The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-16

wants something for himself, for con-
 stituent, his State or his party must know intimately the hundred anu one, the thou
 sands of influences radiating toward Washington from powerful individuals, corporations and organizations of all
 kinds whatsoever and not less the int1u-
 ences radiating from Washington back
 up.n powerful individuals, corporations
 and org anizations of all kinds whatsoever. Leadership in the House grows out of the same business ability coupled with | like skill in handling the open and avowed
 and the sinister forces beating in a storm
 over the Capitol @' 1 might say a word of the lobby and ! the form it has taken on in it's later de-
 velopments, but this note is perhaps suf-
 flcentiy long. The lobby is here, despite the fact some observers dispatched it years ago.
 Let me resume as to Congress. That body Is one of picked men; men of far more than average ability. The post calls 1 for energy, tact and sleepless wig lance After all Is the life elevat.ng? I should say distinctly not Je1lousies and in- trigues apart, the inconceivably impudent demands made upon members, repeated and repeated by consclence-scarred con stltuents ought to drive Congres smen to enlist for any punitive expedition destined for any quarter of the -obe with its oO- ject-the destruction of conscience-scarred sayages. Yet the dear fellows groan and
 work away, seeming to think after all,
 with Major Handley, that its good job"
 Their rank in social Washington can be easily defined by saying 1t Is about what the Alabama Legislature is in social Montgomery.
 I am at liberty to say what few mem
 bers would dare say. that a Congress- mans salary is grossly in adequate to meet l the demands made upon him. This Is not to speak idly. When he has subscribed to and aided churches. schoo.s, newsp Ipers; supplied the needy and helped the dead beat: when he has footed the bills of his campaign committee, there is little left upon which to affect style in living with his family here. In consequence the greater number of Congressman are com pelled to live in boarding houses ol' in qute unpretentious hotels. A few rich
 Senators like Elkins of West Virginia, or Representatives like Hit of Illinois, own
 their homes. These men are of the class
 who do not trouble to collect their sala-
 ries, leaving these for their secretaries It Is worth noting that the Southern
 members fare worst as rule, and this to
 their credit. I will not enter upon the reasons for this.
 | Coming to point of more immediate interest, should like to say the business
 of the Democracy, in the House particd- larly, bids fair to be ex ell ntly well
 handled during the coming sess.o on. There
 is feeling generally prevalent in Wa h. ington that there is going to be a race
 next year. Would it be taken Rmiss, if l.
 who was blown so far out to sea in 1896 by free silver, express deep satisfaction
 with MT. Williams of Mississippi as he
 gradually wears his vessel round trying
 to head her for the lights that served the Democracy for so many years and weIl7
 I find have mixed my metaphor. Was
 blown out to sea?
 MT. Williams is not handsome Only
 his dearest friends make this pretension
 for him; but he is as sharp as a briar.
 He compares well with his immediate
 predecessors. Bailey was and is the best
 stater of a proposition in either branch of
 Congress. He has a genius for statement,
 but I could never believe he had large.
 or for that matter correct, views of larger
 policies for his party. Mir. Richardson; | yes, Mir. Richardson.
 MT. Williams brings to his new duties a power of statement not equal to that of Senator Bailey's yet one fairly worthy to
 be mentioned in the same breath. He brings. too. a sound practical knowledge of parliamentary law. To these must be added, what Is far better than either. a sure grasp of the historic and undying clements of his party's creed.