The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-02-07
Legislators Applaud Perfection of
Drill But Refuse Adequate
Emolument.
ABOUT NEW CONGRESSMAN
Men Of Cavalry and Artillery Do
Everything Which is Possible For
Them To Do.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington-At Fort Myer, just
across the Potomac from Georgetown,
4 troop Of cavalry and battery OF
field artillery of the regular army
givs an exhibition drill in the riding
hall every Friday afternoon. The de-
mand for tickets each week Is thrice
grea1er than the halls seating ca
pacity. Senators, representatives,
non off Gals and their wives, mothers.
cousins daughters and sweethearts
attend to witness performance,
given without money and without
price. that is better than any play.
The officers at Fort Niger had the
thought originally that the drill would
get the civilian and the soldier into
closer touch, and that by showing
what the enlisted men of the army
are trained to do, and can do. the Of
ficials among the spectators might be
induced to see that justice is done
the service in the halls Of congress-.
Senators and representatives, and
the others as we'll, cheer the drilling
and 90 away saying "Wonderful," Ind
ready to admit to anyone who asks
that the men are a fine lot and that
the country ought to be proud OF
them. However, when it comes to 4
question Of voting an Increase of pay
for the fine lott In order that it may
be kept in the service Of the country,
1he senators and representatives
shake their heads and 60 on the ex-
1remely doubtful list.
At this Fort Myer drill troop Of
cavalry does everything that it IL
possible for cavalry to do, and the bat
terry OF field artillery follows suit.
Fine men and fine soldiers, straight
soldierly drilling, with fanciful ma
neuvers that no one would believe
possible of accomplishment, are
thrown in for good measure.
The men who ride the horses and
bring in the fieldpieces I'm battery
and TO action rear" and faction
front are not picked men. The cav
airy troop and the batteries alter
nate at the work week in and week
out, and never 4 man but can ride
standing on his head (this literally
and never a man but can pick up q
handkerchief from the ground with
his hand, with his horse going At
charge speed.
Splendid Work Poorly Rewarded.
The whole thing is seemingly i'm
possible thing, but yet possible to
these young fellows who are being
paid something less than so cents Z
day by the order Of the congress- OF
the United States.
1t may go almost without saying
that no new representative comes to
Washington without holding the hops
in his heart that firmly impressed
upon the minds of his constituents Is
the feeling that he Is to be az nc
other congressman ever was. 1t may
be that even the older representatives
never entirely Danish the dream that
their fellow townsmen and fellow dis
trict men sit at home through the
long winter evenings thinking only
of the gallant fight that the absent
one to whom they have intrusted
their representation 10 putting up fol
them against the powers of darkness
A cartoonist, who put his cartoons
in book and published them,~ shad
owed forth in black and white side
lights the terrible path Of tempta
ton" trodden by the new member
who comes to Washington to find 1t
not the City Beautiful, but the den OF
devilf1sh with tentacles manifold,
The new. congressman wants it to be
understood at home that he walks un.
afraid the straight path, with never
a slipping aside toward the pitfalls
where the monsters lurk in hidipg.
Few Caught by DeviIfsh.
1t is fine spirit Of rectitude that
possesses the souls of these new ones.
Truth is that the men OF the lower
house at least do not meet the devil.
fish unless they seek him, and in
seeking him they discover that the
devilish is exceedingly shy and that
he will make no forward movement
unless he sees that which may pass
for sign Of welcome. Not many
members OF the lower house have
been caught by the devilfish, and 1t
is a fine thing for the country that
this may be written. One day the
deyilfish will be dead, ,everlastingly
dead.
It has been discovered that Dayy
Crockett, when he was a member Of
congress. wrote book making all the
charges against Andrew Jackson that