The age-herald., 1902-02-21
LET CUBA STARVE," SAITH CONGRESS pF DINGLEYISM

occasion presents itself. There may be
 exceptions to this general rule, but if so
 they are presumably almost as "scarce
 as hens teeth" A genius of the first rank
 would in the House of Representatives
 make poor show as to legislation dur
 ing his first term, and he would be for
 tunate if he attracted respectful attention
 during even a second term; while any
 man of solid sense, of good Judgment,
 can rise to the most commanding infiu-
 ence If the people of his district display
 common sense enough to keep him in
 Congress. The men who buy their way
 to Congress-and such men are numerous
 enough-have to keep on buying for
 term or two, and then suffer the pains of
 being kicked out, as they ought to be;
 but the people, especially the voters in
 some of the Southern states, have learn
 ed that the longer they keep good and
 trustworthy men in Congress the better for themselves.
 There is one young member, who Is also
 young man, in the present Congress
 N ho is making some real reputation for
 himself. although this is his second term.
 He is MT. Elmer Jacob Burkett of Lin
 coin, Nebraska, and he Is only thirty-flve
 years old. He Is the son of an Iowa farm-
 er and was educated for the law, which
 he practices whenever his Congressional
 duties permit. Not only is he successful
 at the law, but was a successful law
 maker of Nebraska before he came hither to assist in making laws for the nation. MT. Burkett Is tall, straight, good-lool- ing. He doesn't wear his hair longer than
 the average man, doesn't roll his eyes like an owl, and doesn't mouth as if he
 was the sole possessor of all the wisdom
 of the Republican party, to which he be- longs. He doesn't talk as if the party be- lorged to him, and doesn't feel so It is
 pity that his example in this respect has not been the example of certain young Democrats in the recent post. We shall hear more of MT. Burkett in the years to come, and less of some other young men, who try ones nerves and patience.
 An aging man who was twenty-five | years ago one of the most relentlessly l abused men in this country has return | ed to the Washington of today, which he, | more than all other men was powerful | in creating Former May Alexander R. Shepard-the Boss" Shepard of other years-has come back to dwell in Wash | ington, after spending a quarter of century making fortune in Mexico and here ne takes up his life anew at sixty
 five. He found Washington an unpaved
 muddy, struggling country town; he left it the best paved city on this continent.
 He laid out and paved wide streets through woods and fields and because he spent millions In public Improvements he was denounced all over the country as | "boss'' and corruptionist This very 1 spirit of national enterprise on his part created such a storm of indignation that he was driven from power and the people | of the District of Columbia permanent | ly deprived of the privilege of voting
 for any public officer
 1 MT. Shepard gave up his monumental
 work of creating city worthy to be the
 nations capital a moneyless man-'dead
 broke" as the phrase goes. He went to
 engaged in silver mining, in which he has 1 prospered to such an extent that he is | now enabled to retire from business and l come to Washington to dwell in peace. | At a business mems banquet here the l other night one of the speakers referred | to Boss" Shepard and the once-abused
 name called forth turbulent applause. | LUCIEN JULIEN WALKER.