The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-02

u.
In 1894 Major Steele again became cam
didate for the congressional nomination in
the Eleventh district. and. after a memora-
bic contest, was chosen as the party stand
ard-bearer at Hartford City. In 1896, 1898
and 1900 he was again nominated and
elected. on each occasion unanimously and
each year was elected with a rising ma
Jority. His former committee service had
been a member of the committee on
military affairs. but on his return to Con-
gress ne was assigned TO the committee on
ways and means. He was effective fac
tor In the framing of the Dingley tariff
Dill, and ii is a notable fact that every
schedule in that measure was framed ex-
actly as the manufacturers of Indiana and
their employees desired IL. Major Steele
insisted that the wage-earners, as well as
the manufacturers, be given an opportunity
TO appear before the ways and means COM
mittee during the preliminary hearings.
and is given credit by the organized glass
workers of the country with having given
them the opportunity to present their views
before that body. At the end of his term
of service Major Steele stands fourth on
one or the most important committees or
the House of Representatives, being pre-
coded only by Chairman Payne and Repre-
SentatlveS Gr0svenOr and DalZell, all Re-
publican floor leaders. Only half a dozen
members of this Congress We're members or
that body when Major Steele began his
congressional service, and only a dozen
have served i'm Congress so long as has the
veteran Indiana representative.
XXX
The secret of Major Steeles long contin-
uance in Congress is not difficult to under
stand. Few men have given such laborious
attention to the details of congressional
work In all the years during which Major
Steele has been a member of Congress
1t is unlikely that any constituent has had
occasion to complain of unanswered
letter. His frankness and bluntness have
not always been Immediately popular, but
I'm the long run they have been, more than
all else, responsible for his long contin-
uance in the House from a district in
which the prize of membership is coveted
by many strong men. He has carried
into public life the soldierly qualities in
stilled by years of military enthusiastically
tegrity and guarded expression. With the
soldiers he has been an especial favor
lite from the earliest years of his political
career, and this IS true not only of his
own district. but in Washington. President
Mckinley offered to appoint him. at the be-
ginning of the Spanish-American war, a
brigadier general. an honor which he de-
clined on the ground that the continued
favor of his constituents had given him a
position in Congress which he might not
lightly throw away for what appeared 20
be temporary, even If a more conspicuous
and popular service.
Like the late William S. Holman, his as
sociate in length of tenure as an Indiana
congressman, Major Steele has none of the
graces Of oratory. He expresses himself
bluntly and often awkwardly, but, like Mr.
Holman, he never talks except 1t be to a
purpose and with effect. Among the better
known members of the House there Is a
very general feeling of regret because OF
his retirement from Congress This is
trl,a I.xrx lid III
departments, of which the Eleventh In
diana district has rather more than its pro-
portion, for Indiana congressman ever
secured so many appointments for con-
stituents as has Major Steele. 1t is esti-
mated that during his sixteen years OF
service more than two thousand Indianians
have been favored by appointment through
his influence. He has just succeeded IN
having an order made completely covering
his district with rural free delivery routes
and doubtless goes back to the constituents
| who have honored him so often with the
| feeling that at any rate he has done great
deal in the direction of rendering value re.
ceived for favors rendered. G. A. c.