The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-17

I gained several rounds Of the ladder by
| preserving an ei3qusnt silence when the
F! Porto Rican bill vas under consideration.
and by voting against II. Silent men fire.
| quently take the lead by some unexpect-
ed action where experienced climbers slip
| from a rung. ana maintain their equilib-
rum with great difficulty.
| The struggle fer a commanding place
/ on the ladder Is extremely interesting.
/ One Of those making fair headvay is Ed
mund II. briggs. OF Brooklyn, y. Y. This
| is his second term. In the last Congress
he was . member of the hardest working
I committee in the Houss-that on Invalid
I Pensions. In this Congress he has also
been placed upon the Committee on Bank
/ ing and Currency. Despite the activity
of these committees. briggs is always
on the floor. awaiting an opening He
has a shrill voice. and is an excellent ex-
/ temporareous speaker. While shutting
the ficodgates of his imagination and
fortifvine facts by figures. he shows no
! illustration when questioned. always Civ
ing back as good as sent. OF sturdy fig
uTe, full blue eyes. and a Capuchin ton
sure. he is becoming familiar figure on
the too-. There is an element Of inde-
pendence about him that has made him
conspicuous. He was one of the six Demo-
Gratis who voted for the war revenue pill
in the last Congress, and one Of TIE eight
New York Democrats who voted for the
gold bill in the present House. While the
army bill was under consideration he
made bitter attack upon the transport
service, basing IL on an article which ap-
peared in Brooklyn newspaper. In this
speech, in reply 10 a question from Mr.
Wheeler Of Kentucky, he said that he
proposed TO Introduce resolution OF in
vestigation- Mr.. Hull, of Iowa, chairman
OF the Committee on Military Affairs.
made counter-attack, and the veteran
Joseph G. Cannon warmed himself into
furor OF in1igi alton and tried 10 un-
horse briggs. Mr.. Richardson, of Ten
nessee, the Democratic leader, evinced a
disposition to come to his aid, but briggs
waived him off, and showed that he was
fully capable of taking care of himself.
While not remarkably brilliant the dis
cussion became highly interesting, and
sent briggs up several rounds of the lad
der. The denorement. however. was sad.
After the resolution of investigation was
introduced. IL turned out that the editor
had been imposed upon-had bought
gold brick. There was far more imagina-
ton than truth in the story.
Another figure who seems perfectly at
home or the ladder is Charles K Wheeler,
of Paducah. McCracken County. XIV
When thoroughly aroused in debate
Wheeler is a hurricane. He has swapping
gray eyes. an impdssioned manner, sur
prising diction, fair share Of ammun-
tion, and great rapidity of enunciation.
Like briggs, Wheeler is serving his sec
Ond term. Both not only hold, but attract
the attention of the House Each was
born during the civil war. Wheeler being
two years younger than briggs Each is
feeling his way up the ladder very care
fully. Both are promising statesmen.
Neither ventures upon a lofty strain of
eloquence, but eacn contents himself with
common-senSe arguments and a careful
array of alleged facts ribbed with logic. |
Wheeler. however. is said to be one of the
best stump speakers in Kentucky. He has
superhuman energy. unbounded activity. |
and nervous mentality that makes him |
at times dangerous antagonist.
Here Is another man we'll up on the lad |
der. He is moving upward rapidly and |
gracefully but silently. He is William |