The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-05-31
By Ernest G. Walker.
tMail Special to The Advertiser.l

spring has been so tense and so long
drawn out that it has come to be al
most individualistic to those who,
watch it closely. For example, Sena-
tor w. Murray Crane, of Massachu-
sets, observed recently at the close
of hard afternoon of graphing with
recalcitrants:
ooh, we are having one Of our hyster-
ical moods today. The situation is
hysterical. Probably it will be calmer
and more composed tomorrow.
When there is so much earnestness
of effort, common spirit often APP
pears to possess the legislators for
| day. They feel fine and amiable. A
spirit of amity and of compromise pre-
walls. This sort of an attitude perme-
ates the entire Capitol and then the
situation is promising.
l But perhaps half dozen leading
men in the governing group get out
of bed on the wrong side in the morn
ing, or the breakfasts of quite as many
men do not suit them and down to the
Capitol they come, grouchy and ILL
humored. The influence of their feel
ings goes around the entire circle with
which they are in touch. Then the sit
i alton is bad and there is hesitation
about forging ahead and trying to
achieve a little progress that day with
the Presidents legislative program.
Again, when the arrangements have
all been made and the votes have been
promised to put through an amendment
or proviso. A majority may have
been made by compact between some
regular Republicans and some insurgent
Republicans or between some regular
Republicans and some Democrats or
even between some insurgent Repub-
licans and some Democrats. But in the
morning half dozen Democrats put
their heads together in the cloakroom
and allow that they will not stand
for the particular amendment, as drawn
, by certain Republican senator but
prefer a different shade of meaning
which a Simon pure Democrat has
drawn.
''Well, 1 guess we won't stand for
: that, they say and away they go
The word spreads. The harmony pro
: ducers suddenly find things, out OF
!, tune. They see the combination which
promised to be successful gone tx
y smash and then they must postpone
r and defer till the situation can be ar
ranged again. Such matters las these
Q often very little matters-cause the
= great congress of the United States tc
pause these ftful days when it is tick
Q lish work to get a majority together
T that will stick
The house is supposed toprbe very
+ staid and certain in its onward move
o ments. There are men who will con
vey the impression that only the sen
r ate lollypops around in such fashion
d and bides the suspicious time. 1t il
not altogether so. When the hous'
r once gets into motion it is not so easy
C to divert it, because of some mino!
incident. But until it gets into mo
It ton, there is great precaution in max
n ing sure. The moods of little groups
of men have much to do with determin
j. ing whether one course or another shall
S be tried for the leaders do not lik'
to embark upon an undertaking whicl
+, can not command a majority.
q There are days when the hous
of representatives is as fitful and a
J. fretful as a child. A given measur
g that might go through one day
r. whooping might be overwhelming.
n beaten another day. Men of long ex
o perience in getting small bills throug
e there or in bringing important bills an
amendments to finality try first t
0 feel out the temper of the house in tn
% hope of finding a placidity and repos
e which bespeak smooth sailing. If me
are feeling ugly, the legislators wit
k bills to bring up try to postpone an
Y await some more amicable season.
r The senate, being composed of fewe
men and having practically no restrit
or tons upon debate, is even more fitfI
t. and is therefore much more of an III
a. certain factor in a legislative situation
Any senator of the 90 can run amuc
Of oratorically any afternoon on any oil
s, subject and there is no way to sto
le him which can be relied upon. 0fte
the most effective check is not to inte
rupt him in any manner whatsoeve
but it is not often that senators wi
remain silent in their seats when an
z irebrand is hurled into their midst.
it is that the successful legislators 1
the north end of the Capitol beeon
w exceedingly weather wise and learn
" sense the serene days. And when the
are sure a serene day has come the
= crowd on steam and speed along IL
legislative ways.
With SO many hostile groups and e
pecially with two hostile Republics
factions, the delicate ups and dow
of the legislative situation are mo-
tickle and uncertain than ever this wi
ter and spring. The uncertainties b
2 come wearisome indeed TO those wi
assume the responsibilities of gettir
things done. The President has becon
little worn, but he does not wori
greatly. He never does worry niue
His lieutenants on Capitol Hill, ho1
ever, can not escape the worry al
they have their gladstone days al
/. their worrisome days, while the leg
lative program iiggles and iolts alon
+ crawling over the ascending groui
) and speeding over the deel titles. Som
Z how, or other, however, the leade
hops something will get through Al
that some june day, somehow, eOngTt
will adjourn for the summer.
After all is said pro aud can abo