The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-16
News ana Gossip Of Washington
BY LuoInN JULIEN wALKER.

Washington. Nov. 5.-tspecial.)-The
best man yet mentioned for the Speaker
ship of the next House is Representative
Theodore E. Burton of ONO. VINO, ac-
cording to Mr.. Grosvenor, has asked his
Republican colleagues of that State not
to commit themselves to any candidate
until he shall have time to estimate his
own chances for the honor.
Mr.. Burton, who Is now serving nus
sixth term, is known and honored
throughout the country as the Chairman
of the Rivers AMI Harbors Committee.
He is accredited with having more prae-
teal personal and expert information re-
gtrdtng the navigabe streams ana Day5
of the country and the needs and advis-
ability Of their improvement by the Gov
ernment than any other Congressman or
citizen has ever had. He Is an intensely
prs ctical business legislator. giving his
personal attention to every proposed
item in the rivers and narbors appropri-
alton bill, and Directing to every one tnat
he does not consider sound business
proposition. He thoroughly informs HIM
self OF actual local condit ions, in innum-
cradle instances by personal inspection of
river sand harbors for which appropria-
tons are to be asked.
1t Is a fortunate circumstance for Ala
bama that Mr.. Burton Is entirely con-
WINGED of the great value of the princi-
pal waterways of that State which re-
quire large appropriations for their Inn
provement, especially the Warrior and
the rivers and harbors bill of the past ses-
sion he consented to everything asked for
Alabama, except a large appropriation
for the Coosa, and the total for the State
In ready cash and continuing con<acts
was s2,l9o.0Oo. Toward Representative
Bankhead. the Alabama member of the
committee and only Democrat on the
Subcommittee which shapes the bill as 1t
becomes law, Mr.. Burton has always
been most considerable. consenting to ev-
erything In reasonable proportion that he
asked for, except an adequate sum for
the Coosa, to the improvement of which
river on large scale Mr.. Burton Is
strongly opposed. Mr.. Bankhead in COM
mittee last session first fought for 81. OOO,-
900 for the Coosa, and then for various
sums on a descending scale until Sl25ONO
was reached, and even that was denied,
Mr.. Burton declaring that he had In
spected the Coosa in part and that its
full improvement could not be profitably
undertaken by the Government. But he
readily allowed Mr.. Bankhead's claim of
$4,000 for Mobile and 100000 for the
Warrior In excess Of the engineers esti-
mates of what could be "profitably ex-
pended during the year. and all other
Alabama items asked for were granted.
Mr.. Burton Is scholarly statesman,
and a student whose studies are not con-
fined to the science of government alone.
Recently he was offered 1t is said, the
presidency of one of the strongest col
leges Ia the West which go by that ridic-
ulously misused and abused term uni
versity." He is an Ohioan by birth and
will be 81 on the goth Of December next.
He was graduated thirty years ago and
three years later began to practice law
In Cleveland, twenty-seven of the city
wards of which now constitute his Con-
gressional district: He and his most dis
tinguished constituent, Senator Hanna, do
not always agree as to local political
political management.