The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-05-02
BYRNES ATTRACTING NOTICE.
Young South Carolina Congressman
Gets Early Recognition.

Washington, April 29.-None OF
the first-term members of congress
from the South, and very few of such
members from any part of the coun-
try, can be justly said to have ac-
uuired more influence in the delib-
erations of the 62d session than Mr..
James F. Byrnes, of the I'd South
Carolina district.
This fact is the most remarkable
in connection with the circumstances
that Mr.. Byrnes is also one of the
Youngest congressman on the whole
list. He has shown great deal of
practical ability in shaping matters
for presentation on the floor, and
likewise in advancing them in de-
bate after they have come up for
consideration by the house. His
success as an organizer has begun to
attract much attention from his col
leagues. One of the chief elements
in his success is that he does not
seem to care overmuch who gets the
credit, individually, for promoting
legislation in which he is interested
provided only that the legislation is
promoted.
The great influence of Mr.. Byrnes
in advancing the movement for fed
eral aid for good roads in the va
rious States by organizing the advo-
Gates of this policy in a compact
phalanx behind joint bill, offered
as a rider to the postoffice appropri-
alton bill, has been mentioned in this
correspondence.
Mr.. Byrnes has also been extreme
ly active as member of the war
claims committee in pushing the ef-
fort to secure definite information
from the governor as to the owner
ship of property captured and sold
by the federal authorities during the
civil war, and his bill on this sub
ject, favorably recommended by the
war claims committee, has been made
the subject of long communication
from the secrtary of war to the
speaker of the house.
Another committee on which the
young South Carolinian has been
prominent is the committee on bank
ing and currency, which made him
a member of it's subcommittee to
handle the money trust investiga-
ton. While at first in favor of the
action of the house Democratic eau
Gus, which assigned various phases
of this inquiry to other committees,
Mr.. Byrnes became convinced from
subsequent experience as a member
of the subcommittee that if genu-
inc investigation was to be made, it
would have to be concentrated in one
committee with ample powers, and
in supporting the request of his sub
committee for such authority in the
debate of Thursday, which resulted
in an overwhelming accession to the
subcommittee views, Mr.. Byrnes
drew great applause by declaring, in
a colloquy with Representative Trib-
BILE, of Georgia:
For my part, as member of this
subcommittee, l do not want to be
connected with an investigation the
result of which we know now would
be a farce, because we would be stop
ped at every step, and if We are to
be hedged in, if we are to be re-
stricted in our power, can say to
the house that 1 intend to ask the
chairman to be relieved from duty
upon this committee, because do
not desire to be one of a committee
starting out to investigate money
trust, by direction of this house,
and knowing from the very COM
mencement of the investigation that
we can absolutely make of it nothing
but farce" *. F. NJ. in News and
Courier.