Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-06-16
OLD WAR HORSE
SHOCKS CONGRESS
General Keifer Deserts Famous
Dress Suit Speaker Cannon
Deeply Moved.

Washington, June l2-The House OF
Representatives. sustained tho severest
shock in It's history yesterday morn
ing. Statesmen have come and states
men have gone, eloquence has Uttered
the halls Of legislation and the dull
ness ~ the dol1rums Of midsummer
has in days gone by driven our law
ma kers 70 drink and even to the verge
of suicide; but never before was the
House so shocked as when J. Warren
Neifer. veteran Of two wars, 81 bat
Ties and nine congressional campaigns.
covering period of more than half n
century Of public life, marched into
the House attired in a suit Of dark
oxford gray.
1t was sack suit The only re-
naming vestige of the generals for
mcr attire was the dress vest OF black
broadcloth. General Keifcr has worn
evening dress in the daytime for many
years
When he entered yesterday conster-
nation spread over the House in a
iiffy. What's the matter with
Keifer?" was the question on every
lip.
Il am going out TO Ohio in n few days"
said he To a reporter. THE tailor per-
suaded me that this would prove more
comfortable travelling attire than my
swallow tail I Will not promise that the
change shall be Il permanent one
BREAKING NEWS TO CANNON.
Word was carried to l.. White Busby,
secretary to the speaker. with the request
that if Mr.. Cannon had not already no.
ticod tho change, the news be broken to
him gently.
| Mr.. Busby assured the reporters that
| the speaker had noted the change with
deepest emotion and that he trusted that
General Keifers insurgency would ex-
tend no further than his wearing apparel
General Keifer in ordinary garb is no
more prevalent In the activities of the
/ House than at any other times lie was
1 quiet for nearly forty minutes after
tho Invocation. but before the day was
ended he had participated In no less thar
six acrimonious colloquies and nad made
three tlve-minute speeches, so MS friends
felt assured that the change had made
no approciable difference in the norma
and natural activity of the old war horse
of republioanism,
GUIDES BADLY DISTURBED
The most perturhed group OF men
about the capitol were the professional
guides Heretofore they have had foui
things 10 point out 20 visitors to the
house gallery The patter Of the guide,
used to run az follows:
The nervous elderly gentleman sitting
at the marble desk with the light mallet
I'm his hand Is Speaker Cannon. The
! handsome men with the white lawn tio
Ike Methodist preacher is the demo
cratic leader. Champ Clark OF Missouri
The young man with the head that
shines like a Photograph at MONDAY Is
Nicholas LonEworth OF Ohio, ana the gen
tlcman I'm the dress suit with the white
whiskers is Gen. j. Warren Keifer, who
1881 TO 1888"
Champ Clark has discarded the white
lawn ties. That almost broke up the
guide business. General Keifer's defec'
ton has set them by the ears, They held
IA mass meeting In tho rotunda last Might
and adopted a set of resolutions request
ing the ex-speaker to return TO his vel
known habilments,
They told him that II the speaker was
deposed next session and Iongwortt
adopted wig they would have TO go GU,
OF business.