The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-14
MAN AND
HIS JOB
How the Illinois Congressman
Works
KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN
Problems That Face Secretary Of State
Knox-This Lean Year
for Congressional.
Junketers.

Washington, Aug l4.-Unless prece-
dent is to be disregarded, there will be
at least one void at the next session
Of the House that win be mighty hard
to fll. II is the Office Of Watchdog Of
Legislation.
Congressman James R. Mann of ILL.
nois has filled this job fearlessly, CON
stantly and with fine discrimination, for
years. The claims be has blocked and
the bills Of shady color that he has
held up at the moment that they were
about to be passed are numbered BY
/ the hundred Mann was keen as hawk
in watching legislation and as relent-
less. His times Of special activity we're
on days when members were privileged
under the rules TO call up bills, usually
local in application, in which they were
particularly interested, by unanimous
consent or under suspension Of the rules.
On such days bills Of this class are
rushed through BY the score. Many are
half baked products Of legislation and
nearly all Of them aim 10 take more
or less OF hack at the government
treasury
On those days Mann shone, and his
"Mr. Speaker. / object, struck a chill 70
the marrow Of many a member who had
wrigeled 70 the line some bill for which
be could offer no substantial defense.
Usually the member asked Mann To-
state the grounds Of his objection and
the inquirer always found the goods
ready for delivery. Mann either gave
adequate reasons offhand OF he lifted
the lid Of his desk and produced reports
bearing on the case His resources were
unlimited. and it appeared as though
he had spotted every rotten apple that
came TO the legislative press Members
whose hopes were blasted BY objections
scoWled at Mann and thought things
but Others who favored clean legislation
were glad to have him perform the
dIudgery involved in investigating the
bills The work required Pong hours Of
study, and midnight often found Mann
engrossed in his task II Is common talk
lat the capitol that to some extent. az
least, he had the cooperation Of Speaker
Cannon Every speaker confdes to some
extent in a member on the floor upon
whom be depends for the blocking Of
bills that cover some selfish design not
appearing on the surface.
During all this time Mann has had the
ehairmanship of a small committee. but
be has been practically 4 free lance
Now he has been placed By the speaker
at the head Of the government COMMITTEES
on interstate and foreign commerce and
the important problems presented 70 him
there vii probably require an the time
he has for study Such has been the I
way with other ohieetors
The House will therefore lose the I
greatest obieteor that has adorned its
membership in many years. There have
been plenty ~ cranks and dyspeptics /
and misanthropes who objected ndis +
criminately TO everything open to obiec
tion under the rules, but Mann objected I
with discrimination.
The busy sign Is out AZ the state de-
partment Secretary Knox and Assist
ant Secretary Wilson have barrieaded /
themselves back of the mahogany doors
and only the most important personages
can expect to hold conference with {
anybody but tile messengers out III the 1
corridor
The forthcoming year viii be the most +
important the department has had 70 I
for some time If Secretary I
Hay had his troubles keeping the door
open in China Secretary Knox may be
said to face tile problem Of Keeping I
front, side and back doors open in pretty I
nearly all Of the countries in both hemis
pheres, and il is going to be rather diff
cult for him to watch China while hold
ing his heel against the jamb in South /
America and negotiating with France 10
open the side entrance little more for
the products of American farms and fac.
tories
just now he Is trying 70 settle the
situation In China There it is not 50
much question Of the door being open
II has ben open ever since John Hay
flashed the cryptic phrase, "adlninstra
tive entity" on the foreign powers Who
were expecting To take nice little slice
Of the oriental empire for themselves
before the smoke cleared away after the
Boxer uprising Since then ii has been
discovered. however, that England, Ger
many, France, Russia and Japan have
been hanging around the doorway 80
much that it is difficult for anyone else
to get in or out. Secretary Knox pro.
poses to see that the United States runs
that blockade, not for once, but for an
time.
There have been two ministers, an ex.
and a prospective Of China, and one
ann Ia ssadnr from Tanan hoverino ahouf
talking over oriental matters Of this
kind
In addition to this, the South Arneri.
san doorway must be kept clear for the
Emitted Staes products American banks
IRE to be established in all Of the inn
onrtant centers in that continent, which