American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-12-21

said absolutely nothing about his rise
to leadership In the house OF repre-
sentatiyes and absolutely nothing
about what he had accomplished In
life. He tells where he was born. the
college he graduated from and adds
that he has been a member OF the
house since the Fifty-fourth congress
was elected. That is all.
Champ Clark runs his Democrat
&c brother a close race In modesty. His
biography Is a little bit longer than
that Of Mr.. Underwood. but 1t con
Germs itaelf simply with the statement
OF different positions which he has
held. a record which 1t is considered
necessary to put into the Congression-
al Directory as an information book.
The speaker takes pride In his fam
lily, INT SO he speaks of his wife and
his children. giving each OF them by
name. Beyond this there is nothing.
Senator La Follette's biography in
form IL exactly like that of Oscar W.
Underwood. except that he mentions
naturally the state offices which he
held. 1t is probable Mr.. Underwood
"ONA0 law odSh
in his biography II he had held office
Of this kind.
Mr.. Cummins of Iowa also shows
shyness In what he has to say about
himself in setting forth his services.
Eight or nine lines of print is enough
to carry the whole of his career as
he wishes to lave 1t carried. There
are other big men in both parties In
congress and a reference to what they
have written about themselves in the
Congressional Directory shows that In
almost every case the lines are con-
fined to information concerning the Of
fees they have held.
Some of the representatives in on
gress who are not known by name per-
haps outside of their districts. ave
half a page Of printed matter to set
forth their virtues and their deeds. A
great many of the members are law
yers, and some of them in what they
have written Of their lives dwell with
considerable length on law cases in
which they have been successful. They
say nothing about the cases which
they have lost.
Hopes to End Sad Middle.
There are two members of the
presidents cabinet who are vi
tally interested today in the re-
ception which the parts of presidents
messages touching their departments
will be given by congress-. The two
are Henry L.. Stimson, head of the
war department, and Walter l.. Fish
er, head of the interior department.
Both of these secretaries have taken
office since President Taft sent his
last annual message to the law-mak-
ers. The interior department. like
the tariff board. has been in the CEN
ter of something much like a storm
Of conflicting public sentiment and
opinion. Mr.. Fisher succeeded Mr..
Ballinger and this perhaps is enough
to let 1t be known that he succeeded
to trouble as well as to honor.
The Alaskan question will come
before congress and Mr.. Fishers
recommendations as to the best way
to settle Alaskan matters between
the government, which owns much OF
the land, and the individuals and the
corporations who wish to exploit 1t.
will be put to the test. President
Taft hopes that Alaska finally will
cease to be what the people have call
ed 1t. "a land of suspicion" and that
it will be removed hereafter from the
boiling pot of controversy. OF crimi-
nations and recriminations. Mr..
Fisher. of course, hopes that his ef-
fonts will roc,,I< - pn,I1;r~ h1ocEo ant
Of the pot.
The secretary of the interiors re-
port on the northwestern territory Is
known in detail. Mr.. Fisher made a
speech on the subject prior to the
submittai Of his findings and he out
lined the result Of his investigating
labors In Alaska last summer.
1t is said the cabinet officer while
in Alaska wen through hardships
which. would come near lettering
eve a gold seeker. He was nearly
drowned on one occasion and sew
eral times, when in the interior Of
the country. the food supply gave out
and the secretary knew what it was
to tighten tie belt and to grin and
bear the pangs of hunger.
The assistant secretary of the In
terror, Samuel Adams. is a man of old
Massachusetts stock. He has been
known for years as a progressive.
Without paying much attention to
party ties. be is said to have worked
with his chief in trying to straighten
out the Alaskan tangles.
Henry l.. Stimson. secretary of war.
has not been long in office. He takes
readily enough to the Washington life
and it Is said that he picked up the
threads of his work in the depart
mem quickly enough to surprise his
soldier subordinates Mr. Stimson
was defeated for governor OF New
Na.I- lnnA .rnnr hu IDh. d. T..