The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-05-19

8 lance OF purchase OF works OF art FOL
e the capitol and control of the botanic
garden.
IL Is, however, in the work Of the
committee on Indian affairs that the
state of South Dakota is most directly
and materially concerned. Mr.. Burke
has shown a broad grasp OF Indian af
fairs generally, and was appointed to
his present position because OF his
recognized ability to- handle legislation
relating to Indian affairs. His public
service in this responsible position has
fully justified his selection for the
craftsmanship. The Indian a%ppropria-
tion bill for the mex fiscal year. which
has recently beer signed by the presi-
dent, was entirely reformed by Mr..
Burke. This bill carries a charge up
on the public treasury of $4,000, 600
nearly 5000, 900 less than the last
Indian appropriation bill.
Mr.. Burke has a happy faculty of
getting along well with his colleagues,
and he is highly respected on both
sides of the house chamber. Probably
no member of the house is so success
full in passing bills under the unani-
nous consent rule as Mr.. Burke has
been. This is largely due to two facts
which are characteristic of the man,
to-wit: His general spirit of fairness
and the fact that he never proposes
legislation that will not bear the clos
est scrutiny. His statement on the
floor concerning the provisions of a
bill are accepted on both sides Of the
chamber as fair and truthful. His
bills never have to be scrutinized for
'iokers." This factor cannot be over
estimated in its influence upon the
temper of the house, when bills are
under consideration.
Politically Mr.. Burke is a republican
without any qualifying on descriptive
words, but he is not of the intolerant
kind. He believes republicanism
means progress. and actuated by this
belief, he is always a consistent sup
porter of republican policies. Repub-
lican presidents, whether Mckinley.
Roosevelt or Taft, have never had to
inquire whether Mr.. Burke would sup
port the policies to which the party
was committed by platform pledges.
They always could depend upon him
without questioning whether or not he
would keep faith with the party and
with the people. He has never used
his power to drive a bargain" with
the executive branch of the govern
ment, and his vote on no measure was
ever bartered for political patronage
any other consideration. Too fire.
for the reputation of both the
executive and the legislative branches
Of the government there is traffic in
and most frequently,
.oud talking kind, who come to Wash
.ngton with a blare of trumpets her
aiding their independence" and UNI
lying devotion to the cause of the
Such men are usually quick
y taken into the camp which they
zane to Washington to rout, but they
Are permitted to go on playing the dual
'ole of insurgent at home and regular
n Washington. They are usually a
noisy lot who vociferate loud and long
or home consumption" Mr.. Burke
IS absolutely free from this blatant
hypocrisy. The records show how
he has Grated and also
low consistently he has voted for all
those measures whose enactment into
has marked an era in the upward
md onward movement in our national
With him a public Office
Is in reality a public trust, and he
would no more betray the confidence
in him by the people than he
desecrate the graves of his an
Regarding his nomination he appears
DS VI dii hiCh Nv iCoot SohSCihCu
not that he is Indifferent, but the
glamor of public life does not appeal
to him as it does to some men. He
is not consumed with political ambi-
ton. He knows the inanity Of it all,
and the social feature of Washington
life does not attract him or consume
any of his time. He lives as modestly
in Washington during the sessions of
congress as he does at Pierre during
the recess, and is at his Office in the
capitol six mornings in the week be-
fore most members have washed the
blink out of their eyes.
On public questions he has always|
voted as his conscience dictated. re-
CARELESS of how any other member OF
either branch of congress voted. He