The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-05
PROPERTIES RULE
BADGER SENATORS
Spooner- La Toilette Incident Just
What Might Be Expected
of Gentlemen.
NOT THE ONLY FEUD
IN THE u. s. SENATE
Wisconsin Senators E1mity
Matched by That of Other
Members. -.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Jan. 5.-The courtesy
and urbanity which characterized tho
meeting of Senators Spooner and La
Toilette yesterday has been the talk
of the capitol since. Nearly every
body felt that. Spooner would be equal
to the demands of the occasion, but
some doubt was expressed as to whether
himself as to appear, on the surface,
as agreeable as the situation required.
Both acquitted themselves with credit.
Spooner worried over the matter for
q long time the night before, and at
his hotel he was bordering whether he
ought to call on La Toilette the night
of his arrival, or wait till next morn
ing. One Of his friends advised him
not to call at all, in view. Of the
enmity existing. $3.50. :
"But how can I appear gracious and
and ' pay my my respecfs?'' he asked.
"Do it by letter. some one sugs
gested, and finally it was decided that
it should be done in this way.
Note to Fa Toilette.
Spooner sat down in the writing
room of the Arlington and wrote La
Toilette a note, Informing him what
was the custom when new, senator
appeared to be sworn in, and suggest
inc that he stood ready to do the hand
Toilette received this letter before go
ing to bed, and sent a reply to it in
which he said that he placed himself
entirely in Spooner's hands IN this
matter, and would gladly do anything
that was suggested as proper.
This reply called for another note
from Spooner, who said that he would
meet La Toilette at 1870 Thursday
morning in Spooner's committee room
in the capitol and escort him to the
senate chamber. La Toilette answered.
saying that this was entirely agree
able to him, and this ended the cor
respondence.
Promptly at the hour named, La Fol
lette raped on Spooner's committee
room door and was admitted. There
were several others present. The two
men shook hands, exchanged pleasant
greetings, and then proceeded to the
senate chamber. Thus was "a very
touchy' matter disposed Of. - ,...s,
way as would not impair the dignity
of himself or La Toilette or the dignity
of the senate, and evidently La Toilette
was anxious to do the same. 49, -- :
Feuds Of the Senate.
This is not saying, however, that the
two gentlemen will have anything fur
.her to do with each other. The guess
Is that they will not.
senate similar to the feud between
spooner and La Toilette, where men
from the same state, and belonging tc
the same political party, were bitter
personal enemies. Senator Gallinge1
and Senator Chandler for years repre-
sented New Hampshire together in the
senate and never exchanged greetings
The feud between Senator Tillman. an(
his colleage, Senator McLaurin, became
so intense that they came to blows sew
erai years ago on the floor Of the sen
ate. An intense personal feeling arose
between Senator wellington and Sena
tor McComas during the time they
served in the senate together from
Maryland.
At the present time there is anothe
feud fully as bitter as that betwee3
Senator Spooner and Senator La Fol
lette. Senator Berry and Senator Clark
Of Arkansas meet and pass each Other
total strangers. In their case the cere
mony Of walking down the main aisl
together, when Senator Clarke wa
sworn in, was omitted and Senate
Clarke played the part alone. Senate
Berry volunteered to act as his co
leagues escort upon the occasion, bu
the offer was spurned.
Prophecies Observed.
There have been many instance
where senators from the same stat
and belonging to the same polite;
party have not been on good term
but where they have been able ou
wardly to observe all the prophetic
During Hanna lifetime, he and Fo
aker did not agree, but they did ne
split openly in the senate. For yea
there has been a feud between Fai
banks and Beveridge in Indiana, an
/, yet there never has been anything
the senate to suggest that they WEI
not close friends. ..-
Similarly, Nelson and Davis we:
never close friends, and during tt
latter's lifetime they had almost not
ing in common A similar condition
now developing in South Dakota, b
tween Gamble and Kittredge, GRO,
ing out of the former s campaign f
reelection, which campaign, it
charged, Kittredge is trying to il
pede.