Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-22
FIGURES FROM CONGRESSIONAL
JOURNAL SHOWING THEIR
ATTENTION TO DUTY.
VOTES ON BIG MEASURES
While Records Show That Major
Lacey Was Absent for Only Three
Roll Calls They Show That Judge
Wade Failed to Vote Seventeen
Times.

[BY H. j. MAHIN.1
Washington Bureau of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 20.
Out of total of forty roll calls in
the house of representatives last ses-
sion Judge Wade, democratic repre-
sentative of the second district of
Iowa, failed to voted at seventeen
nearly half. In the same number Ma
jor Lacey, republican representative of
the sixth district, failed to vote at
| only three.
These rather startling figures are
shown in the journal of the house
which has just been published and
bound. 1t is an eloquent story of rep
| resentation and misrepresentation
told in figures which anyone can YER
| ify and which cannot lie.
| Much is being said in the present
campaign about Judge Wade's work in
| Washington. An appeal has been
made that it is in the interest of the
people of the second district to re.
elect him. 1t is of course not denied
by anyone that Judge Wade did do
considerable work for his constitu-
ents while in Washington. 1t is not
] to be denied that he made a good con-
! gresham, but how good congress
man is best shown by this comparison
of his work with that of another Iowan
who has by years Of service estab-
lished his reputation as one of the
best representatives ever sent to
Washington b. any district.
Wade's lnattention Surprising.
Judge Wade's record as summed up
in the official records of the journal
is surprising even to the old hard
ened employees at the capitol One of
them remarked today to the Courier
correspondent that sit was a pretty
bad record for new man. This
i man frankly admitted that when con-
! gressm en- had been in Washington for
some time they occasionally get care.
less about their duties at the capitol
Such a spirit, however, shown by a
new man is considered unusual.
Although Major Lacey is serving his
seventh term in congress his devotion
| to duty has never relaxed a particle
It is this which has made him one of
the leaders of the house: On the three
occasions when Major Lacey did not
answer at roll call last session, he was
/ in each instance out of the city on
a regular leave Of absence granted by
the speaker. This was the case with
Judge Wade on several occasions, but
with the majority he was in the city
and though he knew important bust.
ness was coming UP in the house Of
representatives, he did not see fit
| to attend.
Major Lacey Busy Member.
Had Major Lacey seen fit to be alb
| sent from the house on these occasions
he would have had infinitely more ex-
cuse than Judge Wade. He is chair
man Of the public lands committee,
one of the most important in the
house and one which takes a great
deal Of time. He is also a member of
two other prominent and hardworking
committees, those on Indian affairs
and reform in the civil service. He
could easily have pleaded duty on
these committees
Judge Wade on the other hand was
only tail end member of one COM
mittee, the committee on naval af-
fairs. This, it is true, is an important
committee. but how well Judge Wade
attended to his duties thereon is
shown by the fact that one of the roll
calls at which he was not present and
failed to respond to his name was that
which was called for the purpose of
| voting on the naval appropriation bill.
This was February 25.
The "Pairine" System.
i Judge Wade has given as an excuse
for his poor record in attendance the
plea that he was paired with some re-
publican These pairs are sometimes
/ carried by all congressman to protect
them in the case of emergency. Every
man. however, who processes to repre-
sent his constituency earnestly makes
point to be at hand on roll call.
Whenever roll is called the fact is
always announced by special messen-
gers all over the capitol building.
There is no excuse for any congress
man not being present even if it should
happen that be was not on the floor
at the time the roll call was asked for.
: Whether they are paired or not con-
gressmen usually come and take their
places on the floor during the calling
. Of the roll. When their name is
reached they arise and answer present,
!. announcing at the same time that they
are paired but if not so would vote
so and SO. In only three instances Of
J, the seventeen on which Judge Wade
failed to vote was he on the floor and
answered present.
A Comparison.
The following are the dates of the
/, various roll calls ard the comparison
of the kind of representation given
their constituents by Judge Wade and
Mater Lacey:
Date Major Judge
Lacey Wade
1 Dec. Absent No
Dec. 1S.....Yes No
Jan. 4...... Yes Absent