The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-06-02
CONGRESS CAME TO
LIFE AFTER II
WAS DEAD
slack" Harris Letter From the
National Capitol
CLOSING SCENES OF SESSION
Graphic Description OF tho Fight to
Pass the Now Aidrlch.vreeland
Currency Bill.

Editor of the Banner:-In my last
communication to you | believe |
killed off congress, buried 1t and
erected headstone. In common with
everybody else here | thought the
thing was defunct, but after 1t was
laid out-after 1t was boxed, In fact
1T kicked the lid Off and has since
been cavorting something marvel
lous. Nothing Of the kind was ever
seen before. No congress ever had
better send-off. There were kind
speeches. flowers, and singing by
picked choir. All this happened late
Saturday night, and when the
mourners departed for their homes
the alleged deceased was quiet as
rodent and wore smile of perfect
peace. Nothing was left to do but
come around Monday and cover up
the remains, but when the friends ar
rived to perform this last sad office
the dastardly defunct rolled over,
kicked its enclosure to bits and ran
amuck all over the place! Who ever
heard of a departed acting like that?
Seriously, and 1t Is no joke. the
completed last Saturday night, and az
ter the closing up of few odds and
ends final adjournment was scheduled
to come off Monday afternoon. When
the senate convened Monday, how
ever, 1t was reported that the demo-
cratic minority of the House. under
the leadership of John Sharp Will
liams, was delaying and preventing
business In every way possible by
forcing roll calls on every point, and
that II would require several days to
work through the necessary business
before any adjournment could be had.
Meanwhile representatives and sena-
tors were leaving for their homes on
every train and everybody was In an
agony of mind to wind up and get out.
Williams was cussed right, left and
perpendicular for the exasperating
and unnecessary delay, and every
body was worn to fragile. Monday
until long into the night and Tues.
day until late the House painted and
frothed and perspired and howled,
until 1t finally worked through its
business. Then, as soon as the way
seemed clear for evacuation, the dire
cry went up that another attempt
must be made to enact some kind OF
currency legislation. The Big Stick
and the Masses and the Unions and
the Sons of Jonadab and the Recha.
bites and the Merry Widows and the
Sons of Rest and the Nights Of Toll
and other affiliated organizations
were swearing that congress should
not die again until the financial stu
alton was relieved. The conference
committees on the Aldrich and Vree.
land bills respectively had previously
worked for weeks trying to agree on
something, and had finally given up
In despair. Nevertheless, they went
In to the silence again with fearful
and anxious hearts, and at once be-
gan to perspire gore like the behemoth
OF Holy Writ in final desperate ef'
fort to evolve something. All day
and all night they worked, and at
noon Of Wednesday the joyful an
nouncement was made that they had
at last agreed on compromise bill
1t was sent to the House without a
moments delay, and in ninety
minutes that body had passed 1t by
26 majority and returned 1t to the
senate. Here 1t was read. and made
a SPECIAL order for Thursday noon.
During all this uproar in the House
the senate, having completed its work
as It supposed, for the session, was
killing time In making rosy speeches
for the abstract benefit Of the human
race. A good third of the member
ship of each house was departed fol
It's bright and happy homes so fal
away, but as soon as 1t became
known that the currency measure was
loose again the absentees were wired
for in hot haste and soon began t.
romp back, frothing with rage ant
radiating disgust in red-hot chunks
Oh! 1t was a halcyon and vocifer
GUS time. sure thing! Everybody was
not only hot under the collar, but In
side and out, mentally. PHYSICAL!
and morally. They all had pressing
business at home, and resented thu
compulsion Of remaining in that heat
ed inferno day after day at the be
hest of Williams, the Big Stick, tn,
Bartenders Union or the Society TO
the Amelioration of Servant Girls
But there was no help for it, and Their,
they remained and cussed and per
spired. The resurrection of con
gress was never before heard Of ant
probably may never be again. Blu
who knows what may happen, whel
living under the administration o
the Simple Life?
Thursday morning the democratic
minority In the senate caucussed Il
order to inform themselves as L
whether they should interpose fatu
Gus objection to the adoption OF tn
report, or simply put themselves Of
record in few not over length
speeches. They wisely chose tn
latter course, and Thursdays session
of the senate was devoted to thei
reasons for opposing the measure. A
the close OF the session at the usua
time the republican floor leader, Hale
gave notice that an agreement ha
been reached with the minorit
whereby a vote could be had on tn
report the business Of the sessio
closed and final adjournment had FIR
day afternoon. This announcement
at. once elevated the weary and pei
spiration-soaked spirits Of ever!
body. and more especially those Of tn
innocent bystanders, and all troope
OF to their sizzling roosts wit
lighter hearts than had been know