Evening star., 1909-05-19
RULED OUT OF ORDER
Senator McCreary's Remark
able Resolution Barred.
MAIL OF THE PRESIDENT
How the Daily Correspondence Is
Sifted for Him.
PEN PICTURE OF SAM HOUSTON
County Lines in Tennessee Explain
ed-Story Of the Famous Lafitte
Brothers Of New Orleans.

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The situation in the Senate today re-
minds me of similar condition OF affairs
which existed thirty-two years ago. dur
ing the electoral contest between the two
political parties over the presidency. The
feeling was intense, the debates were full
Of partisanship and bad temper. and 1.-The
greatest legislative body on earth was
guilty of many undignifled acts One
day the chaplain Of the Senate invited a
visiting clergyman of distinction to open
the proceedings with prayer, as was the
custom then and now, and, instead of the
usual brief invocation, he proceeded at
length to deliver what Roscoe Conkling
called a stump speech to the Throne of
Grace"
He informed the Almighty in detail con-
cerning the political situation, and be-
sought divine Intervention. It was rather
bad taste for a stranger to make such a
prayer. but it would have passed without
much notice had not James B. McCreary,
senator from Kentucky, and uncle Of the
recent senator of the same name. offered
a resolution that was extremely pertinent.
They called Senator McCreary "Old Ele-
phant Ears because two heavy curtains
of thick black hair hung down from the
sides of his head, which was very bald on
top. He was a man of great ability and
infinite wit. He seldom made a speech,
but always drew everybody from the
cloakrooms when he took the floor. He
was a master Of satire. and was bubbling
over with humor, which often found its
way into the Congressional Record. But,
on this occasion, Thomas w. Ferry of
Michigan, who was president pro tenn. of
the Senate, ruled the resolution out of
to strike the entire proceedings from their
notes.
McCreary's Resolution.
Senator McCreary always claimed that
he was entirely serious. and did not have
the slightest intention to make a joke or
show any irreverency; but his resolution
was construed otherwise by the presiding
officer. 1t began with a Whereas" recit-
ing that the person who has just occupied
the floor (meaning the distinguished
divine) had neglected to address his re-
marks to the presiding officer. as required
by the rules of the Senate. but Ito Being
entirely unknown to this body; and
whereas, in the course of his remarks, he
had made formal charges affecting the
honor and dignity Of the Senate. impeach-
ing the mental. moral and spiritual char
acter of the representatives OF the several
Independent and sovereign states forming
that the members Of the Senate were
weak and unworthy: that they lacked the
wisdom and knowledge necessary to per-
form their duties, and were very much In
need of divine grace and guidance,
"Therefore, be it resolved. That the COM
mittee on privileges and elections be and
hereby is authorized and directed to sum-
mon the accuser before the bar of this
Senate and require him to either prove or
withdraw his charges: and that the COM
mittee be directed to report as to the
truth thereof"
I cannot give the exact words of the
resolution. but that was the effect of 1t:
with emphasis, and everybody listened
with establishment. When the reading
was finished Senator Ferry, who was in
the chair. grasped the situation and In a
peremptory manner said:
1.-The resolution is not In order
Senator McCreary arose from his seat
with a twinkle in his eye, but before he
could utter a word Mr.. Ferry brought his
gavel down upon the desk with deter
mined whack.
"The senator from Kentucky is out Of
order"
'Mr. President. 1 rise
THE senator from Kentucky is out of
"Mr. President, I rise to a point Of
1.-The senator from Kentucky Is not in
order. The chair informs the senator
from Kentucky that there is nothing be-
fore the Senate. The Senate will proceed
with the regular order"
Senator McCreary cast helpless, but
an amusing. glance over the heads Of his
smiling colleagues and remarked to Sena-
tor Thurman. who sat at the next desk:
''It pears to me that we all are getting
mighty reckless of our regulations"
County Lines In Tennessee.
Mr.. A. G. Anderson of Bloomfield. Iowa.
asks me to explain the circular-shaped
counties in the state Of Tennessee Many
people have noticed that the boundary
lines of several OF those counties are