Of public records and perversion of his tory.
 The purpose of the legislative custom of "eulogiZing' dead members is not apparent unless it is to add a terror 1f death and make honorable and self respecting members rather bear the ills they have than escape to others that they know a good deal about. If member Of that kind who has had the bad luck to Ego before could be con- suited, he would indubitably say that he was sorry to be dead; and that is not natural frame of mind in one who is exempt from the necessity Of himself delivering a eulogy.'
 It may be argued that the congress sional "eulogy' expresses in 9 general way the "eulogist's" notion of what ha would like to have somebody say of himself when he is by death elected to the lower house. If so. then heaven help him to a better taste. Meanwhile it is patriotic duty to prevent him rom indulging at the public expense the taste that he has.
 There have been few men in congress who could speak of the character and services of a departed member with truth, moderation, dignity and even eloquence. One such is in congress to- day-Mr. Vest. Of the others the most charitable thing that one can conSci- antiously say is that one would little rather hear a "eulogy" by them than on them. Considering that there are many kinds of brains and only one kind of no brains their diversity of gift is remarkable, but one characteristic they have in common. They are all poets. Their efforts in the way of euloSism H. lustrate Pascal's obscure saying that poetry is a particular sadness. If not sad themselves they are at least the cause of sadness in others, for no soon CT do they take to their legs to remind us that life is tleeting and to make us glad that it is, than they burst into bloom as poets all. Some one has said that in the contemplation of death there is something that belittles. Per haps that explains the transformation. Anyhow your congressional ''eulogist' takes to verse as naturally as a moth to a candle, and with about the same re- suit to his reputation for sense.
 The poetry is commonly not his own: when 1t Violates every law of sense, fit ness, meter, rhyme and taste it is. But nine times in ten it is some dogS-eared shopworn quotation from one Of the "standard' bards, usually Shakespeare. There are familiar passag from that poet which have been so often heard in "the halls of legislation that they have acquired an infamy which units them for publication in a decent family newspaper, and Shakespeare himself, reposIng in Elysium on his bed of am- arahth and moly. omits them when reading his complete works to the shades of Kit Marlowc and Btn Jonson, for their sins.
 This whole business ought to he "cut out It IS not only q waste of time and sore trial to the patience Of the couE-