The Columbus journal., 1910-03-02

name i now secure in history; Fight
ing Bob" Lafolleste, Of Wisconsin, Dr..
Wiley, of Pure Food and Drug fame,
and Willis L. Moore, Director of the
National Weather Bureau. Why,
almost any one Of the above named
notables could command his own
figure, and would furnish . peg on
which to hang . two weeks Chsutau.
qua session! But al the. Pres Club
had to do Was to drop each of them .
postal card to come to the club and
talk Of his Hobby" and the thing
was done.
OF course it was merely . social
event, and perhaps the considerations
above should not be suggested. Why
not say that these notables were simP-
ly the guests Of the Club, invited BE-
cause Of the mutual friendship be-
tween them and members of the club.
Just . gathering of friends. the more
clever Of whom gave amateur stunts
to amuse the rest of the company.
Quite right.
All the same, it provided every
newspaper man in Washington with
a days copy, and every reader of
papers in the country Was reminded
once more of the things::being done by
the men who spoke. That. however,
is because it took place in Washing
ton, where everything is more or less
of interest to the rest Of the country.
Mark Sullivan, of Golfers Maya
zine. was there. He writes Comment
on Congress" for his weekly, and was
taking notes. A recent comment Of
his gives Senator Burkett exoneration
in a peculiar way from the charge of
playing politics" when he tried to
keep the Senate At work BY Directing
to too frequent adjournment. After
quoting the Congressional Record Mr.. |
Sullivan said:
I'm all probability this is not case
where the public will suffer by delay. |
The nearer the votes on progressive
legislation come to the days when in.
dividual Congressman and Senators
are before their constituents for re-
election. the more responsive to the
peoples will is Congress apt to be-"
Senator Burkett is credited by his
colleagues With having delivered the
very best speech 90 Postal Savings
Bank since that bill has been before
Congress. In many ways it is an nc.
portant contribution to that very i'm.
portant subject. And it is really
strange how men, in the belief that
they are doing only the ordinary thing
are doing something extraordinary.
When Senator Burkett read the
speech Of Senatori Rayner Of Mary
land, who, by the way, is a-cIose con-
Of the constitution, oppos.
ing the pending postal saving measure,
Burkett saw an opportunity for
broad construction of the constitution
in its application to legislation Of the
postal savings bank character.
He then conceived the idea that as
Rayner was q narrow constructiOnist,
while he believed in the broader
powers Of the constitution. he would
answer the Senator from that old com.
And he lsbored on that
speech. He consulted authorities and
he shaped it. He put it into logical
sequence. And when the time came
for him to speak. he felt that he was
not only doing his duty by the bill
but by the constituents he in part re-
presents. That done, his work would
be over.
But somehow or other the speech
has been the talk of the retiring
rooms and both sides of the Senate,
md he has received more congratula.
ions than usually come to men in his
position. The appreciation was unex.
'ected. He did not suppose he was
Icing anything out of the ordinary,
mi yet he has had more applications
rom Senators for copies Of his re-
marks than be ever had before for
my speech he has made in Congress.
1t seemed;to catch the fancy Of the
'enate. While dignified there was
'ere and there rapier. thrust of the
rained master Of the sword. II
'ierced without leaving any wound
articularly. but it showed as nothing
As done during.the present session Of
congress. how little ground the oppon.
nts Of the postal savings bank bill
ave to stand upon, and is believed to
ave clarified the situation nightly.