The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
CAPITOL GOSSIP.
The Divided Democracy.

The Divided Democracy,
The tilt in the Senate yesterday be-
tween Mr.. Tnlman, Of South Carolina,
and Mr.. Patterson, of Colorado, was gen
orally commented upon as IMPLYING very
perfectly the condition Of the Democratic
party in the nation. In his speech criti-
cising the Presidents action in the mat
ter Of the summary discharge without
honor Of three companies Of the Twenty
fifth Infantry, Mr.. Tillman spoke with
great plainness and unreserve of the fixed
determination of the Democratic party in
his State to oppose 10 the limit political,
as well as social. equality Of the blacks
with the whites. Senator Spooner, who,
II is understood, IS to close the debate on
the negro soldier question tomorrow.
listened with marked attention TO the
South Carolinian's speech, and was OBJ
served to make elaborate notes as Mr..
Tflman proceeded. This was believed by
the crowded galleries to indicate the GER
tainty that the Wisconsin Senator in
tended to answer some Of the more sa-
uent points in Mr. Tillman's argument
before the days session closed. But this
confident expectation was disappointed by
Mr.. Patterson's conduct. The COloradoan
went at the South Caroiinian much more
savagely than Mr.. Spooner probably
would have done, and in the course Of the
heated colloquy he provoked with Mr..
TiIman the line of cleavage between the
Southern and the Northern Democracy
was very plainly marked. As the Demo-
cratic side Of the Senate thus became in
volved in fierce factional and sectional
strife. there was, OF course, nothing left
for the Republican side of the chamber to
do but sit still and enjoy the rumpus.
Mr.. Frye Was "RiIed."
For twenty years or more Senator
Frye has been fighting, in season and out,
for a ship subsidy bill At every session
in this time he has made one or more
speeches on the subject that have been
deliberately reported in all the newspapers
and occupied many pages in the Congress
sional Record. But it appears that news
Of one of the chief fights made by the
Maine statesman through all of his long
and honOTed career in Congress has not
yet reached everybody in Boston. When
Mr.. Frye was on his way from Maine to
Washington for the opening of the pres
ent session Of Congress, he stopped over
In Boston and was there besieged by
newspaper men for an interview. Final
~ he admitted a group Of Boston report
ers TO his hotel room at the same time
The journalists surrounded him with
sharpened pencils poised over the white
sheets Of their notebooks. The spokesman
thought to begin tire interview by asking
the Senator this question, which is of
great interest to Bostons commerce:
Have you paid much attention to
shipping legislation during your career in
Congress? If so, viii you tell US what are
the prospects for the passage of a bill at
the approaching session."
Senator Frye. who had determined to
give the assembled reporters an extended
interview, looked at his Questioner for a
moment. and asked 70 be excused The
Boston reporters are probably wondering
to this good hour why the Senator from
Maine treated them so abruptly.
Gave an Apple FeHSt.
When the Hon. Jonathan Bourne takes
the oath OF office as a Senator Of the
United States from Oregon on the 18th
OF next March, he will find hilarious wei
come awaiting him in the press galleries
of the Capitol. The reason Is that his