The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-02-06
DIRECT ELECTION
| SEEMS ASSURED
New Method Of Choosing Sen
| ators Well Supported.
STATESRETAIN THEIR POWER
Southern States, Which Were Thought
to object to Provision, Show Favor.
] Amendment May Pass This Winter.
Champ Clark Rich In "Reminiscences.
Corridors Get Nicknames.

=
] Amendment May Pass This Winter.
/ Champ Clark Rich In "Reminiscences.
Corridors Get Nicknames.
! BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
! Washington, Feb. -fSpecial.1 -
There is q general opinion that the
amendment to the constitution provid-
ing for the election of senators by d.
rect vote will be ratified by three
fourths of the states at the sessions of
the legislatures this winter. At first
It was thought southern states would
not ratify the amendment because i;
did not go as far as southern men ar
gued it should go in giving the states
absolute control over the election OF
senators.
That was the fight which kept the
resolution before congress SO long. AS
passed it leaves the power just as 1t
now exists, neither charging nor cur
failing the authority of the states. As
q number Of southern states have
shown favor to the amendment, the
latter Is expected to receive enough In
dorsements this winter to make 1t part
of the constitution.
Champs "reminiscences.
Wherever a group of men assemble
and Speaker Clark is present he is
almost sure to be the center Of inter-
est on account of his "reminiscences. It
shows disposition in men to listen to
tales of the past. Not only does Champ
tell about his own experiences in con-
gress, but he often gets still farther
back, and from his reading and wonder
full memory he tells anecdotes of Clay.
Calhoun and Webster. After hearing
the speaker for a few hours one con-
cludes that he has read every history
and every autobiography concerning
America and the statesmen Of the coun-
try that was ever written.
New Nicknames.
As many principal streets In Wash
ington are named for the different
states, it is natural that nicknames
should be given the corridors in the
capitol for the states whose senators
occupy adjacent committee rooms. On
the ground floor of the senate is cor
ridor fanked on one side by the Offices
Of Chairman Clark of the judiciary
committee and Chairman Warren Of
the appropriations committee. Nat
urally that is wyoming avenue" 1t
was once connecticut avenue" when
Plat was on one side and Hawley on
the other as chairmen of committees.
It was Massachusetts avenue" when
Hoar was ON one side and Lodge on
the other.
But we are going to have new nick
names for these corridors-names not
known for twenty years. The names
Of Texas, South Carolina. Alabama.
Virginia, Florida and many other
southern states VIII be put upon save
nues" In the capitol after the 4th of
March or as soon as the senate can
raorganize the committees.
Have Had the Worst Of It.
These states have had the worst of
It in the senate avenues" and, what
is more important, they have perma-
nently got the worst of it in the names
given to avenues in the city. The best
avenues in Washington are Pennsyl-
vania. Massachusetts, Connecticut.
New York. New Hampshire, Vermont
and Rhode Island. The names of no
southern states belong to any of the
important thoroughfares Of Washing
ton. It just happened SO, but it is
fact.
! Lost the knack, Perhaps2
"Smoot can't guess as well as he used
said newspaper man, commenting
upon the Utah senator's management
Of that body. 1.-THE time was when
you could get q guess from Smoot as
to what was going to take place In the
senate and publish it as a prediction
with the satisfaction Of seeing 1t veri
lied. That was when Aldrich was here.
You can't do it now"
! Lodges Suggestion.
! When consideration of the amend
ment to the constitution was begun III
the senate Senator Lodge remarked, Il
would suggest that IL this amendment
Is to go into the constitution of the
United States we should not insert in
that great instrument a split infini-
tive" Senator Lodge is noted as being
q purist in the use of English.
| Omen For Obadiah.
Obadiah Gardner. senator from
Maine. who has been talked of very
much as a possible secretary of agri
Dulture. went to the White House re-
Gently and while waiting in the cabi
net room dropped into the seat which
has been held down by "Tama Jim"
Wilson for sixteen years. whereupon
the soothsa. ers became busy and con-
structed an omen for Obadiah, one of
that comforting sort of omens which
promised the Maine senator q seat in
the cabinet
1t is not stated that the fact that
OBADIAH WAS in the seat Of the secre
tary Of agriculture was communicated
to Governor Wilson. but it would have
been about as sensible as many res
sages which have been sen. to thss
most distinguished citizen.