The Washington herald., 1912-03-21
STATESMEN, REAL AND NEAR.
By FRED c. KELLY.

Daniel A. Driscoll. OF Buffalo. the only
undertaken in Congress. is shining ex-
ample of the fact. now coming to be
generally conceded, that one never can
tell None of Driscoll's teachers when
he was a youngster ever predicted that
his voice would some day resound through
tho halls OF Congress. He had little or
no time for study, and II no one had
ever consumed any more midnight oil
than he did. John d. Rockefeller might
to-day be driving q gravel wagon or
selling life insurance for a living. But
here is Driscol in Congress, and those
OF his schoolmates who stood at the head
OF the class are not here at all. Doubt
loss, some grew up and got interested
in airships and many are in society.
Then. too. It seems strange that an un-
dertaker. obliged TO sit around looking
solemn so much OF the time, should in
spire people TO rise up and shout his
name as a candidate for Congress-
Driscol explains 1t like this:
IAN undertaken must have an unusually
wide acquaintance. A doctor might have
just a few patients. and IL they kept sick
all the time. as many people do. or
think they do. a doctor could make a
living. But an undertaken cannot de-
pend on Just a few families. He must
know a vast number OF people. And
knowing lots OF people. Of course, he has
chance to make them think he is a
good Sort
Driscoll began getting acquainted with
people at an early age, and when he
Was ei0btaan Wa sarnapt{opad1 for city
alderman.
Those philosophic persons who wear
side whlskers and declare that there's
no such thing as luck would do well TO
null over the career Of Horatio c. Clay
pool. member OF our National Congress
from Chillicothe. Ohio.
Some years ago two or three Ross Coun-
ty politicians looked about for somebody
TO play joke on The name Of Clay
pool occurred to them. He was quiet.
good natured. and wore sleeve protec-
tors while at his daily task-does even
yet-and he seemed as good a joke VIC
tim as anybody they could think of. So
struggling TO keep their faces straight.
they went to Claypool and talked him
into accepting the Democratic nomination
for county prosecutor. No Democrat
had ever been elected prosecutor In that
county, and there was many a hearty
laugh when 1t was learned that Claypool
was taking the contest seriously.
Several State and local issues so con-
fused things that there was considerable
scratching OF tickets and Claypool sort
of oozed through Then, out of polite
ness, the people gave him q second
term.
He wasn't much more than out Of the
prosecutors offfce than the Democrats
needed a man to go on the ticket for pro-
bate judge. the best job in the county.
''Claypool will think he can be elected,
now that he's had one Office" II was
suggested. Let's make him the goat"
And in that way Claypool became pro-
bate judge.
Then when the last Congressional cam
paign hove along. every Democrat in the
district saw that there was no chance to
beat the Republican candidate. and IL
was generally agreed that they would
have to leave their Congressional space
blank. But as a last resort a committee
went to see IL they couldn't get ClaypooI
TO hold the sack.
"It seems disgracefuL" they said. '.just
to leave the space blank. Aw, come on,
and run
But ClaypooI shook his head. saying he
didn't like the idea OF being laughed at.
When the committee started away.
looking detected over their failure to get
anybody to run. Claypool felt so sorry
for them that he said:
"Oh, well, I guess might as well run.
do think it would be shame to leave
blank space"
And that's the way he broke into Con-
gress.
They were having a debate in the
House on the proposition to repair and
preserve a collection of historic flags.
Some of the flags were on exhibition
up in front of the Speakers desk,
among them the Don't give up the
ship banner from the battle of Lake
Erie. One member OF the House had
talked long after he had ceased to
have anything to say. whenever he
seemed to be run down. he would get
his second wind and begin all over
again.
Representative Cooper. OF Wisconsin.
turned to a colleague and said:
4 think we'd better have that Don't
give up the ship flag removed. Every
time that fellow yonder looks up and
sees the historic phrase, he perks up
and takes a fresh start"
mo. shan't run for Congress again"
said Martin IAttleton. of the Oyster Bay
district Its getting so that Con-
gressman doesn't cut much figure. any
how. can remember when a Congress-
man was invariably consulted before
anybody in his district made an Impor-
tant political move. and he thus had con-
siderable standing in his community.
But that time Is past 1 was reading in
the papers just the other day that a fel-