Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-11
IOWA'S HIGH POSITION.
Has a Place In the Front Rank
In Both Houses.
ALLiSON'S LONG SERVICE

Exceeded by None ard Eaunled only
by Jones of Ncvada-First MIME on
House Roll CaiI--Iioiding IN Audit
ence For Bryan.
WAsniNGToN, Jan. I. 49, Special -
These are the days when Iowa is away
up in the front rank i'll congress, and
there is promise that the lfaWkeye
state will nave further honors when
the senate is rcorganizcd. TO Iowa has
been accorded the speakcrship of the
house, considered by everybody as the
second place of power in the govern
ment. second only to that of the prcsi-
dent of the United States. BY reason
of the continued service of Il number of
their representatives from Iowa the
state is well represented Oh commit
tees and has several important chair
manships At the head of big commit
tees like Interstate and foreign com
merce. military affairs and public lands
are Hepburn, HUH and Lacey, with
smaller chairmanships to Dollver and
Cousins, besides representation upon
ways and means, insular affairs bank
ing and currency, foreign affairs. post
offices and post roads. Indian affairs
and a number of other committees OF
minor Importance. But it is not in COM
mittec places that Iowa has power in
the house. as everybody recognizes the
fact that the speakership is worth
more than places on all other commit
tees.
In the Senate.
At the north end of the capitol Iowa
is also well fixed Senator Allison is
chairman of the Republican caucus
and also chairman of the steering
committee. which is the committee
designated to shape legislation for the
majority party in the senate. 1t yields
great deal of influence. Senator ALI
son is also chairman of the committee
on appropriation, place Of great
power and also on the other big COM
mttoe of the senate, that of finance.
Iowa is represented also on Philip
pines, Pacific railroads, interstate COM
merce, postolicCs and post roads, agri-
culture and forestry, education and la
mittces. But it is the long service Of
Senator Allison in the senate, exceeded
by no other member of that body and
cqualpd only by Senator Jones of Ne
vada that gives him so much prestige.
If programme which is said to have
been arranged regarding the election
OF a secretary and sergeant-at-arms Of
bn I, Oh
will also have further cause for con-
graduation. There seems to be a gen
eral understanding that James S.
Clarlson will be made secretary and
Alonzo Stewart sergeant-at-arms. Mr..
Stewart is an Iowa man and began his
life in the senate as a page boy Mr..
ClarkSon is now New Yorker, but
his political reputation was made in
Iowa, where he was so long member
of the Republican national committee
from that state.
He Heads the List.
A newspaper man, Ernest +. Ache
son. stands at the top of the reprcsent-
atives in the house on the roll call by
reason Of his name. Like Abou Ben
Adhcm. he heads the list when the roll
is called Ivy reason of the alphabetical
arrangement of his name. For many
years previous Joe Abbott of Texas
was always first on the roll call, but
his retirement gives Mr.. Acheson the
leading place. Mr.. Acheson, although
lawyer. is the proprietor Of the
Washington Observer, published al
Washington, Pa. He is now entering
upon his third term as member OF
the house. MIR. Achcson retains his
committee places in this congress that
he held in the last, those of rivers and
harbors and census. both of which are
considered first class committee places
The river aud harhOr committee is OF
especial interest to this Pennsylvania
member. as his constituents are largely
interested in the improvements of the
Ohio. Monor, ahela and Youghiogheny
rivers, whera the government has al
ready undertaken works of conSidera
BILE magnitude Under the proposition
to reapportion the house membership
and to make some innovation In the
manner of representation, the censu:
committee will have some importan
work to do in this congress.
, All Followed Bryan.
Representative John :. Williams OF
| Mississippi is a great admirer of vii
t liam j. Bryan and the most earnes
supporter of the Nebraska orator "Nov
| am not going back on Bryan" II,
said in speaking of him the other day
"but he did put me in pretty bat
place once. had quite fight for m!
nomination that year, having encoun
, tered several favorite sons in differen
parts of the district. but after TIKI
nomination ! was foot loose, and Bry
an telegraphcd me to meet him in New
York and take part in the campaign.
knew him in the house and we haC
,, been good friends. When | arrived,
, asked him what he wanted me to do
and he said, Hold an audience after
have concluded my speech. That wa
, not such an easy thing to do, but
e tried it. He made his speech, and
D. followed Bryan-and so did the audi
= pncp rap1nrkp1 Mfr Williams rIlpflll