Oakes Republican. (Oakes, N.D.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-08

ways encountered in the lower house
OF congress has proven its death.
Late in the fall Congressman Mar
shall took hold of the matter and
while it was likely to meet the al
most unsurmountable opposition of
Speaker Cannon and the committee
on rules in whose hands is practically
all legislation, by his shrewd and
skillful management, the bill ran the
gauntlet not only of the committee
on Indian affairs but in the house
itself and before the people had time
to realize what was taking place, the
telegram came announcing the fact
that the bill had passed the house.
1t only remains for it to pass the
senate, and as similar bill passed
that body several years ago, there is
every reason to believe that it will
soon become law. If it fails now it
will not be the fault of Congressman
Marshall. As this is practically his
entrance upon his second term, it is
! something remarkable that a new
member from state with only two
members in its delegation, should
be able to have passed bill that was
tied up at the last session with q
dozen others of exactly the same
kind, some of them being pushed by
veterans in congress, and men who
are leaders in legislative battles.
With the influence that comes with
service in the house, Marshall will
soon be in the front rank in the lower
branch OF congress. He is certainly
the man who does things.
GROWING WISE.
Lisbon Free Press: North Dakota
is represented in the lower branch of
congress by two most clever and cap
able gentlemen, Burleigh F. Spald-
ing and Thomas F. Marshall. At
the end of their present term both
will have served the people we'll and
truly for four years. Both are can
didates for reelection this fall, and
so far as The Free Press knows,
neither have any opposition, unless it
! is from some ambitious parsonage
who is laying the foundation to sue
ceed to some minor Office by an
nouncing himself candidate for a
more exalted position. The people
however, as whole, appear to have
no candidates for congress other than
Messrs. Marshall and Spalding and
they will be renominated, unless
some unexpected combination is put
up by politicians at the state conven-
tion.
The fact that the sentiment of the
whole state is virtually unanimous
for the return of these gentlemen
who have served so ably and faith
fully, is good sign and proves that
North Dakota is gathering wisdom
from the experiences gained by older
states. They have learned by re-
electing the same representatives
term after term that advantage, pres
tige and influence is thus secured. It
is we'll known that during congress-
mans first term or two, no matter
how bright or energetic he may be,
he is hampered by inexperience and
precedent. To secure recognition
and be of service to his state and
constituency, he must travel paths
prescribed by custom and conform
with rules as inviolable as the laws of
the Medes and Persians, the goal
being reached only by seniority.
Familiarity with the workings of the
different departments and a personal
acquaintance with their heads, is in
valuable to congressman. Under
the unwritten civil service laws which
prevail concerning committee appoint
ments, advancement to the position
of chairman on>important committees
depends upon length of service.
There are many men in congress
today possessed of but mediocre