The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-04

It is related that once on time in a rural community of the Mississippi val ley a prosperous farmer died intestate' leaving a widow and family of grown sons and daughters to inherit his lands and tenements, goods and chattels. The eldest son was appointed administrator and proceeded to wind up the estate The deceased had dabbled In good many things aside from farming. He was a trader in live stock and farm produce He had general store and was money changer. He had a blacksmith's shop and was a breeder of fine live stock. As a conseouence his affairs were in state of considerable confusion when he died, and his son, not much of business man, was worried and perplexed in his capacity of fiduciary.
 One evening, in company with nefgh- bor and bosom crony, he was returning from town" where he had been to advise with his lawyer As they rode side by side on horseback he was detailing his troubles and perpexites and closed thus: "When I come to realize what a job l have on my hands, I'll be hanged if I'm not sometimes sorry the old man died"
 And a kindred thought must come to the democratic members of the ways and means committee, who are appointed not only to load the gun the Sixty-second Congress is going to fire at the robber tariff, but to make the other commit tees of that body. The democratic party and the country will be fortunate ln- deed if the sequel does not give them reason to regret that the committees were not appointed in the od-fashioned way by the speaker, who will have the re- sponsibility for the work of congress, whatever that work may turn out to be-
 The announcement of the committees except those absolutely necessary-ways and means, rules, accounts and mileage should be postponed until the last day Of the extra session, and if they are an nounced early in the session the party will have reason to regret it. If tho Patriarch Abraham, the Prophet Elijah, King David and the Apostle Paul were to make the committees there would be a row over it. for whatever is done, 70 Der cent of the majority will say 1t is R botched job.
 Too much importance Is given to these places John G. Carlisle and Thomas B. Reed entered Congress together in 117. The directory" of that Congress spells Carlises name John s. Carlisle and he was hid away in the assignments on the obscure committees of "expendi- lures in the navy department and 'yen- tilation and acoustics" two bodies ne1th- CT of which had two sittings a session. But the third session of that Congress MT. Carlisle was appointed to the select com- mittee on revisions of the laws regarding the counting of the vote for President and Vice President, very important as- signment at the time in view of the dis puted presidential election. He had won his spurs Reed was hid away that Con gress on the committee on territories and that of expenditures in the war de- partment."
 So you see it is not the badge that is on the congressman. but the head that is on the congressman, that makes the statesman. If there are any Carlsles and Reeds in the Sixty-second Congress they will show themselves all right whether they be of one committee or another, and whether chaHman or no.
 I'll never forget John Sharp Williams debut in Congress It was success that approached triumph though he was low down on the roll of the then com parativey insignificant committee of agri-