The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-04-26
| CAPITAL CHARACTER
LAWMAKERS NOTABLE FOR Pc
CULIARlTIEs. ~

Interesting Pom Sketches OF Members
Conspicuous for Eccentricitiss Of One
Sort or Another " sulloway's Ample
Proportions Prince OF Good Follows.
The house Of representatives has be-
come SO large a body that the average
individuality Is sunk in 1t. Only here
and there do members specially noted
for physical or moral traits stand egre-
gtous, attracting attention by reason or
eccentricity Of one sort or another, of
ten when their mental stature or ora
tortcal ability would not render them
conspicuous, writes Washington COR
respondent
There Is no man In the house who
pays more attention to his costume
than Joe Bailey Of Texas, the erst-
while Democratic leader, notwithstand-
Ing the fact that he processes such q
lofty disregard Of matters Of the sort,
even refusing to attend receptions at
the white house because he would be,
obliged to wear dress suit. His spe-
c1al fad In dress is the picturesque.
which he deems preferable to the mere-
~ fashionable, and in this respect he Is
unriyaled by any other congressman.
Inc great expanse of shirt front and
hat with flaring brim are features OF at
tire carefully studied out for their eff
Iect1Veness to the eye, particularly
| from the point of view OF the ladies'. for.
the fiery young statesman is emphati-
cally ladies' idol. In this latter re-
spect he is hardly matched by John
Wesley Gaines of Tennessee he Of the
striking neckties and prematurely gray
head. Bailey wears his raven hair long
to help the half-piratical effect for
which he strives. 1t is fashion rare
~ seen in congress nowadays, though
formerly much affected by southern
members.
The biggest beard in the house is the
property OF ICY" Sulloway of New
hampshire. 1t is cadaverous beard
OF tron-gray hue. But the most luxuri-
ant hair belongs to Lands Of Indiana.
His is a leonine name, gray and very
straight; when its owner is in an ex-
cited mood 1t Is tossed wildly. On the
other hand, If one looks for the baldest
member, one finds him in Hoffnecker or
Delaware, who has practically no hair
at all. The biggest head belongs to
Sulloway again, as we'll as the largest
feet; but then, you see, he is a very re-
markable person, being six inches over
six feet in height, SO that his extreme
ties are not out of proportion, nor his
beard extravagant. He is likewise the
biggest member
The smallest man in the house Is
Sam Smith Of Michigan. That state
has three representatives in congress
named Smith, but this is the only Sam.
He is only three inches above five feet
in height, and is thin, weighing hardly
more than 100 pounds.
There is always some dispute as to
who Is the best dressed man in the
house, but in the last two congresses.
Bennett Of Brooklyn, who has been re-
f-eently made secretary Of the senate.
was pretty generally acknowledgydaaA
the proper holder Of the title. Now that
he has departed, the laurel wreath
may be safely placed upon the head Of
Harry Bingham OF Philadelphia. Bing-
ham is a swell clear through, with
not bit of pinchbeck about him. AZ
rule Philadelphia and New York send
the best-dressed men to congress-.
When 1t is question of the worst
dressed member there is no doubt that
Frank M. Eddy OF Minnesota takes the
premium; and yet it is probable that
no other man in congress spends more
money on his clothes than he does.
II he gets a new suit, he buttons the
lowest button into the top buttonhole.
and inside of 48 hours that $75 costume
looks like an arrangement Of ..hand-
me- downs"
Eddy is an example Of the man who
wants to be bowling SWELL" but
can't somehow. He was born way up
in Minnesota when that part OF the
country was wilderness, and as boy
he worked in brickyard. The most
unpretending of men and jolliest OF
good fellows, he is exceedingly popular.
The people of his district worship u.
and no wonder, inasmuch as wtsa he
goes out on an electioneering tour he
wears blue shirt and pair OF tall
boots, buys the bar" at every crosse
roads saloon he comes across. hires a
brass band to help along the enthusi-
asm, and talks to the lumbermen in
the logging camps in tneir native Nor
wegian.
New TransIation Of "R. 9. '. r.,
A clergyman entering upon thu
charge Of new living not far from
London resolved to invite all his par
ishioners to an "at home' in order to-
make their acquaintance. and accord-
ingly sent out cards to that effect. a.
district visitor calling at one Of the
houses was at once accosted in this
way: ooh, Miss, have been wanting SO
much tn see Won fnr NV neipfiFnr and