The Iola register., 1902-05-23


advocates of the Grout bill now ad-
init that if this section had not been
incorporated, the original bill, instead
of closing the door TO fraud, would
have thrown it wide open, making it
not only easier, but more profitable,
to sell oleomargarine fraudulently
than under the existing law. 50 II
| happens that Mr. Scott, who opposed
| the measure because he believed that
| the Wadsworth bill would have been
more effective, is responsible for the
! incorporation of an amendment, the
omission of which would obviously
| have resulted in defeating the very
purpose for which the GrOut bill was
| framed. Many minor amendments and
changes from the original measure
bear the stamp of Mr.. Scott's pains
taking labor. For the reason that
| Mr.. Scott had studied the question un-
til he was familiar with every detail
he was asked by the chairman of the
Committee on Agriculture, MIR. Wads-
worth, to write the minority report
upon the measure, Offering the substi-
tute of the minority-the Wadsworth
bill-which he accordingly did, and
defended his position on the floor of
the House in n splendid speech. 1t
was his maiden effort, and the speech
elected hearty applause and congrat.
ulation and made a most favorable
| impression. He demonstrated then
and there, to the satisfaction of his
colleagues, his ability to discuss pub
lie questions and participate in ma
| tional legislation-a most unusual
proceeding, when 1t is remembered
that most Congressman are two, and
sometimes even three and four terms
| finding out whether they are ever 60
ing to be able to get anywhere in the
House of Representa- ives.
If Mr.. Scott had stopped here, he
would have eclipsed the majority of
new congressman records. But a
little later on the school of mines bill
came before the Committee on Mines
and Mining and there were extended
hearings. In this instance as in the
case of the oleomargarine bill, Mr..
Scott set to work to inform himself in
every particular concerning each fea-
ture of the measure. His searching
and pointed inquiries during the hear
ings so impressed the committee, that
when the time came to report the bill,
by unanimous vote OF the committee
MIR. Scott was requested to prepare
measure on the floor of the House.
This Mr.. Scott accordingly did, and
the measure is now pending in the
House. 1t is bill, by the way,
which has created widespread interest
in every State and Territory in the
| Union.
While the agricultural appropra-
tion bill waslunder consideration in the
House Mr.. Scott was instrumental in
securing an increase of $40, ,000in the
appropriation for the maintenance of
the Office of Public Roads Inquiries.
Mr.. Smith of Michigan, had intro
duced an amendment, increasing the
appropriation from, $50, 900 to $40, 900.
The chairman Cf the committee was
against any increase at all, but Mr..
Scott effected compromise by which
Mr.. Smith agreed to modify his amend
ment by making il read $40, 900 instead
of $40, 900, and the chairman of the
Committee ON Agriculture agreed to
withdraw his opposition. Aside from
the achievement itself Kansas people
will be interested in knowing that the
Kansas members good offices will not
be forgotten. and that the Director OF
the Office OF Public Road Inquiries has
practically promised Mr.. Scott that
the good road train shall stop in Kan
sas this year and build "A stretch of
sample road.
1t was also during the consideration
of the agricultural appropriation bill
that Mr.. Scott crossed swords with
"Uncle Joe Cannon. the "watch-dog
of the treasury" "Uucle Joen wanted
to consolidate the bureau of statistics
and the weather bureau Of the Agri-
cultural Department. and offered such
an amendment on the floor of the
House. In colloquy with the vet
eran from Illinois, Mr.. Scott demon
strated that such a proceeding would
be unwise at thai time. He held that
the two bureaus could very we'll be
consolidated, and this action ought to
be taken, but he maintained that ii
ought not to be done inon afternoon,
on the floor of the House, with little
or no consil leration. Mr.. Cannon S
amendment did not prevail and Mr..
Scott's position was sustained by the
House-that is to say, the whole mat
ter was referred to the Secretary of
! Agriculture, with instructions to con-
solidate the two bureaus during the
year.
This, of course, is only part of the
story-facts set down at random, as
they occur to one who has watched
Mr.. Scott's course in Congress with
interest. In addition to it all there is
this to be said That no request from
a constituent is too small to escape his
personal attention and engage his best
endeavors and no service so great
that he will not willingly and cheer
fully perform it IL it is in his power to
do so. Congressman tire somtimes of
the irkscme routine of little things,
but Mr.. Scott does not seem to regard
these duties as arduous. He rather
enjoys being a Congressman, with all
the term implies. He is painstaking
and careful, and evidently never for a
moment loses sight of the fact that one
of the things he is here for is to look
after the interests of his constituents.
And in attending to their wants
he makes no distinctions He