The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-07-06
THE SILENT MEN OF CONGRESS-.
Three of the Representatives Have
Never Made Speech.

One of the ablest men who have been in
congress during this generation is John X.
Cowen of Maryland. He Is the president OF
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. and one of
the ablest men in all America. He was 4
member of the Fifty fourth congress, and he
never made speech, long or short during
his term. He never said: Mr.. Speaker"
never said "Mr. Chairman" And yet there
was not member of the house who could
make better speech than he. He looks the
superior man, and his career shows that it
is not in the walks of craftsmanship, but in
the walks of business that we find our great
men, l never heard Mr.. Cowen speek. but
l once read a speech he made in Baltimore,
and it one of the finest speeches l ever
read. 1 sat in the gallery day after day
during the life of the Fifty-fourth congress
hoping that he would address the house, but
was always disappointed. If he had loved to
speak as do the Hon. Sulzer, the Hon.
Gaines and the Hon. Lentz, the congress
sional record of the Fifty-fourth congress
would afford some good reading.
Another silent congressman is John p.
Ketcham of New York. There is but one
member of the house who was here before
him and that is Father Grow, who was here
nearly so years ago. Mr.. Ketcham first
came to congress in 1863, and has been
member of the house most of the time since.
He is totally deaf and how he manages to
vote on a roll call is mystery, but he al
ways votes when present. He has served
in 13 congresses and. so far as l know, has
never made a speech. He is said to be
very superior business man, and it is al
together probable that he is here to protect
some New York interests. He is from
Duchess county, and l guess Duchess has an
iron or SO in the fire.
Yet another silent member is James Je-
rome Belden, of Syracuse-"Uncle Jimmy"
as thew call him at home 1t would not
be extravagant to say that Uncle Jimmy
made James A. Garfield president Of the
United States. 1t was not 'Old' Salt, as
they called Alvord. it was not obertson;
it was not Lo Sessions, who collared Ros-
coe Conkling in the convention OF 1880 and
tore from him those ~ votes thereby de-
feating Grant 1t was Belden. He looks
all the strong character he is. He looks
like l imagine country gentleman in one
of Colly Clibber's plays looked. He looks
just like Squire Western would nave looked
when sober, if he ever was sober. He is
reputed to be enormously weakly and
comes to congress just because it is his
whim to take a whirl out of politics now
and then.
They tell a good story on the old fellow.
He had a candidate for mayor OF Syracuse.
and he got licked thoroughly and complete
" at the spring elections. Uncle Jimmy the
day after the defeat. appeared in his seat
in the house His colleagues surrounded
him and they indicated that French gen.
tleman who said we get some salts
faction out Of the misfortunes of our
best friends There we're Jim Sherman
and Jim Wadsworth and Lem Quigg and
Amos Cummings and Charley Chickering.
and others around the old man. How did
claimed Damned If l know" he an
swered 1T gave them all the money they
asked for" Strange sights.
The reporter was in Office in the city
building where an official, holding down a
desk, was reading morning paper.
Here's a strange story from Vanceburg.
KY" he said, as he looked up over the
top Of the sheet at the caller.
That's where they see strange things
and they most always have gum, COM
mented the reporter. What is it that 1t
is this time
This says a man in the neighborhood
had seen a snake with wings"
That's nothing" responded the reporter
with confidence.
"Of course it wouldn't be to you, but
to plain people like us city ot1cials IT, Is
good DEAL" said the official with becoming
modesty.
Ever been in Kentucky" inquired the
reporter with but slight effort to conceal
his superiority.
..Never, but 1 always wanted to CO.
$50 did 1, and one year my wish was
pratified to the full and running over, and
I was two months in the state chasing
politics from the Big Sandy to the Missis-
sippi and seeing more people in week In
more different places than would fill book
or barrel. And talk about snakes with
wings!> Why, man, dear, that was nothing.
Simply and unutterably nothing. saw
them with arms and legs and hoofs and
and fms and feathers and wheels. Talk
about snakes with wings. A man can see
a simple little thing like them after he
has become used to the climate and 20
forth, but there's no telling what he'll $50
when he goes down there for his first visit
and the people are feeling like making him
a real good old Kentucky time. It's fine to
get that way, but, oh! the ungetting of It.
and the reporter held his hands over his
eyes to smut out s0mething.-Detroit Free
PreoS.