Evening star., 1935-06-16
Capital Sidelights
BIZ WILL r. KENNEDY

Bx WILL r. AENNEDxs
when flibustering Huey Long nom
chantly spuTned the suggestion of
acting Senate Leader Barkley that he
try to sing instead of talk during his
loquacious marathon the other night
he missed q bet, passed up chance
for breaking q record that has stood
for ~ years, nearly a quarter Of q
century after the title holder has
been sleeping peacefully In his grave.
For there is just one Incident in all
congressional history where q fili-
busterer did sing-reviyal, camp
meeting hymns. That was IA years
before Senator Borah or Representa-
tive SABBATH Of Illinois, the veterans
Of the Senate and House, who came
into service March 4. 1897, had entered
upon their legislative duties, but it
is well remembered by several veteran
newspaper men, still active in their
profession, who were in the press
gallery on that occasion, and by
several OF the elder employees at the
Capitol. notably William Andy"
Smith, who was in charge of the
Congressional Record even that long
ago and put the historic speech into
the permanent record Of Congress.
Senator william Alfred PETER Of
KanBas.sa quaint character, noted for
the longest whiskers that ever came
to Congress, ministerial in appear
ance, dress and manners, made that
record as q singing statesman during
famous flibuSter in 1893 to prevent
passage of q bill recommended by
President Cleveland to repeal the
lsilver-purchasing clause of the Sher-
man act. The hlibuster, In q pro-
tracted continuous session, followed
weeks Of stubborn fighting by such
men as wind" Allen of Nebraska,
John p. Jones and william NJ Stew
art Of Nevada and Edward o. VOL.
colt Of Colorado.
PETER was q character" who had
been born in Pennsylvania and lived
conspicuously In California, Missouri,
Kansas, Illinois and Tennessee. He
had volunteered in the Civil War and
earned rapid promotion to regimental
quartermaster, post adjutant, Judge
advocate and department quarter
master in engineering at Nashville.
He had studied law while in the
Army. Later he was publisher and
editor Of several newspapers. He was
q presidential elector on the ticket
with Garfield and Arthur. He was
swept into the Senate on the same
PopuIist wave that brought in other
characters such as "Sockless" Jerry
Simpson. He was 81 years old when
he made his incarnation fiilibuster.
Among those who sat in the Senate
press gallery and listened to Senator
PETER singing was Gideon A. Lyon,
then doing the death watch" on the
hlibuster and for many years since
associate editor Of The Star; Charles
A. Hamilton. still an active Washing
ton correspondent, who recently gave
an "old timers" dinner; Alfred J.
Stofer, who recently retired from ac-
tive work, were members of the
gallery-so also was the late Richard
v. Oulahan. who at the time of his
death was known as the dean Of the
Washington correspondents. In
fact, the press gallery list at that time
was a fair cross-seetion Of Who's
Who-Such men as Robert J. Wynn,
later Postmaster General in Theodore
Roosevelt's administration: Henry B.
r. Marfarland, later District Commits
sioner; David S. Barry. afterward
sergeant at arms of the Senate; P. v.
Who-such men as Robert j. Wynne,
De Graw. A. Maurice Low, who
later, during the Great War, re-
ceived knighthood honors from the
King Of England; o. p Austin,
L. A.. Coolidge. Perry S. Heath, George
Grantham Balm, John Boyle, Hobart
Brooks, T. G. Dunnell Frank Hos
ford. Bob" Larner, Francis z. Leupp,
M. @. Seekendorff, John s. Shriver,
Maurice Splain. o. o. Stealey. w. G..
Sterrett and Cliff Warden, who was
in charge Of the gallery and also
correspondent.