The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-19
CONGRESSMAN ARE
GETTING imp AT|ENT
Want to Go Home for Political
Campaign
PANAMA EXPOSITION
Politics Creep Into Contest Between
New Orleans, San Francisco, Bos-
ton and Washing ron-Gam-
blers After Helm
PANAMA EXPOSITION
BY RALPH NJ. wHITEsIDE

Washington, June 8.-(Special.)- When
will Congress adjourn? As puzzle ques-
ton this has the age of Ann beaten sew
en- ways from the ace. And 1t is much
more important to the average congress-
man than any puzzle ever invented.
Since the memory of man runneth not
to the contrary there has not been a
time when SO many NJ. C.'s were needed
in their districts. The man who is to
come back without fight and a hard
fight these days has increased the size
of his hat and chest measurement and is
al object of envy. Just think, for ex-
ample, of John Dalzell having to fight
for his political life. Why. no man at all
is safe. 1t is imperative that the states
men get back home and dig in with every
foot up If the country is not to be
brought face to face with the awful cal
amity of having its legislative business
attended to by new and untried men. The
situation is simply awful.
There are some statesmen who declare
the present session of Congress will put
the cap sheaf on its work by July l, but
the best impression Is that this prophecy
is one of those wish the father of the
thought affairs and that it will be at
least July 10 before Congress gets 80,
while some mean pessimst put the day
as far away as August l. These. how
ever, are mostly democrats and insur-
gents who are safe.
Three big administrative measures, 1t
is now confidently predicted, will be put
on the statute books before adjourn
ment.
The railroad bill
The postal savings bank bill.
The conservation bill, authorizing the
President to withdraw public lands from
entry.
The statehood BILL
There is also probability that a bill
for the publicity of campaign expendi-
lures will be enacted
Politics have crept into the question of
the governments Endorsement of a Pan
anna exposition to he held in 1916 This Is
the statement of a prominent member of
the Senate committee on industrial arts,
which committee has under consideration
the claims of New Orleans, San Francis
In the first place, the programme is for
Congress to pass the whole list of ex-
position projects up for this session To
give official recognition to one exposition
and not all of them would result in sore
ness in the cities which got left. This
seems inevitable and the republican CAM
paign managers are unwilling to go into
the coming campaign with additional OPP
position to meet.
1t is whispered around the capitol In
stage tones that New Orleans is in the
lead for the show. It will never do how
ever, to slight San Francisco when there
are several congressman to be elected
from that state, to say nothing of one
senator
Boston is also scheduled to hold an ex-
position five years hence. 1t is realized
in Washington that If Boston Is not fav-
ored and some other ambitious exposition
is, that the Massachusetts discomfort
with the administration will not be les
sened one bit.
AS a result of these political considera-
lions the word has gone down the line.
so 1t is stated that no exposition is to be
recognized even remotely until after the
coming election. Neither the House nor
the Senate committee will make a report
at this session.
Not the least interesting among the
Capitol employees are the pages who run
hither and yon at the beck and call of
members of the House and Senate.
The history of Congress shows that
more than one famous statesman received
training as page. The little chaps are
familiar with this history and because
of 1t each and every one of them Is fired
with ambition some day to occupy a seat
in the House or Cenate and IN epop
their fingers at the pages of future gen
erations. 1t Is not unusual to see the
pages assemble an hour or two before
noon, appoint a speaker and hold a mock
session of the House or Senate, discuss
legislation, points of order, etc.
Senators have their favorite pages and
80 do the members of the House. There
is one page in the Senate. however who
is a favorite not only with members of
Congress, but with every one who comes
in contact with him. His name is Cor
nellus Spedden, and brilliant career Is
predicted for him by every one who
watches him speed on errands for the
legislators. Cornelius is remarkable in
more ways than one. He Is such hand
some chap that the women always want
to stop him and pinch his rosy cheeks
and ask questions just to have him talk
to them.
Cornelius has a prototype over In the
House. The boy has been known to every
one as Foster. his given name, so long
that few know his last name. He has
at his tongues end all the parliamentary
language of the House, which he uses In
ordinary conversation much to the
amusement of the members. Incidentally
Foster Is an enthusiastic follower of
sports, in which pursuit he does not DIFF
fer from members of Congress.
Representative Ben johnson of Bards-
town, KY who Is one of the leading dem
ocratic candidates for governor of Ken
lucky, returned from the Blue Grass
State recently confident that the state
will give a substantial democratic major
ity in November
"All over the country the outlook Is
bright for the democracy said Mr..
Johnson. II am one of those democrats
who believe that the next House ~f Rep
resentatives will be overwhelmingly dem
ocratic I don't accept the view of some
democrats that the majority will be only
a working majority, but believe that we
shall have a large majority.
The republicans are no longer on the
aggressive; they are fighting for their
lives with the democrats pushing them
to their corners in every section Those
republican members of Congress in whose
districts in the past much money has
been spent will be sacrificed this year
that the republican leaders may be re-
turned. and this will mean that in a
great majority of the districts democrats
will be chosen"
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