Evening journal., 1913-07-01
NEW NEWS or YESTERDAY
The Only Surviving Member
Of a Famous Committee
By holland

u sometimes think that the most
strikingly representative committee
that was appointed by me while l was
speaker Of the House Of Representa-
tives was the one created by resolu-
tion Of the House authorizing the ap-
pointment Of committee which was
10 have charge, so far as the govern
ment was concerned, Of the Worlds
Fair Exposition to be held at Chi
capo in 1892, in commemoration Of
the discovery of America by Colum-
bus"
This statement was made by
Thomas Bracket Reed while chat
ting with some of his friends in New
York city year or two after he re-
signed his seat in Congress- and went
to New York to practice law.
Every member Of the committee
that appointed Nwas man Of ma
tiOnal distinction" MIR. Reed con-
tinued, "and some of them were of
great distinction Yet they were all
at that time members of the House
Of Representatives It was, of course.
a non-partisan committee, although a
majority of the members were Re
puhlicans naturally enough, since
the Republican party was in control
Of the House
y decided to appoint John w.
Gambler, Of Massachusetts,, because
Mr.. Gambler was one Of the most
widely known and highly respected
business men of the United States.
Like many very able business men.
he mas modest. His best work as a
member of Congress was done in the
committee room. I was satisfied that
with Mr.. Gambler as chairman of this
committee the responsibilities COM
mitted to il would be adequately car
ried.
II named also James ]. Belden, of
Syracuse, New York, a member of
the committee. Mr.. Belden was a
very wealthy man and IAN exceeding
ly able business man. suppose that
he had more intimate friendly per-
sonal relations with leadir~ Demo
Gratis than any other Republican of
the House.
II thought that no member Of the
House could be more appropriately
made member of this committee than
Robert II. Hit, of Illinois. Person
ally he was a charming character
and he had an experience which ex-
tended back to the days of the great
debate of Lincoln and Stephen A.
Douglas, for Mr.. Hit, in those days
reported these debates in shorthand
He was a very able diplomat, and,
believe, he was without an enemy in
the world
II also named Roswell p. Fowler. of
New York, member of the commit
tee. He was an extraordinary char
acter He was elected governor of
New York, and after his term of
public life ended he became the great
individual leader in the Wall Street
market I named William H. Hatch
because he was prominently identi-
fed with the development of the Mis-
sissippi valley and | took especial
pleasure in naming William l.. Will
son, Of West Virginia. who had
been postmaster general in President
Cleveland's second administration.
thought Sr Louis ought to be repre-
sented upon this committee, and for
that reason | appointed Nathan
Frank, fro whom | had the highest
respect and whom ] regarded as one
of the shler of the younger members
of the House
"All of these men were in good
health and seemed likely TO live to
good old age. But an extraordinary
fatality attended its members.
think there are only one or two now
alive"
That fatality seemed to mark every
member Of this committee, with one
exception. Today only one is living
ex-Congressman Nathan Frank, of
St. Louis.
Copyright 1918, by r.. j. Edwards.
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell of
"The Prophetic Declaration of a
High School Graduate"