The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-01-11

this sally completely demoraiized me
and made it impossible TO continue
my remarks. ii was a long while af-
ter that before ATTEMPTED TO address
the Chair again,
A week after | was able 20 obtain
an audience with the Postmaster
General. There were quite a number
OF men IN my district elanloring for
fourth-rate possmasterships and had
q long list OF applications in my pos.
session. asked the Postmaster Gem
eral IL he had half an hour to spare
in order to go over these lists. He.
smiled and isad;
"You arc asking a good zeal OF
time. You remind me oil an Incident
that occurred when General Arthit
was President The Postmaster Gen
eral at that time dropped IN on the
President aud asked him II he couiG
half an hour Of his time. Tic Pres,
dent replied
Half an hour2 Why, my Gear fer
low, dynastics have been overturned
in three minutes. You viii have 70
cut your remarks short
Nov. my dear Congressman" he
said. turning TO me. "the force OF this
little anecdote lies In its application.
I don't want to hurry you. but you
will have TO get through in Ave min
utes. for have number Of very im-
portant engagements that must
keep"
I solved the problem by leaving the
names of the applicants with him and
promising to call some other day to
learn his decision,
was in one of the other depart
ments not many days after this ann
was trying to impress the head of +
certain bureau with the merits of one
of my office-seelling constituents.
This man. said. is especIalls.
fitted for the position to which have
recommended linn. He is an expert
and understands his business thor.
oughly. He is graduate of the Uni
versity of Iowa
The bureau chief looked at me
quietly for moment and then a
smile began to Turk about the cor
ners of his mouth He leaned over
and said in soft tone freighted with
sarcasm:
.Is there university in Iowa.
What was the use in trying TO talk
business with man OF that kind? My
friend did not get the appointment
and l am afraid he never will.
/ had been in Washington about q
week when the Speaker announced
the committee appointments. II did
not take me long 10 discover that !
had been appointed on the most In
significant committees within the
gift of the Speaker of the House.
They Included womans Suffrage.
Revolutionary Claims, Committee TO
Compare Bills and Committee to au-
dit the Contingent Expenses of the
House. Two of these committees
never met during the entire term foi
which was elected. The other two
| did; but tie work on them was OF a
perfunctory character and could cas-
/ lily have been performed by the clerk
of the committee. IL began to dawts
upon me by degrees that could not
possibly obtain recognition in the
House without obtaining some out
side influence. II got so that when /
had an especial interest in rome inn
portant bill would go TO the senior
Senator from our State-who has
been in the harness for over 90 years
and through him obtain recognition
from the autocrats w1o run the
House of Representatives.
One morning l found 1t necessary
to go to the White House. started
4 of in high spirits. feeling that as an
American citizen and an official be-
sides, would soon have the opportns
nifty of grasping the hand of the first
man in the land, The Blue Room and
the adjoining apartments were crowd
ed when entered. and soon learned
that 1t would be necessary to see the
secretary OF the President. 1t took
me half an hour before was accord
a view OF that gentleman. When I
told him that desired to see the
President he said:
| "I am very sorry, but the President
cannot see you today
I stiffened up at this and said:
why not? am a member of Con-
gress and come here in my official
capacity.
4 10 e.