The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-23

Chats Entertainingly About His
Colleagues, Some of Whom Are
Addressed With Formally and
others in Chum-like Fashion.
Chairman Cannon Always Joe.
Copyright, 1902. by Amos ]. Cummings.
Washington, March 22.-Apparently a
mysterious influence in Congress in
duces some members to address each
other by their first name in preference
to their christened appellatives. The
Speaker of the House is universally
known as Dave Henderson. His predc-
cessor was almost invariably addressed
as Tom Reed. Speaker Randall was
known throughout the country as Sam
Randall Speaker Crisp of Georgia an
swered promptly to the name of Char
ley No one, however, ever took the
liberty of addressing Speaker Carlisle
as Jack Carlisle, and certainly no one
ever dreamed of hailing Speaker Keifer
as Joe Keifer. To limited extent, the
use of the first name seems to indicate
the popularity of a member. To-day
there are twelve Josephs in the House
of Representatives; yet only one is uni
vesally addressed as Joe. He is so we'll
known by his appellative that it is
hardly necessary to designate him. No
body thinks it in the least out of place
to allude to the member from Dam
vile, ILL.,, as Joe. Indeed, he answers
to the name with an alacrity entirely
wanting when you address him as
Mr.. Cannon; nor will he heed the name
Joseph 1t must be Joe or nothing.
When he presides in the Republican
caucuses during the consideration of
the Cuban proposition, he reminds you
of Joe Hooker fighting above the clouds
on Lookout Mountain. Now there are
two other Joes in the Illinois delega-
ton, and men of marked ability-Joe
Graft of Peoria and Joe Crowley of
Robinson; yet the very man who never
fails to speak of the chairman of the
great Committee on Appropriations as
Joe Cannon would never dream of adj
dressing his two colleagues as Joe Graft
or Joe Crowley. They ever stand as
Joseph V. Graft and Joseph B. Crow
ley. 1t might seem quite natural to adj
dress Joseph t. Johnson, a name quite
familiar in the war for the Union, yet
nobody in Congress has ever presumed
so to do Occasionally you hear the
representative from Franklin, Pa,
termed Joe Sibley-Champ Clark al
ways alludes to him as Joe-yet no one
ever refers to ]. H. Gaines of Charles
ton, w. Va, as Joe Gaines. Joe Conry
is au fait among his constituents in
Boston, but is always addressed in
Washington as the Hon. Joseph A.
Conry.
Aside from these there are Joe Ford
ney of Saginaw, Mich; Joe Gill of Steu-
benville, O.; Joe Ransdell of Lake
Providence, La and Joe Showalter OF
Butler, Pa, yet they all retain their
dignified patronymics in the House and
on the streets of Washington. Even
familiarity in committee frequently
fails to introduce the old schoolboy
term of companioship. Joseph w. Bah
cock of Wisconsin is a gentleman OF
dignity and culture. For a long time
ne was known as the Hon. Mr.. Bah
cock, but since he has aired his pecu-
mar views on the tariff he is frequent
~ hailed as Joe Babcock. The Speaker
always speaks to him as Joe, yet when
ne rises to address the House he al
ways announces him as the gentleman
from Wisconsin,. Residents of the Dis
trlct of Columbia have also taken to
calling him Joe. This is probably be-
cause he is chairman of the district
committee and practically president OF
us board of aldermen. They apparent
ly think that he will respond more
alphabetically to applicants who use
the name so familiar in his boyhood.
Let any man run back along the trail
VI ms memory to the scenes of his
early life, and he will recall his youth
4ul associates at Bill, Tom, Pat, Mike
ana other names equally endearing.
some surnames seem to spring to the
Ups naturally and are used uncon-
sclously The name Charley has eu-
phony peculiarly it's own. 1t has been
d favorite ever since the days of
oSnampagne Charley and Charley
over the Water" There are twenty
lour Charleys in the House. Two out
OF the twenty-four names are in uni
sersal use. Charles F. Joy of st. Louis
y known the world over, including the
white House. as Charley Joy. The
same may be said of Charles A. Rus
sel OF killingly, Conn. In early days
MI. Russell attended most of the rural
soirees and dances in his congressional
ulstrlct and became a universal favor
Ht. The man who was unacquainted
win Charley Russell at that time was
not in the swim. To-day, although a
!eading member of the leading commit
Zee IN the House, he is still the same
marley Russell. Indeed, he would UNI
uouotedly be astounded to hear him
IIe1 introduced to a stranger as the
non. Charles A. Russell. On the other
nahd' 1t is probable that nothing would
more astonish Gen. Charles E. Hooker
u jackson, Miss, than to be present.
eu 10 a new member as Charley Hook
er' Yet the General is as suave and
eeIlal as mis- Connecticut confrere, and
lally as popular. A true type of the old
ulhe Southern gentleman, he lost his
arm in the Confederate service, and
mas achieved a reputation in the House
second to none.
mere is another anomaly. 1t is
Tnarles F. Wright of Susquehanna,
d. He is standing in the main ailse
" me House listening to the reading
VI report. If dozen men near him
Sslould address him simultaneously as
marley" he would never dream of re-
lying. Indeed, it is doubtful if he
wy ~ouid even turn his head. Let one
~ them shout. Hello, Fred" and as
luck as flash would be the return.
~ every township in his district he II
thnown as Fred Wright. His name, like
'"al or the late Speaker Crisp, is