The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP

From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Build-
ing, Washington.
Washington. April 26.-Shall the pray
ers of the chaplain of the United States
senate be printed In the Congressional
Record? That is the
DR.. Hale Wants important q e S t 0 n
which has been agi-3
His Prayers tated for some weeks
In the cloakroorn coun-
In Record. ellis Of the upper
branch Of congress.
DR.. Edward Everett Hale thinks that they
should The senate steering committee
says not Senator Aldrich says they are
too long, and Senator Spooner adds that
there would be no room in the Record for
the daily business If the invocations were
set out in full. Senator Beveridge, who
used to be superintendent Of Hoosier
Sunday school. says it is unnecessary.
and Senator Nelson, who says d-n in
open debate, is disposed to rely on the
judgment Of the former Sunday school
member. Senator Lodge, who secured the
appointment Of DR.. Hale and who has
high opinion of the chaplain's literary
| abilities, would like to see the prayers
done into nonpareil, but he thinks the ex-
pense ought not to be permitted on the
! eve of a presidential campaign So, at
present, the prayers are printed by title
| only, but, as Senator Carmack says, the
Lord knows what they mean.
| In his capacity as speaker Of the house
| Uncle Joe Cannon never has shaken off
| the pleasing lnformality and abruptness
| of speech and manner
Speaker Causes for which he is famous.
His habit of going to
| Laughter the point of things by
| the most direct route
| in House. often conflicts with the
formality of the bust
ness Of presiding over the deliberations of
! the house, and even produces laughable
results. A few days ago Assistant Secre-
| tary Barnes appeared at the door Of the
/ house bearing a message from the presi-
dent. AS usual he was escorted half
way up the aisle by the doorkeeper, and
stood waiting for the house to suspend
its business and receive the message in
accordance with the usual formalities.
But the house did not come to order, and
| the messenger did not deliver. The speak,
er nodded to the presidents secretary and
made several motions toward him with
the gavel, but Mr.. Barnes stood stolidly
awaiting the usual announcement At
length Mr.. Cannon lost his patience
"Well,' he demanded, 'if you've got a
message to deliver, why don't you de-
liver it?" Whereat the messenger blushed
furiously, and the house went off into
roars of laughter. 40 80
"Well, that's an old friend,'' remarked
Senator Spooner of Wisconsin when the
senate called up the bill to pay SIPS, OOo
to the heirs Of Warren
Spooner's Old Mitchell. IF I am not
il mistaken once pre-
Friend Makes pared a report On that
bill myself-and an ad-
| Many Votes. verse report, too" The
| bill under cOnSidera
ton grows out Of a claim made many
| years ago for the price of some cotton
said to have been destroyed by union
soldiers during the civil war. In it's orig
inal form it was a very modest claim fol
a few thousands, but during the many
years in which it has been rolling about
, in congress it has accumulated interest
!, and other charges. q 1t was an old bill
when Senator Spooner made his first re-
port on it, and that was quite a long
while ago. In its earlier life it was de-
bated by Allen G.. Thurman, Ben Hill
Roscoe Conkling, and even by Blaine. II
, has been reported over and over, general.
ly adversely, and several times has passed
one branch Of congress, only to be held w
in the other. Thursday it came up again
!, hoary and grim, but more vigorous thar
ever. Senator Aldrich took a kick at it
: and Hale tried to put it down. Then tt
, the amazement of everybody, a vote was
asked for to override the opposition O.
5 the senate masters and behold the bill
> had the votes. Now 'femains to be seer
I whether it will actually become a law.
= w w Jermane