The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-26
SOME VIEWS AT WASHINGTON
tBY G. A. EpwARDs.)

Tor the holidays 1t gives Fellow niue
breathing spefl from the mad race and
hurly-buriy that is the natural and inev-
table attendant upon the assembling OF
all hew congresses There are many con-
splcuous figures who occupied seats on
the noor OF the last congress who are
not here this time Many of those who
are gone Will soon BIO forgotten. but there
are several who will be missed here in
this congress when things get warmed up
after the holiday recess. Chief among
them Is. Of course. Tom Reed, the veritable
car OF his party and, no matter how much
We may have abhorred his methods. we
must admit his towering and command
ing intellect. He bestrode his party col
leagues in the house like a Colossus and
absolutely compelled their obedience like
schoolmaster given to the free use OF
the rod, ccmpels that of his pupils. His
loss to his party will be keeniy felt here
this winter If ever there comes up
question upon which the republicans are
divided as they were in the last congress
upon the Cuban question. Many repub-
licans. in the spring OF '9s were clamor
ing for action in regard to Cuba and
were every day threatening to revolt and
the democrats. cut Tom Reeds lash and
declare war against Spain. You could
near them In the hotel Hobbies and on |
the street cars talking bravely OF what
they would do and how they would dis
regard Reeds party lash. But as they |
neared the capitol their courage would
begin to ooze out of their finger ends
and when they reached the house they
would repair to the cloak rooms hang up I
their hats. coats and backbones on the
same hook and wabble into the presence |
OF their master like jelly FISH There 4
Is no man here now who dominate
them as did Reed Henderson can't do /
1t and his floor leader. Serene Payne, got /
gentle foretaste of the hereafter today
when his followers refused to follow and
hew the track. thus MASKING his leader I
snip into the earth with a maui and a
simple motion to adjourn. Mr.. Payne's
castigation was deserved He insisted on
adjourning when one of his own side old I
man Grow Of Pennsylvania, wanted five
minutes in which to make a statement I
The democrats were in a majority this {
morning on account of the holiday exodus
and they voted with Grows friends and
forced the house to stay in session until {
the old man got through with his talk :
They then gave Payne the hoarse laugh. !
~ q
Among others who will be missed will
be that verbal cataract from Indiana. :
Henry N. Johnson, who made Mckinley 9
80 hard to catch and caused his spokes- :
man, Dolliver of Iowa, to curl up like :
cut-worm on the Philippine question. That 9
Chesterfeldian gentleman and sartorial :
N-ray, the eloquent James Hamilton
Lewis of the State OF Washington will
also be sadly missed on the democratic
side when running debate takes place. d
The castigation he administered to
Grosvenor of Ohio in the closing days of
the last session. is still the talk OF the 5
cloak rooms. The familiar figure of Gov
ernor Joe Sayers. walking from his seat
to his committee room with hands full
of papers, wiD also be missed from this
congress
There are enough members on the floor
today, however, who were in the last
house and whose figures are sufficiently
familiar to give it the appearance of the
same old gang of last year who have {
simply been absent on a vacation. t
Among the new members very few of 5
them have as yet SHE'D their casters into .
the ring. There may be among them stars
of the first magnitude and II so this con-
gress is going to give them all an oppor-
tunity to rise and shine. The work OF
this congress is going to become hstor-
ical. even more so than the Fifty-ffth. I
which was the war congress There will !
w lNatAtIN lOl only OF NatlOnnl tmpDr- j
lance in their relation TO the well being {
of the people of this country that must 4
be considered and passed upon, but upon $
the action of this congress may hinge ]
the result of the next presidential cleo /
ton. c
This congress must deal with the money i
question. the Nicaragua canal and settle 4
the results Of the war with spain. There a
are other matters that will engage its
attention that attract the attention of the a
Naticn. Among the new members WIN I
have already attracted and compelled I
tho attention of the house are our own I
Albert Burleson and Judge John L. Shep. r
pard who made excellent speeches on Il
the financial hill last week Both OF
them received high praise from the demo-
cratic leaders and their work already has .
caused the remark that Texas is main
tanning her reputation of never sending II
anything but the strongest mon to CON v
gress. 4
II is peculiarly gratifying to patriotic !.
Texan to note the high standing of fine !,
Texas delegation here and the manner a
In which they are deferred to by all the I
democratic members on questions of party .
policy, and how they are respected by "
members OF opposite political faith. They i
deserve 1t all. They are a credit 10 their p
State. Nothing so we'll shows their high Z
standing as the committee assignments =
made by Speaker Henderson. 1t can be o
said without fear OF successful contradic- /
ton that Texas Jared better than any p
other single State In the matter of COM
lnittee assignments. II has member of
the committee on rules, the leading com y
nittee OF the house, one on judiciary, one "
on ways and means, one ON foreign az q
fairs. one on insular affairs. new COM IL
mittee that will deal with our new So 8
called possessions. one on military aifairs, :,
On naval affairs, Interstate and foreign y
commerce, postoffces and post roads, riy- =
IRA and harbors, Indian affairs, territories q
and Il number OF lesser committees. v
The members OF no other delegation got :,
80 many Of the juicy plurns TO be distribu- :.
ed by the speaker as Texas. The I'M !,
ortunate fight In the delegation for the =
,lace on the appropriations committee. y
ind which was a laudable ambition, Il u
he only reason why a Texas member was a
lot also placed on that committee. This y
would have given Texas a member of
very committee In the house, dis
inction not enjoyed by any other State %
n the Union. This Is a distinct COM u
,liment to Texas and one which comes
o her by reason of the fact that her cti-
4. 4 -.