The age-herald., 1902-03-24
Mr Bowie Makes His First Set Speech in the House.

Tn the judgment of the committee, without a single exception save only the gentleman from Alabama (1dr Bankhead) it was decided that at this we could not give more substantial recognition Cthe Coosa), which all of us would be glad to provide for more literally if we could justify ourselves, have due regard for the proper expenditure of the public money and size of the bill. which we are per- mitted to bring in in doing so."
 The tenor of some of the speeches of the debate, perhaps unfortunately made aroused Chairman Burton to strike back and with an effect that may have serious consequences for the future of the Coosa and will likely delay its Improvement in- definitely
 "The arguments in favor of the this amendment''-fo the Coosa-Mr. Burton said prove to the House a very notice able fact, namely that the worse a pro- ject is the more steadfast and eloquent is it's support They prove, further, that if any member of this House, whether be- 1 longing to the committee on rivers and i harbors or not sees fit to oppose an abso- l lutely unworthy project he must lay him. 1 self liable to accusations of prejudice and 1 of trying to mislead the members of this l House.
 T regard this project as the most ob- 1 jectionable of all those in the whole list l of river and harbor Improvements for which there have been recommendations 1 made. It proposes, in a stretch of about l 142 miles, to build 31 locks and dams. On that there has already been expended about S1, 900, GOO. The balance required to l complete 1t would be something over &C., 1 GOO, 00O according to the estimates made l in 1S90 and before. Captain Judson, an 1 able young engineer, was in charge of this l improvement, and he states frankly that when ..e first was assigned to duty there he thought favorably of it, but on fur 1 ther examination he was compelled to l change his mind first, because 4-foot navigation would not do any practical l good
 MT. Burnett: May I ask the gentleman what further examination Captain Judson shows he ever made?
 MT. Burton: Well, there is oftentimes benefit, as the gentleman himself knows. l in reflection; and after Captain Judson 1 had been there some time he not only l gave further examination, but, I take 1t, l he gave reflection to it as well, and I i trust that some reflection will be given to 1 this project by the gentleman from Ala l pama. Captain Jud5on Is a young man, and he changed his mind. The gentlemen l from Alabama who advocate this im- l proYement are comparatively young men, and l trust they will change their minds l 4NO oOuOl they are aDlDtIlOuS to add still l further to their very considerable stock of knowledge. and I trust when this ad- dltion is made they will go through the 1 same process of evolution as Captain Judson.
 T am willing to submit to any accusa- tion, provided 1 first point out how ob- Jectionable is such a project as this pro- l posed. The committee, as we'll as myself l purposes to do business at the old stand l whenever we intend to point it out to this commit tee, and if you gentleman desire to take the responsibility of wasting the public moneys you may do it; but we purpose 1 to face our responsibility and perform our | duty" Loud applause)
 Unfortunately, this stinging criticism by l Chairman Burton is in the Record and will be used against the Coosa hereafter MT. Burton is an old and able member and his opinions are held in high esteem | by nearly every member of Congress- l without regard to politics Old members | are agreed that the debate has greatly | injured if not permanently destroyed the i Coosa project. MT. Burton said that some | person in Alabama wrote to him for his 1 opinion of the Coosa, and he answered | civilly and courtecusly. The Alabama person then attacked him In some news paper. People living along that river need to pray for deliverance from some 1 of their so-called friends.
 This Congress perhaps more than any | previous Congress impresses the great value of prolonged membership. More and more every, year is the truth made plain that new members avail noth- 1 ing further than attending to routine business and voting with their respective parties. This Is brought out in an inter estng way in leading editorial from North Carolina newspaper, which has | been reproduced in cScular form and | sent out by the North Carolina Congress- men to all their constituents.
 As this statement of well-known facts refers by name to two eminent Alabami- | ans, a quotation or two from it will be especially interesting in Alabama.
 There is one fact the statement pro- ceeds, quite apparent in the houses of Congress which has been long understood | by a number of the states but lost sight of by others, and that is that length of service Is all-important in obtaining standing in those bodies In the system of the arrangement of the committees (and nearly all work of necessity is done in the committee rooms) seniority of service Is the requirement and the rule | in awarding the committee appointments.
 "No member is considered of much weight or yields any degree of influence unless he has seen long service, and un- der the present complicated rules 1t takes many years to comprehend them and to become a successful legislator.
 Tn the House, on the Democratic side, the principal leaders of debate are MT.
 Richardson (Tenn.), IS years; MT Will l Hams (Miss), 10 years; MT. DeArmohd | (Mo), 12 years; MT. McRae (Ark), IS
 years MT. Williams Q1I.), 10 years MT
 Clark (Mo) years, and MT. Underwood years; while the silent men who Wleld
 the greatest influence are such men as
 MT. Bankhead, 16 years; MT. Elliott or the
 Charleston, S. C., district, A years MT.
 Lester of Savannah, Ga. IA years; MT.
 Livingston, Atlanta, F years. ana MT
 Cummings of New York, 16 years
 Hon. Lawrence Breckenridge Musgrove
 of Birmingham and Jasper spent day or
 two in Washington on his return from
 New York to Alabama, and he was most
 cordially welcomed by many friends or influence in and out of Congress. His visit
 was most enjoyable for himself and | friends alike but it was far too short;
 he was in too great hurry to get back to | Alabama
 Hon. Edward L. Russell of Mobile was
 here for several days on important legal
 business, and he was so much engaged
 that the Alabama colony had little oppor-
 tunlty of seeing him.
 Hon. Hannis Taylor has assumed the
 duties of his office special counsel or