The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-08-21
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.
mon-House, Too, Behaves Better
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

" HNhAAiS ipils ilt StlliIe Vi lllt 1ill
ted States is not an altogether amia
Bile place these days. but if the people
are surprised at the occasional sharI
personalities which are exchanged, lei
them think for a moment how much
better things are today than they were
In the past when there was little or nc
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 a 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 senators 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 re 70
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
a cruel kind, even taking advantage
sometimes Of an adversary's physical
peculiarities or mannerisms in order
to humilate him.
During the debates of the recon
struction period Blaine from the North
and Hill from the South f, 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
a 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, saving
that he had forgotten himself when he
was talking a few minutes before and
that perhaps there was some justifica.
ton at the moment for what was said
OF him.
Spooner Versus TiIlman.
About fifteen years ago Senator
Spooner of Wisconsin, now dead, and
Senator Tilman 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 flying
about, but both men kept well within
bounds which in earlier days of the
senate certainly would have beer
passed.
In the house of representatives per
sonalities come more frequently thar
in the senate. but the house, like the
senate, is much better behaved II
these days than Il was in other days
There was a personal encounter abou
twelve years ago between a member
from Missouri and a member from
Mississippi. but not much damage was
done. The seeming aggressor in the
encounter was representatives. who al
ways had been known for his dignifiet
and reserved bearing He was not {
young man by any manner of means
His antagonist is now a 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 continued
by legislation the chemical warfare
service otherwise known as gas serv
Ice of Uncle Sans forces.
Until June 80, 1920, therefore, tn,
gas service by order of the law
makers will be continued with tn
duties and authorities that II had oil
the day that the armistce went int
effect. November H. 1918. The com
mjttee of congress which went int
the subject heard the whole histor.
of the gas service, its intimate rela
tions with the chemical and dye In
dustrv. how the Germans built thei