Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20
Senator Fulton Tells About the
Tentative Quorum.
PATIENCE is EXHAUSTED
Tries to Drag Report From Inter.
state Commerce Commission.
CHAIRMAN AN EAvESDROPPER
Listens at the Crack of a Swinging
Door and Then Steals ST.
lently Away.

At last the manner Of the killing some
where In the deep recesses of the Capitol
of many a bill intended by its author To
bring about great reform or for some
thing else. has been discovered The hor-
rible secret OF the tentative quorum has
been laid bare. To Senator Fulton OF
Oregon. that mighty defender of the peo-
pies rights. belongs the lasting credit
For many long and weary months Sena-
tor Fulton has been trying to get some
sort of a report--of course. he wants a
good one. but he'll take any-on his
amendment to the interstate commerce
act. which would give the interstate COM
merce commission power to hold up a
change of railroad freight rates on the
protest of a single shipper. until the rea-
sonableness of the change could be in
Testigated. His patience became EXP
hausted yesterday, and he made known
his discovery.
Elkins Peeps Through Doorway.
Lurking in the republican cIoakroom and
peeping cautiously through the glass
doors, at the same time with his ear
to the crack, Senator Elklns, chairman
of the interstate commerce committee.
waited until it was over and then went
his way. all unknown to the senator from
Oregon.
The Senate was about to adjourn for
the holidays yesterday afternoon when
Mr. Fulton took the floor. Said he:
II hope adjournment will be postponed
for a few minutes longer. Tor even now
l can almost hear the footsteps OF the
senator from West Virginia as he Is hur-
rying along the corridor bringing the re-
port on my poor little bill"
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, had
made the motion to adjourn. He with
held it to allow his colleague from the
west to tell the bitter tale.
Tells His Tale of Woe.
1t was away back in last December
that Mr.. Fulton first asked the chairman
Of the interstate commerce committee to
report that bill. The chairman had said
1t was awfully, awfully hard to get to-
gether a quorum. but he would certainly
try to get one. as he. too, was very
anxious to examine into the merits of the
BILL But, in the touching words of the
Oregonian, the SHOWS Of winter passed
away, and along came the winds or
March and the gentle showers OF april.
These were followed in due time by the
bright flowers of spring. But, alas, still
no report
SoreIy troubled, but with hope spring
ing eternal in his breast. the author OF
the measure again said to the chairman:
How long. oh. how long?"
II only he could get quorum, If only
he could-Such was the touching answer
Of the senator from West Virginia.
Takes Pity on Chairman.
Mr.. Fulton took pity on the chairman.
III help you get one" he announced.
But" Mr.. Fulton said yesterday-and
the tears almost welled up in his sorrow
full eyes-"I found that a quorum of the
committee on interstate commerce Is the
most feeting and Elusive of all things
on this earth. We finally got one though.
but such quorum. j have named i
the Tentative Quorum, and il is a weird
and wonderful thing.
do senator's want to know what the
Tentative Quorum is? Well, I'll tell
them. It's a quorum made up of mem
bers who send nice. little notes and say
to the chairman, Please mark me pres
ent and consider that I am there for the
purpose Of listening. but please remem-
Der that I'm not there at all when 1t
comes to voting
Appreciative Of Efforts.
Il might say that 1 deeply appreciate
the efforts Of the chairman, and have
the greatest confidence in him. He has
certainly nursed most carefully my for
lorn little bill on his lap had almost
said he was sitting on It these many
months
Il can recall with great distinctness
even today the time the chairman arose
in this chamber last spring and faith
fully promised he would bring in "A re-
port on that bill before the Christmas
holidays this winter. Some day I may
hunt that promise up in the Record and
read it. to the Senate-just so 1t can
know how kind and considerable is the
chairman.
II can picture him now putting the fin
fishing touches on that report. Certainly
that is he hear outside the door. Again
[ plead with the senator from Massachu-
sets TO delay his motion to adjourn IL
would be sore disappointment to the
senator from West Virginia 10 come here
and find the Senate had adjourned, and
then to recall that this is the last day
we meet before the holidays
Turks and Listens.
Meanwhile the senator from West Vlr-
GINA was distinguishing and listening
through the crack in the door. and look
ing through the glass. The senators in
the chamber had their backs to him, but
plainly could he be seen by the Vice
President and from the press gallery.
Hurrying along was hc-hurrying first
to position OH one foot and then to one
on the other: hurryng to make himself
realize that he was awake, and that he
was not hearing those words from the
chamber in dream At last the sublime
confidence of the senator from Oregon i'm
his good intentions must have completely
overcome him. for he hurried away Just
as the westerner took his seat
Mr.. Lodge. the great literary light of
the Senate, spoke.
LAS the elder Pitt once said" he re-
marked. " Confidence is a plant OF slow
growth in the aged breast ] have been
here much longer than the senator from
Oregon and am sorry to say / cannot
share in his view
Lodge Makes Pathetic Admission.
Does the senator mean to say that he
has not the confidence in the chairman
that I havoc Mr.. Fulton asked, plain
lively
II do Mr.. Lodge replied. with pathos
in his voice.
And 10, a mighty stiffness reiSned
throughout the chamber. Somewhere the
sun was shining brightly; somewhere