The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-08
Flowers Experience in Congress


The late Roswell P Flower, of New
York. used TO tell some amusing stories
of his Congressional experience.
The House of representatives is the
only place ever got into where money
didn't count" he remarked the last
time l saw him. two months or more
before his death. "A rich man is act
ually handicapped there. In the first
place, a country member is naturally
prejudiced against the Representatives
from the city, particularly those from
New York city They seem to think
that the New Workers are lot of high
waymen. You find the same spirit in
national conventions and State legis-
latures, and the fact that city dele
cation wants something is a good rea-
son why a countryman should vote
against it. The easiest way to kill
bill in Congress is to have the New
York Chamber Of Commerce send in
memorial asking its passage. Then
every countryman will vote against it
sure.
When the city member is rich that
makes him all the worse. During the
first session l was in Congress l spent
more than $4,000 trying TO convince
my fellow members of the House of
Representatives that l was a good fell
low. l gave them dinners and wine
and picnics and set it up for them every
chance | got, and while they enjoyed it
as much as anybody, it only made them
suspicious. TAey could not understand
why l should spend my money enter
tanning them without some base motive
behind it. | was a city man represent
ing country district. In other words
| was wolf in sleeps clothing and
they were very shy of me- l didn't
ask anything of anybody. l only wan
ted to be popular and give the boys
good time, but the more l spent on
them the worse they got
Toward the close of the first ses-
sion," continued Mr.. Flower, latter ev-
erybody in the House had accepted my
hospitality and drunk my wine and
eaten my terrapin, | tried to get a bill
passed-a bill giving a pension of $12
a month to poor old woman up in my
district. whose husband and son had
died during the war. The cost of one
of my dinners would have paid her that
pension all the rest of her life. Some
how l couldn't get that bill up for a
long time. and when | did get it up
pretty nearly everybody on the Demo-
cratic side voted against it. | went
over to Joe Blackburn and | said:
Joe, why in the old Harry don't you
fellows vote for my bill?' and he took
me over in the corner and gave some
good advice. He opened my eyes to
the situation, but / didn't believe him.
/ could not conceive that the Democrat
ic members of that House were such
COMPOUNDED fools as to suspect me of
trying to play them for suckers, and
| says, Here, Joe. you take that bill
and see if you can get it through
Darned if he didn't call it up the next
day during the morning hour, and it
passed without objection; but if they
had known it was my bill it wouldn't
have got VOTE
"This feeling wore off after while.
They found out that l wasn't a high
wayman or conspirator, but just an
ordinary good fellow"
Curious Christian Names
l remember hearing the following
story from the late Canon Bardsley,
author of English Names and Sur
names" There was once woman
"a little 'cracky,' l think" said the
Canon, by way of parenthesis-who
had son whom she had christened
"WksG" Her idea seems to have been
that when in after days he was asked
his name, and kept saying What"
amusing scenes would follow, which
was likely enough, especially if the boy
was careful to pronounce the aspirate.
Such scene did, l believe, occur once
when he went to school, and was told
as a newcomer, to stand up and furnish
certain particulars. What is your
name?" asked the teacher. What"
blurted out the boy, amid the laughter
of the class. What is your name?"
asked the master again, with more en-
phasis. What" replied the bow
Your name, sir!" roared out the infu-
rated pedagogue. What, WHAT"
roared back the terrified urchin. The
sequel forget, says a writer in Notes
and Queries, but believe it was one of
those cases in which the follies of the
parents are visited on the children of
| tho fret -