The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-04
Comments of the Press on Mr.. Byrnes'
Good Work.
BYRNES FORGING TO THE FRONT.

BYRNES FORGING 10 lHE FRON L.
The Washington correspondence of the News
and Courier contained the following:
None of the frst-term members of Congress
from the South, and very few of such members
from any part of the country can be justly said
to have acquired more influence in the delibera-
tons of the 62nd session than Mr. James F.
Bvrnes; of the Second South Carolina district
This fact is the more remarkable in connection
with the circumstances that Mr.. Byrnes is 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 debate after they
have come up for consideration by the House.
His success as an organizer has begun to attract
much attention from his colleagues. One of the
chief elements in the success is that he does not
seem to care overmuch who gets the credit, lndl-
vidually, for promoting legislation in which he
is interested, provided only that the legislation is
promoted.
The great influence of Mr. Byrnes in advanc-
ing the movement for Federal aid for good roads
in the various States by organizing the advocates
of this policy in a compact pl1alanx behind joint
bill, offered as rider to the postofice appropria
ton bill, has been mentioned in this coSrespon-
dence.
Mr.. Bvrnes has also been extremely active as a.
member of the war claims committee in pushing
the effort to secure definite information from the
Government as to the ownership of property
captured and sold by the Federal authorities DUR
ing the civil war, and his bill on this subject,
favorably recommended by the war claims COM
1nittee, has been made the subject of long COM
munication from the Secretary of War to the
Speaker of the House.
Another committee on which the young South
Carolinian has been prominent is the connn1ttee
on banking and currency, which made him
member Of its subcommittee to handle the Mon
ey Trust investigation While at first in favor
of the action of the House Democratic caucus,
which assigned various phases of this inquiry to
other committees, Mr.. Byrnes became convinced
from subsequent experience es a member OF the
subcommittee that if a genuine investigation
was to be made it would have to be concentrat-
ed in one committee with ample powers, and in
supporting the request of his subcommittee for
such authority in the debate of Thursday, which
resulted in overwhelming accession to the sub
committees views, Mr.. Byrres drew great ap-
plause by declaring, in colloquy with Represents
tive Tribble, of Georgia:
"For my part, as member of this sub-com-
mittee do not want to be connected with an in
vestigation the result OF, which we know now
would be farce because we would be stopped
at every step and if we are to be hedged in, if we
are to be restricted in Our power can say to-
the House that intend to ask the chairman to be
relieved from duty upon this committee, because
I do not desire to be one of committee starting
out to investigate Money Trust, by direction OF
this House, and knowing from the very cun-
mencement of the Investigation that we can abeo-
lutcly make of it nothing but farce