South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-05
STATESMEN REAL
AND NEAR
BY FRED c. KELLY.


now about to learn why the fine new
bureau of printing and engraving in
! Washington CHANGED to be made of
| limestone, and of the narrow escape
it had from being made of granite.
When the House Committee on New
Buildings was about to pass finally on
the question of granite or limestone
| Rep. Austin of Tennessee, led a strong
fight in favor of granite for two rea-
sons: First, because they raise granite
down in Tennessee, and, still more
! important because granite is more ex-
penSlVe. As readers of this cOlmun
well know by this time, Austin frank
| ly doteS on spending government
! money, and will never be content so
/ long as there is a cent left in the
treasury. He thought it was partic-
! J,arly appropriate that the new bu-
| rtau of engraving and printing-the
| place where they make the money
| should cause a lost of money to be
spent in its construction. Little by
! little he won members of the commit
/ tee ever TO his side. and ii was prac-
! tically settled that the building would
| be made of granite, which costs vastly
more than limestone. Just to clinch
the proposition. though, Austin called
| on Rep. Andrus of New York to state
his views on the question. Andrus,
so Austin explained to the commit
tee, had built number of costly big
apartment houses and the like, and
was something OF an authority on
building questions and whatever he
said should end the discussion.
Now, Austin was. of course, under
| the impression that Andrus was for
granite, but he was mistaken.
Andrus had sat back quietly, say
/ pened, to Austin'S extreme dismay,
that he strongly favored limestone
In his opening remarks Andrus
mentioned that Westminster Abbey is
| built Of limestone, and said il is wear
ing so we'll that with reasonable care
it ought to last for some time. He
warmed up 10 his subject and paid
such an eloquent tribute to limestone
that one might almost have thought
that limestone had died and Andrus
was delivering the funeral GRAFTON.
When Andrus sat down the commit
tee which had been about to vote for
granite was practically unanimous for
limestone. And the government was
saved several hundred thousand dol
lars. Austin went out and wept.
Rep. Copley of Illinois has a wife
who is endowed with a streak of po-
litical acumen. Toward the close of
COpley's first race for congress his
telephone rang one night while he
slept. Mrs. Copley answered it. A
farmer wished TO talk TO Copley.
'He's-hes away" she faltered
knowing that he was completely tired
out from campaigning and shouldn't
be disturbed.
Where is he?" asked the man.
Il think" said Mrs. Copley, that
he went to see about one of his COM
= panV'S horses that is sick"
Say, he must be all right" said
the farmer. ANY man that'll 90 out
TO see about a sick horse when he's
busy in a big campaign like this must
be my kind Of fellow"
And that was just why the little
ib had occurred TO the candidates
wife.
Sen. Hitchcock of Nebraska used
10 live at 1912 II St, in Washington.
Then he moved to a house at 1712
st.-just a block away as the bird
flies. That let him in for a lot OF
trouble. Those who know he used to
live on II St, refuse 10 believe that
, he dwells at a corresponding number
on the next street. and persistently
seek him at the old address. He rare
. ~ gets package delivered without a
lot OF fuss and confusion.
The ignorance of people who write
letters 10 public men continues TO in
crease at a rapidly increasing rate.
= A few weeks ago Sen. Burton Of Ohio
got letter from prosperous manu-
facturer in Dayton. who might be
= supposed TO know the basic facts Of
= everyday affairs. The letter was ad-
, dressed TO Senator Burton, Congress
man from the Third District Of Ohio.
which Burton. Of course, isn't. Burton
was asked 10 oppose a certain me-
chanic's lien measure when IL comes
up in Congress II never will
inasmuch as il was a state matter,
considered by the state legislature.
And the prosperous manufacturer
e had lien spelled lean. About the
D only thing he had right was the date.
Sen Martin or Virginia. head of the
: powerful Appropriations Committee,
has a peculiar walk. Just offhand. IL
is about as odd little walk as one
can think Jf You've seen, perhaps,
a man carrying a keg OF nails. He
has hold OF IL az eeach end and is
! obliged 10 reear back a little 20 keep
his balance. His head and abdomen
are thrown forward and he takes
short steps. planting each one care
{ fully. under the strain OF the burden
S Sen. Martin walks as IL he were al
ways carrying keg OF nails.
Copyright. 1913. by Fred G. Kelly
4 AL rights reseryed.)