Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-22
Early Days in the House.

Mr.. William z. Curtis has performed
public service in unearthing pamphlet ex-
tracts from which he save in his letter to
Tuesdays Star written by an Englishman,
Mr. Henry Bradshaw Fearon, who visited
America in 1917 and while In the country
looked IN on Congress. The Senate i'm
pressed Mr. Fearon very favorably but
take this picture of the House:
This assembly consists of nearly two
hundred. They want in appearance the age.
experience, dignity and respecta bility which
we associate with the idea of Legislators
and which are possessed by the superior
branch OF the Congress. The interior deco
rations of this room are marked by an IN
feriority TO the Senate, which Is rather
auti-republican. The members sit on very
common chairs, at implanted desks, which
placed in rows, the whole resembling
Laucastrian school. though without its reg
ularity. Some two or three speakers regu-
larry command attention: others talk on as
long they please, the members being oc-
Cupted in writing letters and in reading or
folding up newspapers. This is carried to
such an extreme that 1t appears fully to
justify the charge of Mr. Randolph that
the House of Representatives consisted
only of g. large collection of printers boys
Splitting boxes are placed at the feet of
each member. and. contrary TO the prac-
tice of the upper house, at once members
and visitors wear their hats"
Why. contrary to the popular belief. the
house. in those ''olden. golden days" when
giants made up its membership, was no
better in point OF method and behavior than
Il now Is. The croakers want us to be-
Heve that in that early time the public
business was transacted by men who were
deeply impressed with the profound impor-
tance of their tasks, and gave their whole
souls to their work. And yet here we see
them just as inattentive to the average
an rag E,,v-f
the satirIsts around them. Has anybody in
recent years said a severer thing about the
House than this thing quoted from John
Randolph of Roanoke, who in the matter
of a bitter tongue was the Thomas B. Reed
OF his day? "A large collection of print
er's boys And this of worthless whom we
have all been brought up to reverence as
nmoug the wisest men of their generation!
Then take this picture:
The prominent leader of this side of the
question was man gifted with great vol
ubillty of speech, much self-importance In
delivery, considerable occasional violence in
manner, and who seemed to command
much attention, rather from the strength
OF his lungs. however. than from the solid
tty of his reasoning. This gentleman 1
found 10 be Mr.. Henry Clay, Speaker of the
House OF Representatives. an active man of
business. He Is said to understand the
forms of the House better than any other
member. His manners are not exactly gem
tlemanly His natural talent l should sus-
pect to be good, though but little cult
waited, at least by present application. His
mode of speaking possesses strength, but
IS totally destitute either of pathos or logi-
cal arrangement
We need not accept Mr.. Fearons ap
praisemeHt of Mr.. Clay. We have our own.
Our great commoner was our style of a
parliamentary leader, and man OF great
force His oratory IS a tradition. but among
the best established of our traditions. If
ais speeches do not read as we'll as Mr..
Wcbster's. they wrought wonderful results
when delivered. But as is seen, our star
did not Shine for everybody as for us and
here was an educated Englishman who
was far from being favorably impressed.
And yet how many representatives and SEN
ators have since been embittered by the
observation that in Mr.. Clay's day, sir,
the country was served by giants
We are getting along pretty well Many
OF the fathers were able and worthy men,
and some were extraordinary men, but
wisdom and character did not die with
them. The sons, upon the whole. make
very clever stagger at running thin-s.