The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-08-13
RAPID WORK ON
TARIFF MEASURE
How Enrolling Clerks Handled
the Big Payne Bill
HARD WORK OF THE. READERS.
Much Extra Labor In Reading the
Document-A Story About Living
ston of Georgia-Senator Stones At
fair With the Negro Porter-War-
bling Congressman.


fair With the Negro Porter-War-
bling Congressman.
Washington, Aug. 6.-[Special. IAN
unusually quick piece Of work was
done in enrolling the big Payne tariff
bill. AS the measure originated in the
house, of course the enrolling clerks of
that body had to undertake the job.
The conference report on the bill was
adopted by the house on Saturday
night, July 81 The enrolling clerks in
their preparations had gone in advance
of the action of the house They were
furnished promptly all the changes
made by the conferees, and they
whipped the many pages into shape
so as to make 'clean copy for the
men down at the government printing
office. These sheets were sent down
to the printing office on Sunday. AS
1t was taken for granted that the SEN
ate would adopt the conference report
In exactly the shape in which it was
submitted to both house and senate,
the force went ahead and printed on
parchment the entire bill. By o'clock
on Monday, Aug. 2, the complete bill
was in the office of Mr.. McKenney,
the house enrolling clerk.
Work For Reading Clerks.
The reading clerks of both the house
and senate have had recently a great
1eal of extra labor put upon them.
The conference report on the tariff
bill makes seventy-six closely printed
pages. When it was submitted in the
house Representative Mundell of Wy
oming, who commenced a little filibus-
ter of his own because he did not like
the treatment of hides, coal and other
things produced in his state. insisted
that the entire document should be
read. Over in the senate Mr.. Hepburn
Of Idaho made a similar demand
First Mr. Crockett, the reader with
the sonorous voice, started out and
later Reader Rose took it up. Senator
Hepburn did not follow the reading
very closely at first, but after awhile
he discovered that Rose had skipped
couple of pages, and Immediately the
senator with the ''untamed BOSOM" as
Mr.. Hepburn recently described him
self, announced that no more skipping
would be allowed. 1t took about three
hours to read the long report, and its
reading was merely to kill time.
A Tantaizine Thought.
Colonel Lon Livingston, the Oldest
Democrat In service in the house, is a
farmer by occupation and always has
lived on broad acres. He was stand
ing one hot day recently near the cap
tol, gazing wistfully toward the south.
A friend came along and inquired why
ne was so gloomy and suggested that
he should cheer up. 81 can't" replied
he Georgian. Pm sick and tired of
the tariff and this blamed extra ses-
zion. Why, just think Of a man hav-
ng to stay poking around here when
ne knows that down in Georgia the
road and the watermelons on the
other."
Congressman Generally Keep the Peace
Senator Stone of Missouri, who re-
GENTLY was arrested for slapping the
face of a negro porter in a Pullman
Ear, is one of very few men who
have served In either of the two
branches of congress who within the
asst twenty-five years have fallen into
The hands of the law for a breach of
The peace, this being one of the things
for which congressman may be TAX
s.,A, n.
greater his position protects him from
arrest. Within the last two years Rep
resentative Helm of Alabama was ar
rested on a charge of shooting at a
negro in a Washington street car. As
this negro had bad police record and
frequently is sent to Jail, the case
against Hefiin never was called, al
though he was indicted.
Warblers In the House.
Representative Nick Longworth is
establishing quite a reputation at so
cial gatherings as a singer Former
President Roosevelt's son-in-law war
bles mostly at stag affairs, and it
Is said that he has a number Of rat
Ting songs that never fail to stir up
the ''old bucks" in public life. Repre-
sentative Tawney of Minnesota is an
other singer among the congressman.
He usually starts the singing hilarity
On the floor of the house when the
speakers gavel falls for the adjourn
ment Of the session. There certainly
will be "joy unconhned" when Uncle
Joe dismisses his boys after the pas
sage of the tariff bill.
Two Members Seriously 90.
Two members OF the house of rep
resentatives are dangerously IN. They
are Mr.. Mudd of Maryland and Mr..
Legare OF South Carolina. The latter
is suffering from pulmonary complaint
Of a serious nature and is compelled
to stay out in the driest part Of New
Mexico. Mr. Mudd is generally broken
down, due chiefly to overwork. His
district borders on the national cap
ltal. He is simply worn out from the
demands upon his time by constitu-
ents. A district similarly located in
Virginia has caused the untimely
deaths Of three congressman I'm rota-
ton. CHARLES W. ARTHUR.