The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-07-31
REAL TEST OF
C0NGRESSMAN'S WORTH
Best Speaker Not Always Of Most Service
to His Constituency.
Editor Press and Ballllcr:

Editor Press and Banner:
Il has occurred to he that many people
at home do not know how results are ac-
complished in Congress. Some people
may think that the member who makes
the most speeches, or the loudest Ones Is
the most useful congressman. This Is not
the case at all. The point | am trying to
make was we'll illustrated here this week
when Representative Wyatt Aiken got
through q joint resolution making an
emergency appropriation OF So 1000 for the
purpose of fighting the army worm in An
derson county and other places where II
had occurred.
In order to make the whole matter cleal
T had better tell the whole story from the
beginning. Last Sunday night Nr. Aiken
received a telegram from MIR. }. W. Roth
rock, the farm demonstration agent 1ol
Anderson county, telling OF the appear
ance of the army worm in that section,
and asking that an expert be sent to look
| over the field and advise the farmers what
TO do. Mr.. Aiken went to the agricultural
department next morning (Monday) and
saw Secretary Wilson about 1t. Mr.. Will
son t%elephoned to DR.. Webster, the ento-
mologist of the department, and asked him
to comelover. They discussed the matter,
and Mr.. Aiken insisted that DIR. Webster
| should go to Anderson at once. DIR. Web
[ ster said there was no money available
%that the appropriation bill for this year
/ had not been passed, and that all the mon
ey given in the last appropriation bill had
been exhausted.
Mr.. Aiken began feeling in his pockets
and pulling out money. Il don't kno"
whether 1 nave enough money with me to
pay YOU expenses" he said, but l can
get some more by the time the train
leaves"
I'm game too" exclaimed Secretary
Wilson, and he began to dig up, too. And
between them Mr.. Aiken and Secretary
Wilson made up enough money to pay DR..
Webster's expenses on the trip, and he
left Washington that night.
DIR. Webster reached Anderson Tuesday
afternoon and at once got an automobile
and went to the infested section, in CON-
pany with Mr.. Rothrock and other citl-
zens. He found the situation worse than
he had expected, and went back into An
derson that night and sent MIR. Aiken a
telegram giving the result OF his trip. He
] urged that more money be made available
- o..o &, o,lnr 70 mt nthar oynarfC in
the tieled.
Mr.. Aiken got this telegram Wednesday
morning. He did not know how much
money would be needed, but as soon as the
house met he introduced a joint resolution
making an appropriation Of $4,000, had
the resolution referred to the committee
on agriculture, and then %telephoned to
Secretary Wilson to come up to the cap
itoi and talk to the committee about it.
Mr.. Aiken then went to work, seeing the
members OF the house personally and ex-
planning the matter to them. The leaders
on both sides OF the house, Republicans as
we'll as Democrats, were seen and all OF
them agreed to support the resolution.
Ill Cl AlN IllO Slioik huAA VI StNS NP
preparations committee, was seen. well,
you know we are trying to make a record
for economy" he said, but this seems to
be a case in which you need money down
there, and you need it right now. Figure
out just how little you can get along with,
and l will not oppose it." Other in6uen-
tial members Of the house told Mr. Aiken
the same thing.
Secretary Wilson appeared aud went be-
fore the committee. He was told what
Mr.. Fitzgerald had said, and after discuss
ing the matter for a while, he said he
thought S. 900 would be sufficient to carry
/, on the work until the regular a%pprOpria-
ton bill should be passed. Thereupon,
the committee reduced the amount named
in the resolution from $4,000 to 5000,
and Mr.. Helm Of Alabama was instruct
ed to report the resolution favorably to
the house on Thursday, Of course
all Of this took some time, and by
the time the resolution was reported to
the house Mr.. Aiken had talked to practi-
caily every member present, and had lined
everybody up for it. Mr.. Helm made a
short talk, explaining the necessity for the
appropriation, which everybody had been
told of before hand, and in a very few
minutes the resolution had passed the
house. There was not q dissenting vote.
Mr.. Aiken then had the resolution hur.
ried to the senate. Under the regular
routine it would not have been sent to the
senate until the next day, but Mr.. Aiken
was in a hurry, and he speeded things up
In the senate an unexpected obstacle was