The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-29
QUEER OLD PLACE.;
THE SENATE
SENATORS WITH BOTTLES.
TTTJNAN WARREN INCIDENT
OVERTOPPED PANAMA TREATY.

Happenings Now and Then That De-
tract From the Traditional Senn-
toriaI Dignity-Members of the
House Like to Rub IL in on the
Senate When They Get a Chance.
Senators Smile GrimIy in Public
But Say UnSeemIy Things When
They Get in the CIOakrOOm.
BY r. NJ. Larner.
Washington, Feb. 27.-The Senate
has to endure a great many gibes and
jeers on occasion. A recent incident
wherein Senator Warren. of Wyoming
pulled a medicine bottle from the pock-
ct of Senator Tillman. shifted the con-
tents, made a wry face, and put the
bottle back in the South Carolinians
pocket, has increased the comments.
The members of the House without
regard to party feel it encumbent upon
themselves to abuse the Senate. All
such incidents as the bottle incident
serve as fresh impetus to the House
members.
Just now when the members of the
House meet in the corridors, one hears
old place over there in the Senate,
isn't it. One of the senator's not long
ago was indicted and placed on trial.
Well, he escaped and was acquitted
(referring to Senator Dietrich, of Ne
braska.) Another of their senators is
now under indictment in st. Louis and
must stand trial, (referring to SEN
ator Burton, of Kansas. Then there
l.. ., s,.xr1 fer.. ion, a. RI
his fitness for the place, (referring to
Senator Smoot.' of Utah.) Now mere
comes bottle lifting out of a sena-
tors pocket. Oh. it was only a medi-
cine bottle. but they had a rag chew
ing over that. Not very dignided was
jt?"
RivaIIed Panama Treaty.
Conversation along that line are fire.
quent. As a matter of fact the medi-
cine bottle incident provoked more con-
versatlon around the Capitol for a
couple of days than the ratification of
the Panama canal treaty did. The
treaty ceased TO be talked about the
moment it was DISPOSED of.
There was very general regret that
Senator Warren should have been be-
trayed into such a playful episode.
He is really an able senator. and
is we'll liked around the Capitol. II
he had pulled Mr.. Tillman'S bottle in
the cloakroom, it would have been an
other matter. But there is nothing
where the senators shudder at SO
quickly as anything that borders OH
infraction of senatorial dignity. 1t is
supposed to be a very august body.
Things that would be overlooked in
the House are serious offenses in the
Senate. Nevertheless one of the pref
test fist fights ever on record in the
Capitol was between two South Caro-
lima senator's a few years ago in tie
Senate. But both of them had to do
penance before they were admitted
back into the full privileges of sena-
torship.
TiIIman Said II Was Medicine.
AS shown by the Congressional Rec
ord there were only few words
spoken in the Senate about the Till
man Warren bottle episode. Mr.. Till
man is made to appear as saying a
few words of protest against having
his boracic bottle used as a gargle for
an liberated throat, pulled from his
pocket in open Senate.
Mr.. Warren simply said a few words
in apology. But the remarks were
carefully blue pencilled for the Rec
ord. They had, however, been taken
down by several newspaper CORE
spondents and I'm some papers were
published verbatim.
There Was an additional zest to the
episode in the fact that only the pre-
vious evening Mr.. Warren had given
a banquet at the willard Hotel, where
the guests Included cabinet OTHERS
and other very prominent official peo-
pie of Washington. Champagne flow
ed as freely as was consistent with the
presence of ladies on such a festive &C.
casion.
But members of the House continue
to go around, laughing in their sleeves
at the queer things that go on in the
Senate and senators grit their teeth
and smile grimly when the gibes reach
their digniied ears. The cloak room
at that end of the Capitol is some
times resonant with oaths that such
things should be, but the House also
knows that and its members are all
the merrier. The Senate will real
ly be very glad when it has heard