Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-09-03
FIGHTS IN SENATE
NEVER OCCUR NOW
LANGUAGE IN DEBATE ALSO is
MORE RESTRAINED THAN IN
THE oLDEN DAYS.
SCRAPS BEFORE CIVIL WAR
Then and During the Years of Recon-
struction, Discussions Were Acrimo-
NOUS and Personalities Were Com
non-House, Too, Behaves Better.
By EDWARD g. CLARK.

by EDWARD =. CLARK.
Washington-The senate Of the Uni
ted States is not an altogether anna
BILE place these days, but if the people
are surprised at the occasional sharp
personalities which are exchanged, let
them think for a moment how much
better things are today than they were
In the past when there was little or no
check on the tongue, and on more than
one occasion no check on the fist
In sixteen years service in the press
gallery there has come to my know
ledge only one physical encounter on
the floor Of the senate, and as that
was in executive session and no one
would talk about it. the affair is
shrouded in obscurity to this day so
far as the actual facts are concerned.
About eighteen years ago two sena-
tors, members of the same party, rep
resenting the same state, exchanged
blow or two. Both parties to the al
tercation and a fist battle of q mo-
ment are now dead. Both, however,
lived TO regret the circumstances.
Today while the League of Nations
is under discussion there are things
said which senator's are sorry after
ward that they did say, but there has
been nothing of the kind which in for
mer years was the generally accepted
thing.
In Days Before the Civil War.
If one wants to read about person
alities, the lie direct. and abuse gener-
ally, let him pick up some of the his
tories Of senate proceedings prior to
the days of the war between the states.
Some of the debates between Sumner
Of Massachusetts, Mason of Virginia.
Butler of South Carolina in the old
days when read will make people I'M
derstand how parliamentary debate
has improved in manners with the
passing Of the years.
Even after the Civil war when men
seemingly had had enough of acrimony
there were some highly exciting YER
bal encounters on the floor of the SEN
ate. Men dealt, even as late as the sew
entities, in personalities, sometimes of
cruel kind. even taking advantage
sometimes of an adversary's physical
peculiarities or mannerisms in order
/ to humiliate him.
During the debates of the recon
struction period Blaine from the North
and Hill from the South went after
each other with verbal sledge ham
mers and occasionally the debates
waxed so hot that men feared trouble.
The nearest approach to anything of
n serious nature in comparatively re-
cent years was when one senator arose
and calmly said of another senator who
belonged to the same political party.
''The senator from - does not know
how to debate with gentlemen"
The senator to whom this remark
was addressed was known as fire
eater. However, he knew his own fail
ings of temper and to the utter amaze
ment of the senate he took the person
| al rebuke with due meekness, saying
that he had forgotten himself when he
was talking a few minutes before. and
that perhaps there was some justifica.
| AipAA 1T lttC iuVlhNiil IOh MlidL WAS S1tlu
| OF him.
Spooner Versus Tillman.
About fifteen years ago Senator
Spooner of Wisconsin, now dead, and
Senator Tillman of South Carolina
| who also is dead, had interchange af
ter interchange of personalities while
debating. Each had a seat on the cen.
ter aisle, their desks being almost op
| posite each other. The galleries time
and again thought that there would be
a real explosion with fragments flyinl
about. but both men kept well within
bounds which in earlier days of tn,
senate certainly would have beer
passed
In the house of representatives per
sonaiities come more frequently thar
in the senate, but the house. like tht
senate. is much better behaved II
| these days than II was in other days
There was personal encounter abou
| twelve years ago between a membe
| from Missouri and member from
Mississippi but not much damage wa
done The seeming aggressor in tn,
encounter was a representative who al
ways had been known for his dignitiet
and reserved bearing. He was not I
young man by any manner of means
His antagonist is now senator of tn
United States.
Gas Service Is Saved
Congress. after n careful hearing o
the advocates of both sides Of tn
issue. has decided against the chief o
staff of the army. and has continue
by legislation the chemical warfar
service. otherwise known as gas serV
Ice of Uncle Sans forces.
Until June 30, 1920, therefore, tn
gas service by order of the law
makers will be continued with tn
duties and authorities that ii had o
the day that the armiStice went ut
, effect. November II. 1918. The con
mittee Of congress which went int
, the subject heard the whole histor
{ Of the gas service. its intimate relf
tions with the chemical and dye II
duSfrv how the Germans built thei