Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-02
NATIONAL CAPITAL
NEWS AND GOSSIP
BY Ralph Smith

| WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. T.-When
the senate is reorganized after March 4th,
| Senator Owen, of Oklahoma, will give up
his present seat on the back row, and
claim the fourth seat from the center on
the first row-the seat occupied by Jeffer-
son Davis, when he was senator from
| Mississippi, prior to the civil war.
| The same desk that was used by the
president of the beloved Confederacy still
occupies it's old place, and Senator Owen
will retain it for his own use The desk
has a history. 1t is the only piece of
| furniture in the senate chamber that is
not perfectly immaculate, and except for
partly hidden scar on it's face, it is like
| all the others.
The scar represents the malicious work
of a Yankee soldier, who, at the close OF
! the war, ramme6 his sabre through the
desk as an evidence of his hatred for
Jefferson Davis, who once occupied 1t. The
scar has, of course, been patched and put
| tied, and is barely discernable even at
close range. .. .....
Senator owen is a native born Vir-
I ginian, and when he takes the old Davis
! seat it will bring three Virginians in a
row. Senators Daniel and Martin occupy
seats on the front row Of the chamber.
| The Banner State.
| Mississippi is the banner state of the
union in so far as native son representa-
ton in the United States senate is con-
cerned. Besides Senators Money and Nc
| L.aurin, both natives of the state they rep
resent, there are, or will soon be, five 9TH
err senator's who were born in Mississippi
Senator Gore, of Oklahoma, is ma
/ tive Of Webster county, Miss.
Semntor Bailey, of Texas, was born IN
CopsGh county
Senator Newlands, of Nevada, is son
of Adams county.
Senator Clarke, of Arkansas, claims
Yazoo county as his birthplace.
| Governor Chamberln, of Oregon, who
will become senator on March 4th,
4 was born in Warren county.
| Champ Clark as a Leader.
"Champ Clark is making very sat
isfactory leader" said a member of the
minority the other day and he express
ed the view entertained by a vast ma
jority of the Democratic members of the
house. The Missourian has made good.
There is a vast difference between the
method of leadership followed by John
Sharp Williams and the method being re-
sorted to by Mr. Clark. Mr.. Williams
was in many respects an excellent leader.
| AS a debater he has few equals in the
house, and his knowledge of public ques-
lions is large and diversified. He can,
ana ne ulu. cope Win Ine Uc5I VI NASHl,
/ but Mr. williams was not, and is not as
popular with the entire membership OF
the minority as is Mr.. Clark, not that
anyone lacked confidence in the Mississip-
plan, but that number rebelled at some
of his tactics.
| Mr.. williams rather challenged, or In
vited hostility in certain quarters. where
as Mr.. Clark seeks, and has thus far sue
| ceeded in harmonizing the warning ele-
lnents of the minority. In a word, he is
more polite, it seems, than Mr.. VIII
liams. and he is thereby enabled to get
more work out of the members, both on
the floor and in the committees.
| The Blakely POstOffice.
Although many of the leading citizens
of Blakely are urging the confirmation
of the appointment of Mrs. Mamie Fryer
Smith as postmaster at the Early county
site, it is being held up in the senate al
the instance of Representative Griggs. in
whose district Blakely is located. Mr..
Griggs insists that Mrs. Smith be not
confirmed, and his emphatic stand is SUI
ficient to hold the appointment for some
time As has been frequently explained In
these dispatches it is. and has ever been
the invariable practice of the senators
TO respect the wishes of the representa-
tives relative to postofice appointments,
and so long as Mr.. Grggs fights Mrs
Smith the Georgia senators will have to
hold up the confirmation.