Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-29

| the ear of the House and was holding the
| attention Of republicans and democratsf
| on one OF the dryest subjects of legislat
uon--s report on a contested election easel
AS Is usual with new member Mr.. Moody
| had not received any very prominent CONS
| mlttee assignments. but was put down at
the bottom OF the list of republican menu
| bers of elections committee No. 1. His first
| work was to oppose the policy OF unseatiug
| members for purely partisan reasons, and
| he reported against his republican COL
| leagues in a celebrated Illinois case where
| he contended the evidence before the COM
| mittee showed the democrat to be enti-
| tea to his seat 1t was on this question
| that ne was arousng the House when some
| one discovered in the 'red-headed man
from Massaehusetts new legislative
| force. He advocated a recount OF the votes
| IN the case and carried his proposition
| through the House. His position that the
| republican contestant was not entitled to
| the seat on the evidence then produced was
| fully Justified by an examination Of the
| ballots, but fortunately for the contestant
| mistake was discovered In a precinct
| which had not been before questioned and
| he was declared elected by a majority OF
| three votes. y
This was Moody's Introduction in the
| House, and from the day he dared to cross
| swords with some of the old party leaders
| and declare his independence and love OF
| Justice his position was assured. The next
| Congress he was appointed on the appro-
| priations committee, and Uncle joe Cam
| non. chairman of the appropriations COM
mittee, looks upon him a son. Together
statesmen
| nave put through reforms and fought
abuses until their power in the House is as
| sured.
Moody and the Newspaper Men.
Before Mr.. Moody sdecided TO enter the
profession Of law he had a great fancy
! for Journalism. While yet a student at
! Harvard University he debated in his own
mind whether or not to take up the pen
as his weapon of conquest and implement
/ of livelihood. He finally decided in favor
/ Of the law, but his keeness of observation
and faculty Of seeing news and the fea-
lures of "a good story in every event with
! which he is connected causes great regret
! that he has not given the public the benz
! EFT of these rare journalistic qualities He
! has mighty respect for the press and
last Congress, while fighting vaiiantly for
the Loud bill, regulating second-claSs mail
matter, some one asked him IL the pro-
| posed law would affect the legitimate cir
| culation of newspapers. He declared that
| it would not. the gentlemen of the p~oss
| would not permit it. and then paid this
| tribute to newspaper men:
| . Ihose gentlemen sitting above the
| Speakers chair, and those whom they rep
| resent, WELD more power than we who sit
! below 1t. They carry along parties to ric-
| tory or defeat. They make and uumake
statesmen. They mold and create public
| opinion"
Mr.. Moody and the President.
| If President Roosevelt had been SCI king
| a double for himself in personal appear
ance, tastes and temperament, he could
not have come more closely TO the MARK
than in the selection of Mr. Moody Tho
new Secretary of the Navy is perhaps Two
| inches shorter in stature than she Presi-
! dent, but he is built on the same stocky
plan, with well-knit form. clear, f1orid eom-
plexion, good eye and energetic gait, evil
| haa nv mi
| der perfect control and training II am as
| fond of outdoor exercise as the President"
| Mr. Moody says, land l propose to con-
tinue my present habits. / am intensely
| fond of any form of outdoor exercise but
| prefer that Of walking. / walk to the Cap
itol every day, and at least once week
enjoy twelve or fifteen-mile tramp in The
| country. No / have never accompanied
President Roosevelt on one OF his walks,
and l do not boast of my horsemanship.
| although l do ride horseback and enjoy
me exercise l am fond OF bicycle riding
and am an enthusiast on base ball, love
| foot ball, but have not yet had time to
| play golf. There you have my accomplish
ments in the line Of athletics. I can not
| express too highly my belief in and enjoy
| ment of outdoor sports and exercise"
| Mr.. Moody's acquaintance with the Presi-
| dent is of many years standing, but the
two men never got real close until Mr..
Roosevelt came to Washington as assistant
! secretary Of the navy. At dinner given
| In Washington by the Harvard alumni in
| January. 1873, Mr.. Moody was seated be-
tween Mr.. Roosevelt and DR.. Leonard
Wood. the latter at that time being sta
| TONED in Washington and acting as Presi-
! dent McKinley's medical advisor. The
three men became chummy and their talk
! was principally the war cloud then
| gathering. After the dinner Mr.. Roosevelt
! went home with Mr.. Moody and the late
| Representative Simpkins of Massachusetts,
| and those three sat until broad daylight
discussing the situation. With the en-
| thusiasm of young patriots. they maintains
| ed the policy of the government must be
one of Interference in Cuba, although they
| appreciated the serious consequence of
| such course. From that day Roosevelt
and Moody were bound by the strongest
| ties of sympathy on the great issues be-
| fore the country.
Dickens His Favorite Author.
| Mr.. Moody is great reader, and at HIS
home in Haverhill he has a well-selected
library. II do not buy book until have
read it, he said in discussing his literary
| desires and tastes, land in consequence
have a collection OF books that I value
very highly. What is my favorite line OF
reading? Well, I hardly say, but I
am exceedingly fond of history, biography
and fiction. My favorlte author? ] can
answer that without hesitation. 1t is
Dickens. There is scarcely one Of his
books that 1 do not know from beginning
to end. / have also read all of Dumas
works, rather rare accomplishment nowa-
days. and am intensely fond of kipling,
Stevenson and Hawthorne. The latter. you
know. was resident Of my district and
at one time was collector at the port Of
Salem.''
Mr. Moody has much in common with
| President Roosevelt in his views on public
questions, and especially on civil service
reform. In a practical way he has been
able to accomplish something In the latter
line by bringing about a reorganization OF
the system of appointments in the House
of Representatives While he regrets leav-
ing Congress, he expresses satisfaction on
one point when he says:
II won't have to appoint another post
master in all my life. A post Office TO me
is associated with calamity and trouble"
The distribution Of post Office patronage in
his district very distasteful to him.
and he is congratulatng himself upon his
escape from It. II accept the navy port
folio with the single purpose of admins
tering the affairs of the department honest
| ly, courageously and economically, and
have no new policy to announce. ] am in
thorough accord with the policy Of devel-
| ouing the navy, and have always favored