The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-02-19

WASHINGTON. Feb. ia spirit OF
sadness peryadCd both houses of con
gress today over the announcement
conveyed by newspaper bulletins from
the sick room that Senator Hanna
would hardly survive the day. Early
adioumments were taken in senate
and house. the members of which had
at the opening listened to feeling ret
erences to the dying statesman made
10y the chaplain. There were no
speeches, no wrangling. no expressions
of party rancor in the senate.
A truce between parties and fac.
tiuns was declared. while the shadows
were thickening around the bedside OF
the man of whom all were thinking,
Ordinarily this would have been a
field day of party strife in the senate.
The day had been set for an agree
nent in executive session upon the
day for the vote on the Panama
treaty. This would have precipitaCcd
another outburst of partisan reclim-
ination. one of those biting debates
so often possible in the senate, where
there are past masters in the art ol
political recrimination. Instead, the
agreement to vote February 23, was
reached in an executive session of les;
than five minutes duration and the
doors were opened.
The senate refrained from taking up
anything which would cause debate.
No one had the heart TO talk. Only
unobjectionable bills of the calendar
were considered and passed. Senators
who had anything to say about the
bills smoke in low tones and the clerks
and The presiding officer modulaIe1
their voices.
II was understood that the senate
was but remaining in session to re-
celyc a message which all feared as
mumentarily imminent, and which
would be followed by formal action.
1t would be difficult to portray o. re-
fleet the deep air of sadness which
affected Senator Hanna's colleagues.
The feeling of melancholy and regret
was sincere and all-peryading
II would not be eXaggeratiOu TO say
that the senate today could be liken.
ed to any room OF the sick chamber
where devoted friends were gathered
to wait news from cherished friend
or relative whose condition was peri
luus.
The agreement to vote ON the tFeaty
is equivalent to it's ratification, as it
is wei known that fifteen Democratic
senat, rs and every Republican sena.
tor will vote for it. The adoption of
the Panama route which will be ef-
fect-d by the ratification of this treaty.
marks iI the estimation of senators
the most pronounced achievement in
a legislative way accomplished by
Senator Hanna, while lie was mem.
Der of that body. He had done many
other things that bad shown his in
fluence, ut in the case of the canal,
his forccful presentation of the claims
OF Parama end his mastery conduct
of TIC pro eadings relating - the mat.
tel were such as to make the outcome
almost q per Onal victory for the Ohio
senator
The lower body was astonished to
hear Representative Shafroth Dem,
Colo), cecl"re That upon personal
investigation the claim of Robert
BonynGe. of Denver, to his seat. he
was convinced that he (Shafroth) had
ben iilega' y elected. He asked that
he be unseated whic', was done after
several spec hes tcstifying to his in.
tegrity hGd been delivered.
The action Of Mr. Shafroth, Il Is
though. in some circles may cause
trouble for Mr.. Teller. (Dem, Colo)
who recently was, elected by major.
ity OF one vote afloc prolonged dead
lock. A half dozen legislators were
elected in tho Shafroth district.
contest aga!nnt Mr. Teller's scat
may be made In view of Mr.. Shafroth's
announcement, It is thought.
SENATE.
Washington. Fob. 1--we ask thee
10 consccrn,e t1 us this day the house
OF death rrayo'. Chaplain Hale, when
the senate met at noon 1--WE ask
tree to coTTccrate to us the lessons
o. life. and in the midst of death NAV
we know what life is Come TO us in
our sorrow over an afflicted one
ccr,e TO those yhJ are close TO him,
who arc not to see his face or hear
his voice.
Nearly every senator was In his
seat. The chaplain labored under
teep emotion and President pro TEN
frye, a close personal friend of Sena-
tor Hanna, was vlsibly affected.
Immediately after the reading OF
the m'nutes, the galleries were order.
ed cleared and the doors closed, upon
motion OF Mr.. cullom (Rp., Ill.). who
then directed attention TO the preyi.