The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-03-06
National Legislators Hard to
Manage.
WORSE THAN STATE BODY,
cieveIand's Administration is Example.
Majority In Each House Was Against
That President--New Executive May
Have to Depend on Prosrossives Of
Other Side to Aid Him.
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.

Washington, March 5.-[SpeciaLl-
President Wilson may not realize TINT
national congress is much more DIFF
ficuIt to manage than state legtsla-
ture, but such Is the fact. The new
president may not realize that party
discipline does not sit well on Demo-
Gratis, but he need only look back to
the last Democratic administration to
find that Grover Cleveland found that
majority OF Ills party in each house
were inclined to be against him.
OF course conditions now are much
different. The president represents a
progressive spirit which prevails
throughout the country and which
most members Of both houses belong.
ing to his party profess to follow.
Consequently there may not be any
rupture. and the policies of the presi-
dent may receive Endorsement.
May Rely on ProaressiVes.
Just as President Cleveland relied
upon Republicans to pass his silver re-
peal bill, President Wilson may rely
on Republicans Of progressive tenden-
cfes to sustain most Of his progressive
policies. There may be little break
here and there.
For instance, do not expect to see
the men from the wheat producing
states of the northwest falling over
themselves in favor Of the proposed
reduction Of duty on agricultural prod
ucts. but the thrift Is but small mat.
ter among the very many which Pres
ident Wilson will try to have enacted
during the early years Of his admins
trution.
Learning Their Way.
For n week before the last congress
ended the new senator's and new mem
hers of the house came to Washington
TO learn their way. not only about the
corridors and byways of the capitol.
hut more particularly about the ways
Of doing things in congress. These
new members want to be useful i'll the
coming congress.
Nelson's Discovery.
During the crowded hours of the
session just closed they were lo"dsns
Senator Nelson's river and harbor bill
down with all kinds Of amendments,
and finally Senator Owen OF Oklahoma
presented one which was contrary to
the constitution.
81 make the point Of ORDER" exclaim-
ed Senator Nelson. "You can do most
anything OIL river and harbor bill.
but do not think you can amend the
constitution Of the United States on It."
Funeral Poetry.
Who digs up all the funeral poetry
that Is used in the addresses Oh dead
members? Every day available for
the purpose has been used to euloglZe
dead members, and the draft upon the
funeral poetry has been something as
tonIshing. There must be a regular
funeral poet attached to congress some
where.
Right 10 Lecture.
Speaking of the late Senator Taylor,
Champ Clark had this to say about
men who invaded the lecture platform:
"rhey are rendering Il valuable public
service while eking out their meaSer
salaries. If Il public man has n mes
sage to deliver 1t is his inalienabIC
right to do so. 1t Is easy for mil.
liOnaire editor to sneer ut II public
man rich in heart and brain, but poor
in purse and Of independent spirit.
who desires to earn enough money
honestly to provide for those depend.
ent upon him, but decent and sensible
people will all applaud him instead of
criticISing."
Georgia Economists.
Congressman ROddcnbery and Con-
gresham Tribblc, both Of Georgia,
made records during the closing hours
Of congress as ec0nomIsts-that is,
they fought Appropriation bills which
we're passed. In the senate Hokc
Smith took hand in the economy
game and seemed to do pretty elfec-
tive work, more particularly in pruning
the public building bill. Aud, even so,
it appears that appropriations have
lcen greater than ever before despite
the efforts OF the economists.
Penrose Was Earnest.
Senator PenrOse did not get much
further than the point of order stage"
with his amendment to pension old
clerks by granting them unlimited
leave Of absence, 1t was of little avail
shat he showed that there were some
400 useless clerks in the postal serv-
ice who were too old to do any work.
but who were kept on the rolls on ac-
count Of the unwlllinguesS Of heads of
departments to discharge them.
The senate would not consider any
thing that looked like a civil pension.
The Pennsylvania senator will try 1t
again when appropriation bills are con;
sIdcred.
Attentive Members.
There was ole occasion when the
house was IN order. When Congress-
man Rucker Of Missouri explained the
distribution Of Inauguration tickets the