Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05
FOUR NEW MEMBERS
Interesting Figures in the
Present Congress.
MAY BE HEARD FROM
EX-SPEAKFR KFIFER, WHO SERV-
ED MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.
Personal characteristics of Bob La
Follette-How Fassett Was Hoo
dooed by Lack of Coat.
MAY BE HEARD FROM

Probably the most striking personal fig
are on the floor of the House of Repre-
sentauves during the present session of
Congress will be Gen. j. Warren Keifer of
Springfield, Ohio.
Tall but now somewhat stopped under
the burden of years, rather on the order of
the late President Garfield in build, with
rudy complexion. snow-white hair and full
beard, many would turn to gaze after him
on first meeting Keifer, even were there
nothing about him sartorially to call for
special attention.
But there is, most decidedly. For. at all
hours of the day, and every day, no matter
where, he is seen, at least in public, he
wears full evening suit of broadcloth, low
waistcoat exposing a vast expanse" of
shirt bosom-swallow-ta tail coat and all.
Growing his milk-white poll in the sum-
mer time he wears a golden yellow straw
hat; in the cold weather, generally, a derby
the entire combination being something for
men, if not for the gods, to stop, look
listen and wonder at
Only the other day he put in an appear
ance Wall street, in New York, where
he attracted ali sorts of attention.
Served Twenty Years Ago and More.
Although Representative Keifer will be
new figure to the majority in Washington,
DOtH III the 1tbuSe ana out OF II, 1nere are
old-timers who will remember the days
when he was the biggest figure of all In the
House. Uncle Joe Cannon is one of these
AS, standing behind the Speakers desk he
declares the session begun, and, looking
over the republican side of the House, espies
keifer's snowy head above his representa-
tves desk, Uncle Joes mind must surely
revert to the days, more than twenty wears
ago when Keller occupied the speakers
desk and he, Cannon, was a comparatively
young member, though a veteran even then
Mr.. keifer is a veteran of the civil war
Serving with credit in campaigns fought out
in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Alabama and Georgia, with such credit that
when the war closed, having risen to the
rank of colonel, ne was brevetted a brisa-
der general. He began his active career
IN politics in 1874 and passed through the
ONO state senate to the Forty-fifth Con-
gress as member of the House in 1876
He was in Congress eight years being
Speaker in the middle eighties
His troubles while Speaker, now forgot
ten by pretty nearly everybody We're so
strenuous as to fill many columns in the
newspapers This was partly because some
OFF his troubles were with the newspau er
correspondents Even the old-timers in the
House gallery have forgotten many of the
details, but 1t Is remembered that at one
time he wanted to close the gallery because
OF the things that were printed about him
and also that he made serious charges
against a certain correspondent now dead
which only served 10 make the situation
more strained than ever.
Recalling these charges, an old newspaper
man remembers that they were direct.
SPECIFIC and serious and that If they had
been true the correspondent should have
been punished An invest igaton followed
the result being a resolution by the in
YestEatiOn committee that the charges
were not sustained.
Incurred Unfavorable Comment,
AL this happened so long ago that il
is hardly worth while to go into details
now. The correspondent was very popu-
lar with his fellows and many bitter ar
ticles were printed about the Speaker by
newspapers of every political persuasion
General Keifer dropped out of prominent
notice soon afterward. The feeling re-
manned strongly against him for several
years, 60 strongly that being chosen by
the Army OF the Cumberland to euogize
President Garfield when a statue to the
dead President was dedicated many pro-
tests found their way into print.
This was in 1887. and General Keifer
made little stir In the newspapers, be-
yond being mentioned for governor of Ohio
in 1894. for eleven years. When, in 1898
while the Spanish war was on, President
Mckinley nominated him major general
Of volunteers. the old sores seemed healed
and there was no cutlery.
Keller was made Speaker through an