Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-30

to meet the current expenses of this gov
eminent bulked big in Congress Oscar
Underwood, chairman Of the House COM
mittee on ways and means, gave out an
estimate that because Of the war the
years revenues would fall $100,O0e,000 be-
low normal.
Immediately some of those who are
opposing the rivers and harbors bill, as
sorting that this is no time for pork
bill, raised a cry to kill the measure and
looked for sympathy to Senator Burton.
But they got none. Murder of the
rivers and harbors bill is not in his
heart All he wants is to eliminate the
pork" Here is what he told the SEN
ate when the talk of suppressing the
bill in the interests of economy came up:
Il take 1t that it is the intention to
pass rivers and harbors bill at this ses-
sion. Opponents of the measure. who
have fought it. consider the measure as
reported to the Senate as faulty to the
last degree. We are opposed to the pas
sage of the bill in its present form, but
we have no objection to the passage of a
measure which shall be purged of OBJ
jectionable items We favor the passage
of such BILL"
In other words. he would not take ad-
vantage of situation made ready to his
hand to play politics.
There have been fiiibusters In the Sem
ate where the senator speaking has talked
to the exclusion of al! other business. A
notable instance was the case of the
the floor for something like fifty-two
hours in filibustering against a rivers
and harbors bill. keeping aside all other
business.
Senator Burton has been less aggres-
sive. He has permitted other necessary
business to intervene, but when nothing
else is up he has continued his mono
logue.
In the British and continental parlia-
n1ents there exists a class Of men who
have devoted their lives to study OF
the business of legislation. who make II
their sole occupation. who are not iden-
titled with smaller and more provincial
|, politics. but who serve with single-mind.
ed devotion to the national government
There lies their career.
In this republic, where men quickly
come and go in national affairs, and par.
ticularly in the legislative branch of the
government, there has been no consider
able number OF men of similar type
Legislative work with few has been a lif,
occapation. It has often been a step
ping stone to the presidency or to cabi
|. net office. But Senator Burtons Who'll,
) life and all his remarkable energies hay,
: been devoted to the business of legiSla
,, ton. He has shown himself to be. I
, master parliamentarian in both houses
but. above all, wonderful student.
! man without fads or fancies or oc
! equations, save literary. beyond legisla
!, ton, he may rightfully be said, in tn
j vernacular, to be married to his job
4 Never has he had time to be married +
any one else.
q His joy and his recreation from wor
: in the Senate is more work somewber
e else When he travels he does so to ~
: quire more information He goes I
Europe on occasions. and comes bse
with a wonderful store of ideas and sta
tistics principally statistics, which
!. gets into the country without troubl
: from the customs officers, ideas and sta
: tistics being on the free list.
4 Ask him at any time what is the aver
4 age tonnage carried in a year over an
! particular section of the Rhine, its .chai
acter. the rate it pays and the manne
4 In which it is.handled, and quite CASUAL
Z and offhand he can tell you all about
{ Ask him. with equal intormality. abou