The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-15
Never More Sought After
Than In Present Session
UNWINDING LEGAL TANGLE
Attorney General wickersham Operating
the Soft Pedal-The Gossip from
the National Capital About
Doings There.

Washington, April I5.--There was .
time when the new recruit to Congress
went through hazing process during hi'
first session which for pure cussedness
had the West Point system AZ its high
est state Of efficiency beaten OF the
boards.
Time was when the green member had
his newness worn off By the empty stare
from his experienced colleagues in the
House; he was ignored as vacuityi
his speeches he got a chance to make
himself heard-were applauded at the
wrong places, the funny parts were met
with q dismal silence, and the oratorical
flights were laughed to scorn. Coming
from his district, where he was hailed as
the biggest toad ii the puddle, the states
man, about TO make his mark in the
book Of national history, and not I'M
naturally little pleased with himself,
found no admiring multitude here to gape
At his greatness, no one to whisper audi
bly, "there-that's Representative So
and So, mo one to help him learn how.
Maybe he was shocked TO learn that the
hotel he selected required an advance
payment OF room-rent--such things have
happened and maybe he came near be-
ing pinehed for walking on the grass at
the capitol grounds
But lo this season found the new
congressman at his best Chairman
Payne of the ways and means committee,
or John Dalzel. or some others Of that
all-powerful machine actually talked
,.-stt hs,,. al ,awha,., Ifv,fa l.. .s.,ar,
patted him on the back. And Chairman
Olmsted, OF the committee Of the whole,
honestly seemed glad to give him time
for speeches. Even more, when the
speech was delivered, there was some
body always on the job 20 lead the app
plause at the right moment, and deliver
a proper laugh at the humorous hits
The answer is;: New congressman
were in demand at this session The
machine OF the House, Just before the
session began, found itself badly in need
Of votes to adopt the old rules and re-
elect Cannon. The insurgents wanted
votes for the contrary program. Be
tween the two, the new member was
fairly swamped with attention. Those
who helped the machine reaped their
reward During the general debate on
the tariff bill, more green recruits deliv-
cred maiden speeches than are generally
heard in q whole session.
Even after the machine had won its
fight, the new member was still valuable.
Advocates Of free lumber sought his
friendship tand incidentally his vote)
protectionists pleaded with him; free
traders ia hides smiled at his Jokes and
iavished attention on him; lobbyists but
touholed him and fattened his ambition
with adulation. He Was made to think
his vote settled the whole blooming
thing. He was taken in hand, shown
how to use his stationery account to the
best advantage; where to put in the
applause on speeches which he didn't
deliver, but merely asked leave to print
told how to get books from the congress
sionaI library for his wife at home, and
was generally put wise to all the ms and
outs Of the congressional game that usu-
ally requires several sessions to learn.
But, alas, next session the new con-
gresham will, in all likelihood, get
what's coming to him more than enough
to make up for his early lack Of hazing.
An extraordinary session demands "a.
traordinary tactics, but when the ordi-
nary business Of the country has the
call in the House, the new member gets
lemon The chances are that lots al
citrus fruit win be handed him next
December