Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-07-22
FROM WASHINGTON
spesiaI correspondencc Of .he counlsn.
Washington, July 21.

Washington, July 81.
Still speaking of the Missouri
delegation in the Congress of the
United States, it will not do to ig-
more the Hon. Maecenas +. Ben
ton, of Neosho, 1.-THE little giant of
the Southwest Mr.. Benton be-
longs to the family of Bentons of
Missouri, Of which Thomas III. Ben
ton was the most distinguished. If
he were alive to-day he would be
proud of the modest little gentle
man who bears his name with honor
and dignity in the national House
of Representatives. Mr.. Benton
Is very poor windjammer or hot
air merchant. He seldom gets to
his feet, but when he does there is
some republican who wishes he had
kept his seat. He comes about as
nigh knowing what he is talking
about as any man In the Congress,
and is one of the ablest orators in
that body. He has had very little
opportunity to indulge i'm pyrotec-
nic oratory in the House, and in
deed he does not care to do so. He
knows, as does every one else ia
miliar with the situation, that he
is going against the coolest propo-
sition in the world; that he cannot
change vote on the republican
side of the chamber and that the
democrats who would vote with
him any way are either i'm the cloak
rooms telling yarns or else writing
letters and will not pay any atten-
ton TO his remarks. If that is not
enough to put a crimp in any man
with oratory TO unload, what would
YOU call its Mr.. Benton did. how
ever, submit few remarks toward
the close of the 18th Congress that
both sides of the House listened to
with close attention. He is mem
Der of the Appropriations commit
tee and he submitted report of
the expenditures of the first session
of the republican Congress that
made some republican eyes become
unnaturally visible. His summary
or compilation of the extravaganza
of that first session proved that the
republicans not only were respon-
siple for the first billion-dollar Con-
greSS, but then for the first billion
dollar session of congress, as the
appropriations aggregated over a
billion dollars. Mr.. Benton was
complimented by having thousands
of his reports printed and sent out
10y the Democratic Congressional
Committee as one of its best cam
pain documents.
Mr.. Benton is the first man who
ever was discharged from Office for
pernicious activity" in politics.
This occurred in 1886 when he was
United States Attorney in Western
Missouri under the first Cleveland
administration. He was soon re-
instated and served in that capaci-
~ until 1899. There never was a
better democrat on earth than this
original offensive partisan" and
his constituents compliment their
OWN intelligence by retaining him
in Congress.
The Littauer glove contract is
still agitating the War Department
and official Washington. On ac-
count of the peculiar relationship
existing between President Roose-
welt and Congressman Littauer,
the question is on the tip of every
mans tongue, What will Roose-
welt do about this latest scandal
that gets close to him! Z" At a
Harvard College dinner ut the Wal.
dorf-Astoria hotel in New York on
the 23d of February, 1900, Roose-
welt declared with pride and emo-
ton that his closest personal friend
and political adviser was Mr.. Lu-
cius n. Littauer, member of Con
gress from New York. To quote
his exact language: II want to tell
you that it is a Congressman who
ismy mostintimate personal friend,
and who is my closest political adj
viser." :.
who is be Z" came from all
sides.
Lucius Littauer," said Roose-
welt.
The laws of the United States
forbid a member of Congress to
take any Government contract. The
New York Sun, republican news
paper, friendly to Mr.. Roosevelt.