The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-02
Mr.. HULL OF IOWA, HIS WORK.
HE NEVER TRIES TO FORCE A
MEASURE.

ample of His Persistence.
Washington. March 31.-Representative
Hull of Iowa enjoys legislative work.
He is a good parliamentarian and can
preside over the House without embar-
rassment "On the floor he is different
from most members. He never tries to
force a measure-he carries it through.
colleague has said that Hull can get bills
through the House with less friction than
any other man on the floor. When OBJ
lection is made. he explains and when
some other man might smart under
taunt and show resentment Hull will
good naturedly seek to satisfy the objec-
tor with argument rather than fight him
down. He makes a good speech, but di-
plomacy, not oratory, is his long suit
His methods have made him popular with
his fellow members and a good many of
them know him as John" Those who
do not know him so well salute him as
Captain" This title dates back to his
Civil War service. His admirers from
Iowa call BIN Governor" because of his
two terms as Lieutenant Governor of the
state
Huh is best known as chairman of the
House Committee on Military Affairs. Be
fore the war with Spain this chairman
ship might have been called "genteel'
position, just as the Craftsmanship of APP
propiations was powerful" the chair
ship of pensions "laborious," the chair
manship of judiciary ''dignified," and
so on. But nowadays the military chair
manship is one of great Importance. and
Chairman Hull had power, labor and dig
nifty shoWered upon him because of qsen.s
following the battleship Names misfor-
tune. He has been chairman of the com
mittee since the Fifty-fourth Congress.
mittees at the opening of that Congress
more chairmanships were given to Iowa
than any other state in the Union in
proportion to the size of her delegation.
Henderson was chairman of the Judiciary
and first man next to the Speaker on
Rules; Hull headed Military Affairs, Hep
burn Interstate and Foreign Commerce,
Lacey Public Lands and there were two
other Iowa chairmen. Six of Iowas
eleven members received chairmanshipS
and the others We're well taken care of.
This has nothing to do with Huh, except
to show that an Iowa member has hard
time to be specially conspicuous. Hull is
not the biggest man of the delegation,
even excepting the Speaker, but he is
one of a collection of big fellows.
As an expert on military affairs Hull
is now pointed out in the same way thar
payne is a tariff expert" or as I'm
Gle joe Cannon is referred to as an ''au-
war legislation of 1898 Hull was one of the
best friends the administration had in the
coptol building. His mission was to CO.
operate with the war department ana
he did so without causing excitement or
friction. He was COOL deliberate and
wise. He had helpful suggestions to make
to the war department officials. When
plans were formed he put them into ex-
ecution in the house He worked hard
on the bill for the army and it was a
bitter disappointment TO him that the in
crease wes not for a hundred thousand
regulars instead of sixty-fve thousand
regulars and thirty-fve thousand volun-
teers.
Hull is good looking. He appears 10
advantage in a dress suit In Fifth
avenue in New York or on Connecticut
avenue in Washington, he might be call
ed dandy" The expression of his face
is full of business. yet it is by no means
lacking in intellectually In his auto
biography published in the Congressional
Directory, he says he is engaged in
farming and banking" This is partic-
ulary true as to the farming. In sum-
mer he spends part of his time looking
after his favorite farm, and enjoys the
life as much as he does any horny
handed member of his constituency if
he should lose his job as congressman ne
would be as likely to take up with farm.
ing as he would be to take the manage
ment of one of the banks in Des Moines
in which he is interested
AS a repres en- tatiVe Hull is tireless He
is always at it; in fact, he wastes labor
occasionally because some of it does not
show and brings no fruit or reward ex-
cept satisfaction to him. He has both de-
termination and perseverance,. Con-
gress or two back he had a bin granting
a pension of $72 a month to a Des Moines
veteran of the Civil War After he had
argued for it before the committee. it
was reported favorably, but with the
amount cut down to $780, 1t came up in its
turn at one of the Friday night sessions
devoted to pensions. He was on hand as
was his Iowa colleague, Lacey, who had
written the report. Hull made a long
statement explaining the merits of the
bill. Lacey also spoke in favor of it. Some
one called for the reading of the report
This took time and indicated that all
would not be smooth sailing. Hull made
another STA ement in his graceful man
ner. Then the reading Of the minority re-
port was demanded. This was another
bad omen A speech was made against the
bill and then HUI had to make another
appeal, He seemed to satisfy the objec-
tors and the vote was next in order.
AS the roll call proceeded it could be
observed that two were voting for the bill
to every one against it. All was happiness
for Hull "Thirty-two ayes to fourteen
noes" announced the chairman and he
was about to add, And the bill is laid
aside with a favorable recommendation,
when out rang the words, mo quorum"
quorum could not be mustered and the
next thing the House did was to adjourn
This would have discouraged good many
men but Hun brought that bill up on an
other occasion and it was passed. Still
the opposition was not satisfied and still
later HUI succeeded in having the House
reconsider its action and recall the bill
from the Senate. Then, in spite of the
House having reversed itself. Hull got
the bill up again and secured its passage
1t went through the Senate, received the
Presidents signature, and the Des Moines
veteran drew his pension. There had been
lot of opposition to that bill but there
was no opposition to Hun.
Hulrs devotion TO details and his love
of work give value to his service as a
representative. He does lots of work in
committee and would rather dictate let
ters than eat. Less than ffty-nine years
of age and enjoying fine health, he is
Tlr