The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-02

thaG even and polite tenor which Is MS
nature: What is more, never knew
MIN to make a mistake. He is indeed
one OF the notable men of our times.
There is no more popular man IN the
house of Representatives than Mr.. Nc
Mlllln, of Tennessee, who was thought
by many at one moment to be almost
sure of receiving the speakership noml-
nation as a dark horse. The day on
which Speaker Crisp announced his COM
mlttees Mr.. McMillin was taking lunch
con with new member who had not
been given q very high place on the
committees, and who was in conse-
quence much discouraged. Before you
conclude that you have been cruelty
treated, said Mr. McMillin, "let me tell
you my experience. When | first came
to congress my committee place was
worse than yours. 1t gave me no op-
portunity whatever. | sat up nights
trying to evolve some scheme by which
| could distinguish myself in the role
which the speaker had assigned me, but
couldn't do it. was reelected, and
when came back to the house natu-
rally expected to be promoted. But |
wasn't II anything, my second COM
mittee assignment was more discourag-
ing than my first one. Finally Phil
Thompson, of Kentucky = he and
| were in the same boat as to
committees-held a council Of war.
Phil said L, I am dying of dry
rot. | must do something or perish.
Not for fifty years has any man repre-
sented my district more than two terms,
and unless can stir something up I'll
not get back here. What can we dor
Nothing but raise hades, Mac replied
Thompson. Very WELL said l, lets
go in and raise hades. That will be
preferable to sitting around doing moth
ing. So we made it up between us that
whenever we saw chance to jump on
some fellows little public building or
other local bill or anything else that
looked as if it might be extravaganza or
foolish, we would sail in regardless of
curses and kicks and have some fun.
We enjoyed ourselves in this way for a
time, and finally we found a great OPP
portunity. A log rolling scheme was
devised by which ITO members who
wanted public buildings in their dis
tricts agreed to stand together and help
pass each others bills. 1t was strong
combination, and seemed invincible.
Carlisle told Thompson and me that we
couldn't beat it. Holman told us it was
too big for us to tackle. Everybody
said the same thing But Thompson
and didn't care how big thing was
we were out for fight and this was too
good chance to be lost. told Phil to
prepare himself on ancient history-with
set of 1870 census reports-while
took up modern history as found
in the census of 1880. The first day the
combination got to work, Thompson
quoted ancient history on them to show
that the towns for which it was pro-
posed to make appropriation were mere
villages in 1870, when | followed with
modern history to show that they Were
only small country towns in 1880. The
first day they passed three bills on us. The
next day they pushed two through. The
third day they called halt, for they
found that as fast as bills were passed
they lost the support of the men behind
those measures. All the fellows with
bills in their pockets became alarmed,
and the combination was bursted. Just
five bills out of the 10 passed, and Phil
Thompson and |, out Of simple de-
termination to stir something up to keep
ourselves from going TO dry rot, saved
the government great many millions
of dollars. Since then have not cared
what committee l was placed on, or
whether / was on any committee at all.
There is some satisfaction in being free
lance"
The new member of congress from the
west is one Of the characters of the cap
ital. He wears striped trousers, old
fashioned black string neckties, SLOUGH
hat and big boots. He is earnest and
studious and good deal of man. One
THE NEW CONGRESSMAN AND THE BABY.
thing like about him is that he brings
his wife to Washington with him-his
wife and baby-and is proud of them
and they are proud of him. have in
mind one young congressman who walks
to the Capitol every session day with his
wife by his side and his baby in his arms.
The trio go in on the floor, and baby is
perched upon the statesman's desk till
the hour comes for clearing the floor.
Then wife and baby go up into the gal
lery and sit all the afternoon, or till the
session is over, watching hubby and papa
legislate. 1t is only while the new con-
gresham is very new that he does this.
He soon gets over it, and then wife and
babe are left in the background or per.
haps at home In the far west.
WALTER WELIMAN.