New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02

of Maine live to see the Dingley tariff in operation g.
long All tariff bills leaps in the dark and nobd
knows how the arrangement will turn out until il is ~
compshed There is point in every duty upon eve,,
article imported into the United States at which i'm
nortations will stop and the country begin to man.
facture for itself To find this elusive point is the ~,
r;ble task set before tariff makers. The excepor =.
this superstition that tariff bill is killer the as
Senator Morrill, of Vermont As Representative SsU
ator Morrill, engineered the great tariff that carr
the United States through the Civil War paying its usS
&c II went along Senator Morrill, lived tobe ephtveS
The House usually sits until five, but often much
later, and there are frequent night sessions.
Part of every Representatives time and eoquence s
conscientously given to buncombe. The history Of th
phrase is that in the early days Representative from
Buncombe County, North Carolina, got up and pro.
ceeded to make long speech about something in which
the House had neither interest nor business The men,
Der was called to order by another member on the ground
that the speech not germane to the question. This
the North Carolina member frankly admitted, saving
81 know it; but | am talking for Buncombe COUNTY
North Carolina"
The House was so charmed with this apt name for a
common practice that "buncombe became incorporated
into the American language. good deal Of talkngfor
buncombe is still INDUCED IN by aStute Representatives
TOWARD the close of Congress- when business be-
comes pressing and the House and Senate engageip
fierce conflicts appropriations, night sessions ale
often called The Speaker issues warrants for the arrest
of members who are brought before the bar and serny
Intercepted to why they are not IN the House at.
tending to their business When the social season is
in full swing, the deputy Sergeants at Arms know well
enough where to corral their men, who generally
dining out Many Washington dinners and receptions
have been invaded by officers OF the House with war
rants for the of members who are compelled togo
The excuses given when they are arragned before the
bar of the House are of varied character Repre-
sentative will plead that he was attending the bedside
of an invalid friend: when another Representative, who
has been toiling and moing during the evening will call
attention to the fact that the Representative IN even
ing dress and has flower in his buttonhole. Another
will explain with deep pathOS that he was writing letters
to his absent family and became SO absorbed that he for
got the flight of time Then he is much embarrassed by
fellow Representative asking what was the limit Of the
game Each and everyone is entirely innocent OF any
desire to shrk his duties and is ready TO SIT at his desk
attending TO the public business until he drops dead
Nevertheess there is a great deal Of absenteeism
There is an obsolete law that members may be deprived
of their paw for the days they not IN attendance
the House; but, although the party whips occasionally
threaten enforce this law 1t IS too iuch IN the nature
OF a boomerang to be popular
THE officers OF the House are given considerable
1 powers, and sometimes it turns their heads. The
celebrated expression "A bigger man than od Grant,
came from Texan deputy Sergeant at Arms President
Grants administration. ! he deputy sergeant eAuhg
in his rnagnifcence as bearer, wrote OF his glory
TO friend in Texas saying, 81 am bigger man than old
Grant Bv some means the letter became public, and
the expression became classic But in addition to he
deputy Sergeant at Arms being, "a bigger nan than
old Grant" he went on to say that ne received very
marked attentions not only from the Speaker but from
Mrs Kerr, the Speaker wife, woman OF the utmost
DIGNITY and propriety. This was more than Speaker
Kerr could stand so the deputy Sergeant was promptly
retired to private life
His famous phrase however, remains as a component
mart of the American language like another immortal
Texan. Webster Flanagan who, IN RepuOLcan Ma
tional Convention, when a speaker declared they were
not there for the sake Of the Offices inquired Then
what are we here for:
Another favore phrase in the House Of Representa-
tives is that of Tom Watson Of Georgia The proceed
ngs on bill having got into parliamentary tango MI