Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-02


boiler. Another expert is the Hon.
William w. Grout. of Vermont. Grout
is to leave his job at the end of the
session In search of another that has
already escaped him. Hemenway. of
Indiana, and Barney, of Wisconsin, are
first-class worlmen under Cannon.
while the apprentices, Henry c.. Van
Voorhis. Of Ohio: James II. McCleary,
of Minnesota, and Lucills NJ Littauer.
of New York, are progressing slowly
but surely. Cannon's committee is the
best drilled force in the House. and
Cannon himself the best drill master.
Cannon's crew manipulate the greatest
engine in the south wing of the Capitol.
1t makes its own plans and specifica-
lions without competition. and is mar
Vicious in design and construction. If
it had appeared among the government
exhibits at Paris it would undoubtedly
have excited the admiration of the
worlds gheatest savants. No triple
expansion engine ever ran more
smoothly, accurately and effectively
Cannon himself is an expert in me-
chanical Congressional specialties. He
can match cogs, oil gudgeon, line n
shaft, push n socket and perform the
thousand and one infinitesimal duties
so necessary 10 the safety and thorough
working of a perfect machine. At
times he turns his attention to other
Congressional machines and OCCASION
ally evinces a disposition to usurp the
prerogatives of brother engineers. On
the whole he is wonderful computa-
ton. Joseph has been a valued en-
ployee of the House for twenty-six
years, and appears to be n permanent
candidate for United States Senator.
The Ways and Means and the Com
mittee on Appropriations are undoubt-
eddy the most wonderful legislative
machines on the American continent.
la nr no
and the other its expenses. With two
exceptions. all other Congressional ma
chimes pale into insignif1cance in COM
parison with them. These exceptions
are the Committee on Military Affairs
and the Committee on Naval Affairs
The assistant engineers in charge of
these useful legislative mechanisms,
unlike Payne and Cannon. are young in
years and service. John A. II. Hull
who holds the lever in the Committee
on Military Affairs, is five years
younger than Cannon in age and six
teen years younger in service. George
q. Foss. acting assistant engineer Of
the Congressional naval engine, is six
teen years younger in age and twenty
years younger in service
F'osS has certainly had n remarkable
career in politics. graduate of Har-
Vard, he left country town in Yer
mont and began the practice of law in
Chicago. He had been there only six
years when he was elected to the
house. He was then thirty-one years
old. Tom Reed assigned him to the
committee on naval affairs. Death and
politics gave him rapid advancement.
He was near the top of the committee
at the beginning of the present con-
gress when the illness of Charles A.
Boutelle opened the way to the new
promotion. Foss has already proved
himself careful and trusty engineer.
He has made himself conversant with
all the intricacies of his machine and
works it like a veteran. An attempt to
poach on his preserves at the late ses-
sion met with signal failure. He wears
the jean jumper of true congression-
nj mechanic and his overalls are spot
ted with Legislative OIL His engine has
been carefully overhauled and is al
ready In good working order. His OIL
ers and cleaners are at work in earnest,
and there is little doubt but that they
will labor to the satisfaction of the
country.
Assistant Engineer Hull has also
not been idle in the engine-room of the
Committee on Military Affairs. He
started his machinery a few days ago.
and it's wheels and cams are running
smoothly and without friction. At the
late session he had considerable
trouble. In racing parlance. the ma
chine picked up n nail sent from Idaho.
It's cogs were bent and it's winches
We're cracked. The wipers and oilers
of the minority were evidently not in
sympathy with the efforts of the assis-
tant engineer to repair her, and the
machinry creaked horribly. There
were riotous scenes in her engine
room. The trouble attracted the at
! tcntion of the nation. Hull, however,
| held the lever with a firm hand and
turned out work that seemed accept
able to the country, judging from the
| result of the late election. The mech
| anism is now said to be in excellent
order. 1t ought to be so. for it's capa-
| bility will be strongly tested this win
| ter. A bill for quadrupIing the per-
| manent force OF the regular army will
| undoubtedly be reported to the House
and stormy scenes will ensue before it's
| passage. Hull. however, is used to
such scenes, and is fully able to cope
| with his enemies. His nerve is admir-
| able, and his judgment unuuestioned.
! The minority of the committees run
| ming these machines are forced to con-
| tent themselves by utterinE their pro-
| tests on the floor of the House Their
| opposition In the engine room is always
| ineffective. There is Il bare chance for
| them to retrieve themselves on the
| floor Radical measures reported from
| committees are at times toned down by
the deliberate action of the House. but
the chances are few ana far between
| In the next Congress the minorities of
the great committees will probably
each be shorn of n member. as the
majority of the House has been nearly
| tripled in strength.
! When steam whistles and ringing
bells announce the midday hour on
Monday David r. Henderson, the enei-
neerin-c chief of the House of Repre-
sentatives. will deposit his crutches be-
hind the Speakers chair and seize the