The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-21
THE NEXT HOUSE.


ton of the lower house of the Fifty
second congress is the result of tabula-
tons made up in Washington from re-
turns received from the states and dis
tricts, and will be read with interest:
The Kodak pictures that will be taken
from the galleries of the house when the
F'ifty-second congress organizes, will
record a good many clean-cut absences.
The seats may be full but in the roster of
noted congressman the blanks will look
a good deal like the photographs of the
Democratic side of the chamber taken
during the Langston-Ve able contest.
Sixty Democrats will have to sit on
the Republican side of the middle aisle,
for the Democratic side will not accom-
modate them.
There will not be Republicans enough
to go half way around on the commit
tees. The sixty odd seats that will be
given to Democrats over on the Repub-
lican side of the house will in
clude the cluster where the Big Four
Reed, Mckinley, Burrows and Can
non-have for so many years sat to-
gether. In that group also, sitting near
the middle aisle, was Governor Gear of
Iowa, LaFOllette of Wisconsin, Billy
Mason and George Adams of Chicago,
General Osborne of Pennsylvania, Row
ell of Illinois and McComas of Maryland
Reed and Burrows of the Big Four are
left and will loom up bigger still IN the
minority. But a score of the ableSt men
in the house will not be ''in it" when the
Flfty-second congress meets. There is
Comstock of Minnesota, who was famous
for passing every bill his constituents in
the biggest district in the United States
wanted or asked Of him. Comstock was
beaten and we shall not see his tall form
striding back and forth by the cloak
room. And there is Judge PaysOn, who
knew more about public land matters
than any other man in the house, and
was always on the side of the people.
The people were not on his side Novem-
Der 4. His velvety, wine-colored cOun-
tenance will be missing and missed.
General Cutcheon of Michigan, the plaus-
ible, studious Garfield of recent con-
crosses, is also among the routed.
Bishop Perkins of Kansas, with. his
smooth, judicial physiognOmy, he, too,
is among the vanishing faces. Honest
Farmer Wade, of Missouri, who has told
more good stories right in the middle of
the business sessions of the house, has
got to go. He will leave a big hole in
the Kodak pictures. Dunnell, of Min
neSota, whose accuracy and readiness
were notable, will take his broad should
ers and leonine head out into the cOrri-
doris, and if he fingers about congress it
will be in the capacity of a lawyer be-
fore the committees.
The greatest loss in many respects is
in Mr.. McKinley's defeat. In spite of
his responsibilities as leader he is with
out an enemy in either party. In all his
relations with his fellow members he
has been a perfect gentleman. Harsh
words, singing sarcasm, eplthets or
even partisan attacks have been uniform
ly eschewed by the little Napoleon and
he is respe ted for it. No draft on his
time or strength seemed ever too great
and to all corners he was approachable
and considerate. In the few short inter
walls he had from legislative work Nc
Kinley entered buOyantly into story
telling bouts with Joe Cannon or Billy
Mason and always held his own.
Joe Cannon will be missed more than
any of the scores that retire next March.
Always when anyone talks about war
horses the first steed TO be mentioned
was "HOnest Old joe" as everybody
calls HIM. This is his seventeenth year
in congress.
Many a sigh of regret will testify to
the esteem in which Congressman Bill
Mason has been held. This is his second
congress and he had become a national
char cter early in the Fiftieth congress !
Mr.. Mason's short stature, smooth and
swarthy face and wide-open style of
craftsmanship had earned for him fire.
quent comparisons with Stephen A.
Douglas and his warm admirers like to
call him the Little Giant"
The ways and means committee has
suffered a loss in the retirement of La
Toilette of Wisconsin and Gear of Iowa. |
The former is a prOdigious worker and
one of the most adrolt politicians in his /
party. He was born In log cabin and /
educated at the Wisconsin university, /
his career linking together the pioneer I
period in the Badger state and this later /
one of enterprise and progress. He /
attributes his defeat to the local issue of /
the Bennett law.
Governor Gear hardly knows To what |
to ascribe the majority against him. He /
knows nearly every voter IN his district, /
for he floated into it on a Mississippi fiat /
boat before there were fifty white men /
living in it. and has been there ever l
since. Hir hard-headed, sturdy common /
sense has been at a high premium in /
Iowa, but the landslide caught him with /
the rest.
McComas of MARYLAND is one of the /
Youngest and handsOmest men in con- (
gress. His retirement will cause regret. /
he was a strict party man and 4
struck blows right and left without fear !
or favor. He had been in the house since I
1885 and rose to the front rank by his \
activity and ability. His district was /
set off for him as Republican strong
hold, but the unseating of the two Mary
land Democrats, Compton and Mudd, /
brought down the wrath OF has enemies
upon him.
Some idea can be had of the changes
10 take place in the physiognomy Of the
house by running over the list OF new
men from the various states. Alabama
il the only state of any size returning \
her old delegation. New York sends 10
new men out of 81: Pennsylvania 10 out
Of y: Ohio. Is out Of o. Kansas sends /
an entirely new delegation, as does
Nebraska. Michigan sends 6 new men
in her II; Wisconsin. s IN her 9; Iowa, q +
in her Il, and Indiana, Of her Is.
California ENDS but one old member.
who. with Burrows, Dhngiey
and Payne are ali there Is left OF the
Republican end Of the ways and means
COMMITTEES.
OKLAHOMA OUTLINES
There Is an oklahoma City in the Choc-
raW Nation