Smyrna times., 1901-02-27
GRUBB'S LANDING LIGHT
BILL PASSES CONGRESS
EFFORTS OF CONGRESSMAN HOFFECKER
IN GETTING 1T THROUGH.
Scored Another Victory After Its Passage
in Getting the Necessary Appropriation.
Took Advantage of Opportunity.

Concerning the Grubb's Landing
Bill which Congressman
Hoffeker rushed through both Houses
of Congress in twenty-four hours,
another victory was scored on Satur-
day, week ago, that merits attention.
Concerning this, Congressman Hof-
fecker says; 81 may say that 1 scored
another victory on Saturday last by
getting Uncle Joe Cannon, the Chair
man of the Appropriations Committee,
to consent to my offering an amend
ment to the bill, making the appropri-
alton for the building of this lighthouse
at Grubb's Landing. The bill that
succeeded inrushing through Congress
only authorized the establishment of
this lighthouse, but did not appropriate
any money for it; that has to be under
a seperate bill, or an item in the Sun
dry Civil Appropriations Bill, and here
comes the difficulty, for Uncle Joe
Cannon is styled the watch dog" of
the treasury, and it is very difficult
thing to get him to consent to appro-
pirate money for projects that have
successfully passed Congress and be-
come laws, and several members who
have been in Congress a long time,
told me that "Oid Cannon" as they
spoke of him, twill not let your APP
preparation in. If he does, yon can
count yourself remarkably fortunate.
The great rush of pension bills and
other private bills have gotten the
president of the Senate behind with
his work in signing bills, and Presi-
dent Mckinley is also behind with his
work. His illness in the winter con-
tributed 10 this condition of things.
Senator Frye did not sign my bill
until last Thursday, although it had
went to the President ON Friday, and
in the ordinary course would not have
been signed for perhaps ten days or
two weeks. l asked his private secre-
tary if he would not have the Presi-
dent consider my bill out of its regu-
lar term, as Mr. Cannon would do
nothing until the bill was signed by
the President. He consented to do
this for nae and the bill was signed on
Saturday morning. called at the
White House on Saturday morning
and got Mr.. COrtelyou, the Presi-
dents private secretary, to telegraph
Cannon that the bill had been signed,
as under the regular order this notice
--~--l1 --~t % L---sl - Al KK0use Ior
three or four days, and before that
time should elapse the Appropriation
Bill would be considered and passed
and l would be overheard even though
Cannon might have been willing to let
me in. After this telegram went down
to the House to Cannon on Saturday
morning, l went to him and told him
that had two claim cases on the cal
endar, and as there was a fight be-
tween Cannon and Richardson, the
Democratic leader. as to which should
have the right of way-claims or his
Appropriation Bill, that would vote
with him (Cannon) for the consider.
alton of this bill if he would consent
to let me offer an amendment to it for
my Grubb's Landing Lighthouse. Nv
claim cases were down near the foot of
the calendar and could not under anv
circumstances have been reached, and |
knew this thoroughly well when 1
went to Cannon, but he did not ask
me where my cases stood on the calen-
dar, and as he wanted my vote, con-
sented to let my amendment in. If
he had known that my claims could
not have been reached am not at all
sure that he would have agreed to let
me in. 1t took this quick work and
close attention on my part to get my
bill signed, and then taking advantage
as did, of Cannon's fight with Rich
ardson, secured from him the promise
to accept my amendment.
Several Of my friends who have been
In the House for a long while, have
told me that / was remarkably fortu-
nate u -ettiug Cannon to let nv
ane..--e.t ia. OF course ! was only
able to do this by close attention to nv
work and taking advantage of my op-
portunities.
L have learned from experience aud
observation here that the workers of the
House are not the takers, and the talk
ers not its workers. There are several
men on both sides of the House who are
regarded among the ablest men in Con-
gress that have nat up to this time
opened their months on the floor of
the House during its session, and the
records shows that these are the men
who have long list of bills and other
work to their credit; whereas the talk
ers who have filled tho Conorasa;ovoI Il