Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-05-22

eminent except when 1t la used to say
yea or nay on some question on which
the vote in the upper house is equal
between the two sides,
Mr.. Sherman did go away for a few
days recently and Democratic sena-
tor was appointed president pro TEN.
but the Republicans took good care
that during the time Of leave nothing
should come to vote which was Of
the least legislative Importance. Mr..
Sherman sits in the chair now almost
with the Continuous regularity" with
which Mr.. Fairbanks sat In it. The
former vice president was away from
his duties in the senate on only two
occasions during the four years OF his
incumbency. l.s
Jokes OF the Senator'S.
The senate Of the United States
is reported generally as the staidest
kind Of body. It is seldom that
any jokes are cracked on the floor
Of the upper house, but OCCASION
ally there is an approach to hui
NOR, or an attempt at humor on the
part Of some senator in a speech, and
then there are likely to be smiles, but
there is never anything approaching
even the giggle which precedes laugh
ter.
In the quiet OF their committee
rooms senators occasionally tell sto-
ries and good many of them have to
do with men whom they have known
in public life but who are dead and
gone. Other stories have to do with
their experiences as senators in their
dealings with their constituents, espe-
cially such dealings as are had through
correspondence.
Senators and representatives both
are willing lot, but occasionally there
is a limit, A senator from Michigan
told some of his committee room com.
rades the other day that he had re.
ceived letter which he thought ap.
preached the extreme of assurance
This letter, he said, was from clerk
In one Of the departments and 1t viz.
tually ordered the senator-the order
being based on the ground that the
man who issued it hailed from the
state Of Michigan-to call upon the
superintendent of the division in which
the letter writer was clerk, and tell
him to have the clerks desk moved SO
that he could spend the time when he
was not at work In looking out Of the
window. The senator vouched for the
| truthfulness Of this story.
Platt's Modesty Shocked.
1
The other day member of the up
| per house told story of Senator For
aker Of Ohio and ex-senator Plat OF
| Connecticut who died some years ago
Mr.. Plat was known as the most mod
est man who ever had q seat in con
gress. He was modest to the shrink
ing point. The story ran like this:
when Senator Foraker was making
his speech against the proposal to ad
NIT Arizona and New Mexico as one
state he quoted from arguments made
by Senator Plat, who years ago on the
floor of the senate declared ;. that Da
kota was TOO large to- be admitted as
one commonwealth and that it should
be split in twain. The Ohio senator
started in thus: The senior senator
from Connecticut, Mr.. Plat - -
cat this instant the main door Of
the senate. chamber opened and Sena
tor Plat appeared and started slowly
down the center aisle. He had moi
heard his name as it fell from the lips
of Senator Foraker. Senator Foraker
continued: One of the most virile
minded, one of the ablest senators who
ever held membership in this body,
Senator Plat had advanced ter
feet. Every eye was upon him. Sen
ator Foraker continued: "A man
known to the country for his distin
guished services-a man known for the
fine quality Of his mind y
Senator Plat was now within ten
feet of the front row Of senatorial
desks The eyes We're still upon him
and in them and below them was 81
lent laughter. va 5g:;i
Senator Foraker went on: "A mar
whose opinion upon questions Of mo
ment carries weight always and convic
| tion nearly always. I 60 not astraJ
when seek the words Of the eminent
senior senator from Connecticut ~
Senator Plat had been listening
without suspicion. His name heard
he fairly folded his towering form, fel
| into a seat and there sat shiverinl
| from the shock to his Connecticut mod
esty.' Z. 81 II. 4,
Morgan Had Fun With GaIllnger.
Another story was told of Senator
II *. T. \ yh0 Il
i still in the senate and Senator Nor
/ gan Of Alabama who died not long age
i at an advanced age. The bill to admit
| Oklahoma as a state was under dis
cussion and Senator Gallinger had in
| troduced an amendment providing thai
no Intoxicating liquor should be solo
in the new state for tWenty-one years
Then the Alabama senator. rose II
his seat and solemnly proposed to Mr.
| Gallinger's amendment-an amend
ment to the effect that no one should
sell or give intoxicating drinks to the
inha bitants of the new state, lex
| cept wines which were made in the
United States" ~ 6
Senator Gallinger, who is the head
and front Of every reform movement
which reaches the senate, looked with
absolute horror at his friend from Ala
bama The New Hampshire senator
had in front of him in imagination 8
picture of the five civilized tribes lay
ing in a seasons supply of California
port and Missouri champagne. He
FASTENED to tell the senate that Indians
could get drunk on the American prod
uct as rapidly and as completely as
they could on the product of the vine
yards of France, and that there were
as many warpath possibilities in bot
tie of one as in bottle Of the other
The amendment to the amendment
was voted down, and there was just
a suspicion of movement of the body
of the Alabama senator to suggest that
he was laughing.
, ming as needless, drawing out hda
well.filled pocketbook and paying the
4 n sot, %ho CHI iva