Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-03-15

I
eign Commerce, and Mr.. Hearst
appeared before that committee
and made comprehensive state
ment concerning his bill that con-
Vinced every man who heard him
that he understood the situation
completely. His bill was sidetrack-
ed, however, and another bill was
substituted, and at caucus was
designated as a Democratic meas
ure. IL is believed by many that.
IT his bill had been designated as
the one bill the Democrats wanted.
many Republicans would have
voted for it and the House would
have passed it. inasmuch as under
the whip of the President they
were compelled to pass some kind
of railroad legislation to regulate
rates. The Republicans then pro-
ceeded to steal several of the good
points from the Hearst bill, let in
a lot OF daylight for the railroads
through knot-holes, cracks and
chinks, and then passed the So
called Esch-Townsend bill, which
they knew never would get through
a Republican Senate owned and
controlled by railroads, and it did
not but died with this Congress.
This probably would have been the
fate of the Hearst bill il it had
been passed by the House. but it
deprived Mr.. Hearst OF a lust
need of praise for his good work
In the interest of the people. and
lost the Democratic party a tactical
advantage.
Mr.. Hearst is nothing to me. but
he Is a good Democrat. who has
done some service for the country.
and ! believe in giving the devil
his due. He has stated that lac is
not, and never will again be. a
candidate for any office within the
gift of the people. and believe he
Is telling the truth. SO anything
said of him will not affect his polit-
ical fortunes. I'm this connection,
and growing out of this rate bill
fight, occurred the most dramatic
episode that has occurred in the
House of Representatives in many
years. Representative John A..
Sullivan, of Massachusetts, during
the debate on the rate bill. took
occasion to make an attack on Mr..
Hearst and the Hearst bill. and
INDUCED in 4 good deal of sarcasm
anent both. One of the correspon-
dents of Mr.. HearSt'S New York
paper the next day referred to the
incident by saying in effect that
at this juncture there arose a
little man with a bald head and a
red nose, whose name it seems is
Sullivan" Mr.. Sullivan took um-
bragg ut this, and on the next day,
or a few days afterward. arose to
question of personal privilege
and INDUCED himself in a TRADE of
abuse of Mr.. Hearst and his
papers. Ii was the worst castigat-
ing any man had ever received on
the floor of the House, so far as
bald statements and personal abuse
were concerned but absolutely
guiltleSs of any proof that Mr..
Hearst had ever been proven guilty
of anything that could be construed
as criminal or dishonest, or any
thing suggesting turpitude of any
kind. 1t was simply what the
youngster on the street would cal
a hot roast. There was even
betting on the floor of the House
that Hearst would not be present
that day, and would not attempt &c
answer the gentleman from Mass,
achusetts, except through hi;
papers. The bettOrs that way lost
Mr.. Hearst was there, and sar
through the roast" with the cool
ness of a veteran under fire.
When he arose to reply you
could have heard pin drop in til,
House. Everybody was holding
his breath. 1t was the most dra
matte scene. | ever witnessed in tn,
House, and l have been her,
watching the game for the past tel
years, and in that time have seer
some rather exciting episodes. A.
he proceeded with his reply to tn,
hot utilization of the little maj
from Massachusetts, in his dispas
sionate, cool, vet thoroughly force
full way, the interest in the seen,
increased. When he reached TIN
climax and told how man il