Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-05-02

passage, SOLu0 OIL The party leaders
take charge of the debate and no
time is given to those who usually
do the talking.
-
The old member with eight or ten
years to his credit, knows the
routine of thi ngsand further knows
what he has and must have back of
him if he expects to pass measure
OF local interest to his district.
Somtime earlier in his career he
may have imagined that prominence
in congress as we'll as effective work
was to be achieved through speech
making. If he is wise, he soon be-
comes disabused Of this and in
dustriously devotes himself to his
committee work. In doing this, he
comes IN contact with the real work
ers Of the body, the men whose real
word delivered in business
way carries more weight than all
the speeches made Illuminated with
gllttering generalit1es. Frequently
this is demonstrated in the house
sessions; certain measures are at
tackled, debated and sought to be
amended and IN their consideration
many members show differences of
opinion. To all appearances, the
measure is doomed to defeat, when
into the fray steps some man who is
recognized as one of the leaders of
the house, the chairman of the COM
mite which considered the leg1sla-
ton. Without oratorical frills or
redundancy, he says what he has to
say and in a few minutes the bill is
passed just as it was recommended
by the committee.
-
This is witnessed day after day
during the session, when the house
is considering district of Columbia
business, and when Congressman
Babcock has charge Of the matter
involved in proposed legislation.
At times the debate wakes warm
and takes up the better part of an
entire session. Mr.. Babcock LAYS
no claim to being an orator, but
when he gets up and with PLAIN
business directness and precision
states the facts, it is rare indeed
when the recommendations of his
committee do not govern. When
he says, ''Mr, Speaker, I have in
vestigated this matter thoroughly
and the committee is in accord
with me in the belief that the bill
should pass" this simple declara-
ton goes further than hours of de-
bate preceding. 1t is because Of
this, that the people of the district
count him SO servicable in all
matters relating to the up building
Of the most beautiful city in the
world. He has the confidence of
the house and when it comes to a
question where he exercises his in
fuence, few men stand better with
his colleagues.
~
In congress there are only few
men who command attention, when
it comes to speech-making. The
orator is at discount, largely due
to the fact that this is a day of
specialists. The man who speaks.
must have message along parti-
cular lines, for generalities will not
suffice. The man who can show the
necessities of making an appropria-
ton, or better still, show how and
why an appropriation should be re-
duced, is more of factor and of far
more influence than the member
who talks to the galleries or for the
editication of his constituents with
possible political dividends as an
incentive. There are members who
have talked themselves out and be-
yond any possible usefulness and
who have not contributed one ra-
tional thing in the nature of a real
substantial betterment of govern
mental conditions.
Xxx
In the senate, in the main, is body of
big Drained forceful men, in the speech
making class; Senator Spooner ranks
first, then Bailey of Texas, Rayner of
Maryland. These men not only COM
mand the attention of the senate, but
have messages to deliver, and upon a
legal proposition, when they finish
there remains but little to be said bv
the law books and court decisions.
There are many other lawyers of high
est standing in the senate, but the men
named together with Senator Knox of
pennsylvania, in all matters where the
constitutionality of a measure is in
volved, lead the debate. Upon general
propositions an agreement is reached
and the points of dica oroopoon+ 90