St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-08-09
ARE GETTING CROSS.
Congressman No Longer in Love
with the Reed Rules.
Republicans ~ Well ~ Democrat
Tired of One-Man Power In the
Shaping of National
Le4lslatiOn.
Especial Washington letter.

l
desire to spend all of his days
in its drudgery," ssys Congressman
Page Morris, of Minnesota. There is
no ADLER man, no more conscientious
public servant in the national house of
representatives than the gentleman
from Duluth. He was born in Virginia,
of one of the oldest and best families of
that great commonwealth, and in 1884,
when only 80 years OF age, he was The
republican candidate for congress
against John w. Daniel, one of Vir.
ginia's ablest and most eloquent sons,
and came near being elected. Maj.
Daniel was subsequently elected to the
United States senate, and is still
member of that body. Mr.. Morris, in
1886, went to Duluth where he has since
resided. He has been representing the
Duluth district in the house of repre-
eentatives since 1896, when he was
elected to succeed the celebrated ora
tor, Charles A. Towne.
81 have had all of the experience in
national legislation that l desire"
says Judge Morris, land am ready to re-
tire to private life. Although some
men remain in congress as long as the
people will keep them there, there
gladly retire. and propose to retire
now, before the life pals on me. There
is an awful lot of hard work in the life
of congressman, and there is very lit
tie appreciation of it in some quarters,
because thousands of people have no
conception of the environments of a
representative of well nigh 100000
citizens
That is a very brief way of telling
the story. There is nothing but selfish
ness in the life of a professional poll
tician. and there is no such thing as
gratitude. High-minded gentlemen
must, sooner or later, tire of congress
sional life.. The longer man remains
in the senate or the house of represen-
tatives, the more supremely selfish he
becomes, and the more ungrateful to
those to whom he owes his preferment.
The few who retain their unselfshness
of disposition tire of the life and quit
1t, sooner or later.
Very few members of either branch
of the congress have the courage to
resign, and fewer possess the wisdom
to voluntarily decline nominations for
those positions. Even the great Will
liam Mckinley chung to his place in the
house of Representatives until he was |
defeated at the polls in 1890. That de-
feat made him presidential probable /
ity.
The resignat tons of Senators Conk-
ling and Plat, of New York, in April,
1881, are wildly remembered by those
who were at that time interested in po-
litical affairs. They dramatically re-
tired from the senate, expecting to be
reelected by the legisla-
ture of their state. 1t was their pur
pose to thus challenge the wisdom of
the president who had dared to nom
mate for high Office man for whom
the senator's entertained aversion.
That they were right in asserting their
constitutional privilege to ''advise"
with the president there can be no
question but the administration was
powerful enough to overthrow them
and induce the election of other sena-
tors in their places.
Three years ago Thomas B. Reed, of
Maine, resigned greater Office than
that of senator, an office almost as
powerful as that of chief magistrate
Of our republic. While occupying th4
position of speaker of the national
house of Representatives Mr.. Reed re-
signed from congress and retired to
private life. He was opposed to Nc
Kinley's policy in the Philippines, and
n other matters, and he resigned
rather than remain in congress and
continue in political wrangle. 1t is
that the administration
would have been powerful enough to
nave caused Mr.. Reed great deal Of
rouble or humiliation if he had not
.etired from the scene of his triumphs
md exaltations. His superior ability
las always been conceded, even by
hose who were most opposed to him.
That he rendered his party and his
country good service is conceded; and,
ret, the Reed rules are not an unmixed