The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-28
ADVICE TO new MEMBERS
Suggestions That May Be Valuable
to COngTeSSmel.

Who Succeeded in Attracting Atten-
tion-old Memb srs Refuse to Listen
to ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Room
the Place to Lay the Foundation of a
Reputation.
Washington, Sept 27.-Now that con-
gressional nominations are being made.
old members being shelved and new and
budding geniuses being chosen, it nav be
interesting for their constituents to know
through what course of sprouts they will
have to go before they realize the pron1i-
nent position which has been so freely
predicted for them. Every new nominee
pictures to himself the halls of congress
and how he will electrify his vast audience
upon his first speech, or at least during his
first session in congress- If by chance
he knows enough of political life in
Washington to realize that he must be
content with an unimportant part at first.
then indeed he is ahead of his competi-
tors for congressional hOnors whose ig-
norance on such subjects will have to be
overcome by hard experience before he
even begins the race in forensic eloquence.
Every successful new nominee has yet to
learn the force of a remark made by
Judge Culberson of Texas upon his en-
trance into the House. Being an old line
politician himself, governor of his state,
playing prominent part in national poll
tics, he said after his first speech on the
floor of the House of Representatives:
CULBERsoN's EXPERIENCE.
"a felt just like scnooI boy, and l find
have got lots to learn before l can sue
CesSfullV speak again"
This is the experience of all new men,
but more especially when youth is added
TO the novitiate. So for this season a
representatives. constituency could
never Judge him by his first sessions
work. 1t is much easier for a man to
make his mark in the Senate upon his eu-
trance into congress than in the House.
In the upper branch, even a new
member profits by the straight
laced senatorial courtesy which is
practiced there. In the House
however, where there are upward Of $50
members fighting for places, a new mem
Der has little opportunity of even heing
heard, and scarcely none at all for being
prominent in that body. The number of
men who have become conspicuous during
their first session can lie easily counted
on the fingers OF one hand Bryan of Ne
braska, the boy orator of the Platte. is
the shining exception of the general rule
with his success on the occasion of
his first speech as the thought
and language of the speech itself
He attracted attention by his re-
markable resemblance to ex-Speaker Ran
dali, and his appearance on the floor was
not such as to attract attention from the
members as well as from the galleries
If he had been SC conspicuous in figure
and form his tariff speech, delivered on
this first occasion in the House, would
possibly never have received the wide
attention that was given to it immedi-
ately after its delivery. Bryan never had
a backset, and has continued to grow I'M
til now he is the chief opponent of Sena-
tor Henderson for senatoriaLhonors.
CONSPICUOUS FIGURE.
Another very conspicuous figure in the
House and onewho deserves the confidence
which IS imposed in him by the speaker
and his fellow mem bcrs is young Bailey
OF Texas, and he aIords an illustration of
how unfortunate 1t is for a new member
to attempt to push himself forward
rather than to wait for time to discover
him. The names of Bailey and Bryan
are now always linked together as the
two most prominent young men in the
House. But during their first terms they
were supposed to be the very antithesis
OF each other. EQUALLY eloquent with
Bryan, with greater scope Of learning,
bNb NlluONb luG NbUEdShdu s
strong personality, his first term in
congress was a dismal failure. He
thought to revolutionile congress, cleo
trliY his hearers, and consequently spoke
for or against every sub ect which came
up for discussion. Consequently the
Older members resented his interference
and proceeded to make congressional
door-mat Of him. He had the brains to
perceive his error, however, and stopped
speaking for awhile, deyoting himself
TO committee work, and cult ating the
acquaintance of his fellow members 1t
Is In the committee after all where the
reputation of man is made or married.
IL is through che committee that the
speaker knows the worth of a member
and proceeds to reco nj e him on the
moor. Before the session Of a day begins
the speaker already knows whom he will
recogni G and whom he will not, and he
no sooner discovers that a member is
using the Congressional record as an ad-
verusing medium than he proceeds to sit
on him, so TO speak
COMMON EXPERIENCE.
IL is the common experience for young
man elected to congress to have a very
hlgh opinion of his own Importance He
usually arrives in Washington brimful of
eEotlsm, picturlng to himself what a hush
VIII lall on congress when he shall arise
70 dell err his maiden speech aud the wild
enthusiasm which win greet his fiery
elo Iuence.
Alas the reality is very different and
iet newly elected mem bers read this care
IuIly. He will find himself mere cipher
among 800 men, who will not recognize
MS worth until absolutely forced to 40 so.
Inns Will lie shock to his vanity, and If
ne hasn't good Judgment he will grow i'm
Pudent and erratic like Wilson OF Wash
ington.
Every new man recently nominated is
doubtless dreaming of sensation his ap-
pearance will create on his ..rst entrance
70 congress of the silence which will fol-
low when he is sworn in. he will get
more attention when some fellow member
announces him than be is likely to get for
session afterward The veterans
VIII regard him with curlos-
IVy for moment. and, unless he
can secure recognition from the 81 eaker-
doubtful event during his first session
nc Will be remembered as the man who
oeat 80 ana so, mighty good fellow, and
an awtully good fr end OF minen Should
ne by hook or crook, get the floor those
VINO are in the chamber will listen to his
preliminary sentences and unless he
strikes their fancy in his first remarks,
win the exception of his own delegation
ne Is apt to play to empty benches. The
mem oers of the lower house have no in