Arizona republican., 1904-04-22
A PuzzIIng Statesman.


 the candidate of any old party he may be elected. of course. and with this portability in view 1t is pertinent to ln- quire whether Mir. Hearst will stay with his job after he gets it. Will he stay at the White House and protect the common people," or will he leave that edifice in the hands of the boys" and disappear from view for long months at q time? These are not idle ques- tions. They are prompted by a look into Mir. Hearsts record since he be- came a member of the Fifty-eighth congress.
 Accepting as authentic the statistics presented by the New York Sun, we find that, since November g, when con- gress convened in extra session, until April IA. Mir. Hearst's record is shown in this tabulated form:
 Whole number of roll calls since
 NOV. 9....... ..........-.......3 .35 Mir. Hearst voted either Yea or Nay 6 Mir. Hearst recorded as Not voting 29'
 Now, the position of congressman is one os considerable importance. and American politicians have generally found in that body full opportunity for the exercise of their talents of states manship. We pay no attention to the critics of MT. Hearst who find fault be- cause he has made no speeches. It is doubtless true, as they insist. that MT. Hearst could nave the floor for the mere asking. so general has been the desire to know at first hand what his views on public questions area desire with which Speaker Cannon would certainly sympathize. But it is prob ably true. also, that Mir. Hearst cannot make a speech, and We state this prob ability for the purpose of emphasizing the fact that mere ability to make a speech does not mark a man as a statesman. And by the same token. in ability to crate and paw the air is not proof of unfitness for official duties, either in congress or the White House Indeed. if fewer congressman had the gift of gab the country would be better on. and it cannot be denied that some of the most forceful men in public life at Washington are the men who never make speech and who rarely get up to make even modest remarks" Their work for the country is done in the committee rooms. where the laws are really framed. But they are always on hand to vote. So it is nothing to the discrcdit of Mir. Hearst that he does not mako speeches. or that he mayhap cannot make a speech.
 But absence from duty cannot be excused on the ground of nodesty and lack of forensic fire. When a man seeks sect in congress, as Mir. Hearst did. it is supposed that he has an am- bition to serve his country. Does MT. Hearst figure that he performs a public service by remaining away from Wash ington and by failing to vote on i'm pOrtant bills? What If he should figure the same way when he is elected to the presidency? There is never any ac- counting for the whims of genius, and Mr. Hearst might take 1t into his head Co lock the White House doors and go back to his newspaper office.
 It may be argued, however. that Mir. Hearst has remained away from con gress because the proceedings did not interest him. But surely he was inter ested in the statehood issue? Did he not bring a group of congressmen to Arizona to show them the error of their ways and convert them to Ari- zona's cause? And haven't the demo- crats of Arizona been told repeatedly that lt was tbeir duty 10 elect Hearst delegation because Mr. Hearst was our grfat statehood friend7 We'll. the house voted on the statehood bill. Tues day. and M-. Hearst was again record ed as -Not Voting We take 1t for granted that the young sfatesman was paired with some absent republican. but why was he not on hand to aid and comfort Delegate Wilson. and 10 read a speech at least. against the Iniquit- ous biii7 Was it because the New Mexico democratic convention which elected Hears, delegation also adopted "a resolution in favor Of the bin that Arizona has been fghtinE7
 Ai any rate. let us hope that If MT.