Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-30
BURST OF FR|vOL|TY
The House Forsook the Paths
of Dignity.
MANY RECESSES TAKEN
Members Entertained Themselves
With Song.
MR.. FULKERSON WHISTLED
Hope of Early Getaway Knocked
in the Head by the senate's
Recess Until O'Clock.
Themselves
FULKERSON
WHISTLED

The House of Representatives forsook the
paths of craftsmanship and dignity today
and wound up its long session of hard work
In grand burst of frivolity. While wait
Ing for the Strengthening out of the tangle
caused by the inclusion in the sundry civil
bill of the $4,000, 600 item for a new depart
ment site, which had been stricken from
the public building bill frequent 1ecesses
were taken and the members on the floor
amused themselves in all sorts of ways. To
the spectators in the galleries it was better
than vaudeville performance. There was
singing and whistling, and stunts of all
kinds.
1t was as hot blazes on the floor
OF the House. Patriotic hearts beat be-
meath damp and clinging shirts, congress
slonal necks were circled by limp strips
OF linen that once had been collars, and
perspiration sat enthroned on the brows
where refrigerated eioquence is stored dur
| ing the closed season. But 1t did not
seem to matter. Everybody was happy
and wanted everybody else to know it.
Adjournment was only a little while away
and only few necessary business formal
tiles temporarily delayed the, stampede
Singing Opened With "America.u
The fun started about II 80, when the
House took its first fifteen minute recess.
That was when Jim Watson got up, song
book In hand, and turned loose the opening
words of 'My Country Tis of Thee" Gen
Keifer of Ohio, who was Speaker of the
House longer ago than most people care
to remember. climbed over dozen or so
seats, ploughed through a group Of his
colleagues and Joined the choir leader
The general Is proud of his singing and he
never loses an opportunity to exercise his
vocal chords. Chairman Tawney of the
appropriation committee, who was once a
real actor, and Olmstead of Pennsylvania
VINO thinks he missed his calling by not
going on the concert circuit, Joined in to
help out Mr.. Watson.
In little while pretty nearly everybody
on the floor, able to speak above a whis-
per, had joined in the refrain and the
grand old song was thundered out by three
hundred voices until 1t shook the glass
skylights. My Old Kentucky Home fol-
lowed as a matter of course and then
there came cries for Representative Full
kerSon, the weird warbler from st. Joe. Mr.
Fulkerson became famous n couple of
months ago during a dull session of the
House by some yentriloquisuc stunts that
amused everybody within hearing distance
and nearly drove Speaker Cannon crazy
trying to find out who was disturbing the
peace and dignity of the national legislature.
Mr.. Fulkerson isn't particularly bashful
and, after half dozen strong-armed re-
publicans had dragged him to the front, he
whlstied Home Sweet Home and several
other old-time favorites with triils and
variations that made hit on the floor and
in the galleries.
Choir Leader Watson improved the first
opportunity to start up GLORY, Glory Hal
lelujah, and everyone joined In Uncle
Pete Hepburn of Iowa did his part in
mir flyn
Grosvenor of Ohio, who will say goodbye
at the end of the present Congress 90 the
seat he has occupied for so many years
helped along the refrain and sang through
his whiskers In approved style.
The democrats began to get jealous about
this time and Representative Sullivan of
Massachusetts turned loose as a solo the
stein song from The Prince of Pilsen."
Enthusiasm Over Dixie"
But it was when Mr.. Watson. In answer
to calls from all over the House, started
up the familiar strain of Dixie that en-
thusiasm rose high as the mercury. He
was permitted to sing the first verse in
peace, but the refrain could hardly be
heard owing to the wild chorus of rebel
yells from the democratic side of the cham
Der. Every member from below Mason and |
Dixon's line jumped to his feet opered his
mouth and helped to swell the volume of
that historic and hideous noise
1t occurred to Representative Henry of
Texas about this time that Representative
Gaines of Tennessee, who has made more
speeches during the past Congress than any
other man in either body, was keeping un-
usually quiet, and he asked unanimous con-
sent that Mr.. Gaines might have the floor
for five minutes, provided he would discuss |
only the crime of 49," and that Repre-
sentative Charlie Landis of Indiana the OPP |
timist with the hothouse bangs, might take |
the floor for the same length of time to dis |
republican Dr0SDaritV all of
work for all kinds of people
Hope of Leaving Early Shattered.
Some frivolous person went around the |
floor about this time circulating the report
that Congress would adjourn at O'Clock
and that a resolution to this effect would |
be introduced very soon. On the strength |
of this the choir leader and his assistants |
started up the always popular song I'VE
Are Going Home" and Chairman Casseu |
excitement by fiourishing mileage book
Mileage books were not so common in the |
House in the good old days when the gooseal
hung high and railroads were kind
A few minutes later this hope of an early
getaway was knocked in the head when |
word came that the Senate had taken a |
recess until o'clock, and top of this |
Speaker Cannon announced that the clerk |
in the enrolling room was far behind |
that he didn't see how IL was possible Ter |
final adjournment to be taken until 6 O'Clock /
at the earliest.
A Democratic Contribution.
But the prospects of delay in the plan to |
adjourn early in sthe afternoon did not
serve to dampen the spirits of the more
frivolous members. and a new version of
the overworked song, Everybody Works
But Father was roared from the demo-
cratic side during a lul1. 1t went this way: 1
Everybody works but Cannon,
And he loafs round all day,
Presiding In his od1ce
In fascinating way
He's supp0sed to be the Speaker
But Hines II the whole show: |
Evefybody works In our House
But Uncle Jos.
After everybody had laughed as much as
ffay ulaased a s2liffTe. yynare hs1o3vnus ,v,a