The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-16
A DISTINGUISHED GEORGIAN.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Probably
that is why she has raised up in Geor-
gia a man who reads everything there is
in every issue of the Congressional Rec
ord. Except for him our esteemed con-
temporarys list of constant and thorough
readers might be represented by big o.
There are. of course, various and sundry
persons who read the Congressional Rec
ord-some. The most faithful and per-
sistent of them are employed in the gov
eminent printing office, where they are
supposed to put in an eight-hour day at
reading the Congressional Record for the
purpose of detecting typographical errors.
But probably there is no one even of these
that reads everything there is In every
issue; and then their reading is a matter
of duty. for hire. To require a certain
proofreader to read all the matter in the
Congressional Record for even a few days
in succession might properly be clessed
as 'cruel and unusual punishment" which
the constitution forbids
However there is man in Georgia
who, however improbable it may seem.
reads every issue of the Congressional
Record through, from first to last And
he says that he does 1t. not from any
sense of duty. nor as a penance for any
past trnnsgression, but because he wants
to. More than that, and most wonderful
to relate, he says he enjoys it, No speech.
either of the sort that is spoken on the
floor or that gets into the Record under
leave to print" is ever too long, prosy
or 10
guished consideration from this extraor-
binary Georgian. He revels in the sta
tistical statements which break the mo-
notony of the pages, and delights in the
abstract disquisitions upon constitutional
points which fill column after column
with few commas and no paragraphs
The remarkable Georgian whose fame
we herald, is Mr.. NJ. L. Palmer of F'loy !
county His fondness for the Congress
sional Record is not of recent acquisition
For years he has been that periodicals.
''constont reader" probably the only ono
of his class, and one room of his rest
dence. 1t Is said is pretty wen filed with
the carefully preserved copies Of his fav-
orite publication. One of the Rome news
papers. in appreciation Of Mr.. Palmer's
peculiar literary taste. lays aside the
Record for him, and once each two weeks.
he takes the accumulated copies to his
home AMI begins new fortnights rcvoI
in Congressional Record wit wisdom AMI
oloqueuce
A peculiar fact in connection with Nj.
Palmers constant reading Of the Congress
sional Record for many years is that he
has been convinced-presumabl by the
congressional proceedings and speeches
ttot both Of the greet political parties
are wrong, and that Populism Is the cor
rect thing. Whether this political adj
herence is a tribute to Senator Allen.
Populist, of Nebraska. who contributes
more than any other man to make the
! Congressional Record a fat and unctious
! journal may be doubted. but It Is human
! nature for the devoted reader to have a
| kindly feeling for the most indefaugable
| contributor TO his favorte periodical
/ However oil OF that may be, and although
we are not in political fellowship with Mr..
! Palmer. who Is the chairman Of the Pop
ulst party of Floyd county. we have no
hesitation in saying that in recognition
/ Of his distinction IN being the only man
In Che United States who reads everything
IN every issue Of che Congressional Record.
/ the publisher Of that sprightly publlca-
lion ought to put him "D H." on the
subscription list for life, and send him
q bound volume after each session OF Con
| gress
An Easter day made 10 order could not
have been finer than yesterday II was
Ia