The Washington herald., 1908-04-19

When the Sage of Council Bluffs. Iowa
Representative Walter I. smlth-in the
course OF his legislative meanderings
hears anything good. he almost invarl-
ably seeks oct that astute political phil
osopher from the Western Massachusetts
| hills-Ge0rge p. Lawrence-and tries IT on
/ him. incidentally Mr.. Lawrence occa-
sionally returns the compliment
The two met yesterday afternoon, as
Judge Smith was issuing from his retreat
in the Appropriations COMMITTEES.
Il received this morning one Of the
/ funniest letters that ever appeared IN
my mail since I left the bench, said the
Iowan.
DO tell" observed the Bay Slater.
| well" continued Judge Smith. "a COR
stituent wrote me that he understood the
| Department Of Agriculture had developed
/ a seedless tomato, which, 10 his mind,
ought to be q mighty good thing He
wanted some Of them right away. by res
turn mail If possible.
/ We'll" added Mr. Lawrence, in a cues
tion-mark tone Of voice.
/ We'll" rejoined Judge Smith, my con-
stituent said he wished I would send him
| some OF the seeds"
Representative "Cyn sulloway, Of New
/ Hampshire, is the best-knOwn man at the
head Of a long table in all Congress The
Capitol sees little of him, except IN that
attitude
/ Sometimes he stalks upon the floor OK
| the House so tan and massive there is
no seat quite large enough to make him
comfortable. He rarely remains there
iorg.
The place he likes is in the swivel chair
at the head Of the Committee on Invalid
/ Pensions, which adjoins the most used
I Of the House elevators He keeps the
mahogany doors open most Of the time,
! with a plump, round-taced negro mes
senger on guard.
The multitudes pass and repass. day
after day. The big Granite Stater. pos-
| ing over papers. examining private pen
sion bills and writing reports thereon, has
become as much a fixture IN the optical
apparatus Of this perambulating throng
as the Goddess OF Liberty on the Capt.
tol's top.
OF the Alerrimac-nOt Hampton Roads
MerTimac, but Santiago Merrimac-now a
member OF Congress. has sprung into
the limeIlght with both hands, so TO
speak. He has inaugurated new style
Of oratory in the House by talking with
his hands
The debate on the naval bill gave him
an opportunity 90 shine. He Is now bet
ter known 10 his colleagues and the
/ regulars who haunt the galleries than
men who have served many more terms
than has he.
During the progress Of the debate Hob
sen was the man behind the gun" at
every stage He was always on guard.
No paragraph IN the bill, however IN
significant, escaped his eagle eve. He
offered an amendment 10 practically every
clause In the measure.
From the time Uncle Joe called the
House 20 order each morning. until the
Committee on Rules got through its re-
cess in the evening he was on deck. No
body gained the floor 10 make a speech
that Hobson did not interrupt him. often
some helpless and astonished statesman
would gain a precious FIVE minutes OF
time, only 10 have Hobson butt IN,
ostensibly TO ask a question but really 10
make a speech himself.
His name bTistleS in the Congressional
Record of the past week.
Hobs0n is an excitable person. full Of en-
thusiasm, and ignorant Of parliamentary
proceedings. But what he loses in dignity
ne accounts for in speech-making by
activity OF the arms. As he talks his
fingers twitch, his long arms grasp con-
vulsively al the air. his body twists and
bends In the breeze of his own eloqueBce
ike d peach tree swayed by a tropical
storm.
And after HObson has exhausted his
vocabulary and his audience the House
proceeds right ahead and ignores him.
The defeat of his pet big navy scheme
has been a hard blow 10 him. He be-
lieyes. in consequence. the country Is So
ing to -. we'll, he thinks destruction
threatens any minute.
Thursday afternoon. just as the naval
bin had been completed and was taken
up in the House, under suspension Of the
rules. John Sharp Williams reminded
Speaker Cannon that. under the special
rule under which it was considered. each
side was entitled to twenty minutes de-
bate.
Now the Republicans were tired, and
wanted 20 pass the BILL But Air. Will
Jams could not be ignored. and was per
mi:ted to speak.
He roasted the idea of navies in gen
eral OF course, Hobson Just couldn't
help Quitting in" Securing time for a
question. he interrupted the minority
leaders speech to make one Of his own.
and wound up by eriteising Mr.. Williams,
telling him that he was INDUCING in g
great deal Of hot air"
Yes" draWled Mr.. Williams. but not
as much hot air as was INDUCED in yes
terday," and the joke was on the gentle
man from Alabama