Show some crushing questions A simple question que ution pat in parliament a few years ago caused a laugh throughout all england and defeated a preat measure mr curzon then under secretary for india was making a long and elaborate speech against a measure urged by the opposition regarding that dependency as certain to resale in 1 to the government of many lacs of rupees he repeated with emphasis consider not pounds or guineas but lacs of rupees A quiet voice on the opposition benches asked exactly how much is a lac of rupees murn opened bis mouth stammered grew red and then with english candor said 1 I really dont know the house laughed and in that laugh he lost his cause A somewhat similar scene occurred many years ago in congress A present of arabian dorsee a sword etc arrived from the imam of muscat for president adama recalls the youths companion A western member with acme heat moved that the gift should be sent back with a latter from congress informing the ruler of muscat that the president of the united states was no king but the servant of the people and was not permitted to give or receive presents another member rose such a letter mr speaker be eaid can easily be written but where ia it to be sent where is muscat there was no response apparently not a member of the house was prepared to answer nor could muscat then be found in any atlas published in this country it was found at last on a german map A civil answer was returned and the geographers made haste to insert muscat in the next edition ot theu mars nothing perforates bombastic oratory like a sharp question when burke in the height of a labored pre oration in parliament against france drew a dae and threw it on the floor somebody made the act absurd by saying yea the knife cheree the fork equally sharp was the reply of tope pius IX when the cardinals met and eloquently condolee condoled con doled with him on the sufferings in certain villages from earthquake and famine how much are you sorry my brethren he eaid how many lire does your sympathy weigh the only answer possible to this question was the relief of the villagers |