The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-05
WHEEL HORSES OF CONGRESS.
REPRESENTA- TIrEs VINO ARE ALWAYS
AT THEIR POST OF DUTY.

idns 7. Livingston, David Is tuiberson,
"a william 4. Dates. aud Oilers Pictured.
WARRINGTON. Nov. 1.-The House is at times
an .eyanescent body. Nearly $50 members
live within days ride OF the Capitol. Hall OF
this number. at least. can reach homo within
ten hours. and many OF them are within six
hours ride OF the Capitol. 1t Is this fact that
makes q quorum Of the House at times evan
escent. quorum prCsei:s .or business is
requirement OF the Constitution. Adding to
this number Of absentees those who are
absent on business or on account OF sickness.
it lie very easy to account for the frequent want
OF quorum. On party matters whenever it Is
necessary to emphasize this absence. the
Republicans refuse to vote. thus making 1t
sometimes difficult to secure q quorum. In
deed, only measures Of great national impor-
lance Ill the seats In the chamber. When a
FINAL vote has been taken upon any great
measure the quorum seems to vanish like the
mists OF morning. Those who live nearest to
the Capitol are the ones who are usually absent
when minor topics are discussed.
There may be- q quorum present In the city
without being made manifest in the House.
Bcores Of members are tramring the depart
ments In the interest Of tn cir stituents with
o deft eye to business In the House. A bill i'm
portant to the interests OF their section Of the
country may draw them to their legislative
duties. but they evidently consider that their
imme diate constituents are more interested In
offices than In bills drawn In the interest OF
those who live far away. Some Congressman
appear for day or two In each week. make
short speech on some unimportant matter SO
"a to secure o place in press dispatches and
then disappear. They are like carrier pigeons.
flying homo on the first opportunity and dis
tributing intelligence. Others vanish for
weeks, for months and In two cases for years
without being recorded on yea or nay vote.
Even among the steady attendants OF the
sessions OF the House there are very few hard
workers.. The man who talks the most as q
usual thing works the least. There are out
riders and cavorters around the legislative
coach and o very few wheel horses. Judge
Holman has been a wheel horse for quarter
Of o century. No man can estimate the value
Of his services to the country. but age and
hard work Is telling upon him. He pulls IN
the traces as steadily as ever, but has not the
strength and endurance charaoteriZing him in
former years. The old wheel horses are giving
some we'll worthy q mention.
Georgia has two Dem9cratic wheel horses IN
experIenSs and Of acknowledsed ability ii He He
Means, aud has seen much service on this
the hearings before the Committee OF Ways
ID,
ono time Chairman of the Committee on Flee
lions. interchangeable in his committee work.
ns Is the i
alto or theatrical about him. He speaks calmly
and dispassionately combining hims elf to the
clearly and convncngly. Extr remedy cour-
both the attention and the consid era ton OF all
who hear him He Is one Of the and
The nation. let alone his State eOulj illy af-
Another Of the steady pullers from Georgia
and placid as June morning. but Livingston
10 az breezy and as stirring as the wind that
OF fruit trees in the spring. Turner is un-
demonstrative in manner. and Livingston ex-
Whs and The AMER never
speaks without reaching it. He has hasa a clear.
resonant yGIes ana tenn
Pound them into the brains Of all i1I those
Is eaSaly hard worSee in eo Ins ts: "a
member OF the great Committee on Appro-
9riations he deyotes himself HI to its ardaous
to tho interests Of his constituents In the de-
partments. lie has no fancy for Robin Hoods
ing bitches and taking fences to reach the
object sought. His fight with Hoke Smith
national reputation. but bis work FIX in
fGI amu and n, mS on the floor Of the
There Is the true Georgia grit about him
and no mistake. Neither threats nor persua-
sion will ever drive him with tho herd. His
surname was not misplaced. and he shows his
disposition IN his face and manner. He has
never been knocked out. and never will be
Probably the steadiest. lost lovable and in
fuential wheel:horse in the House Is David Is.
CuIberson Of Texas. Broad shoulderet. full
chested. unoDtruslve In manner and DISPOSE
tion. he commands the confidence and respect
Of both Sides Of the chamber. As Chairman OF
told power. Like Turner he evlnces no eager FER
ness to enter into q discussion. but once In ir
and 1%SaafRs sr saeh Few c kofis
deed. tho s ID ailspossIItion Of the HSase i
tee. Backed, by q. plain staten ent from the
Without dispute and without a word of protest
IN this he stands without a superior among
ton Of knotty point oflaw. Some fancy that
he is lazy. but when they encounter him in de-
lazy man. A patient. careful investigator.
there is no better lawyer or legislator on the
Another member Of the Committee on the
AIdi 81 W,I nay be well termed wheel horse
ssgeuss him q being lazy, Activity marked
army he was ever on the move and on the at
tack. and in the House it has been the same
He has had his Charlottesville and his Gettys-
burg in legislative experience. Gs well az on
rey bankruptcy bill has been exceeded
funding bill in the Fiftieth Congress-, Indeed.
Oates takes scarcely any rest. He Is on tho
stump In the South in every political campaign.
Nor does he conhne his efforts to his own
State. He walks over into Georgia and Florida
and awakens the echoes on behalf Of, State
rights and strict construction OF the Consti-
tuition; Nor is he backward about awakening
the echoes in the House of Representatives. A
close fighter. he never asks Tor quarter. His
ideas flow with charming fuency and he can
give and take with equal readiness. con-
and arguments with facility on tho floor OF ths
House. Some at times have thought this
wheel horse a little erratic. but experience
In magnificent trim for the coming campaign
In Alabama. and his friends predict that he
will be the next Governor of tho State.
One of the finest wheel horses on the Demo-
cratic side is Clifton 4 BrecklpridGe q Arkan-
Bas. He is the son OF John c. Breckinridge.
9nce Vice; President Of the United States,
father. he has all Of his intellectual vigor. and
10 more close and earnest worker and inves- |
tigator: He Is peculiarly adapted to- service |
Oh the Ways and Means Committee. Here he |
ha ant NJ I ifa