The Washington herald., 1914-04-30
Statesmen, Real and Near.
By FRED G. KELLY.


When Victor Murdock was eompar-
the postofice committee which was g
committee OF much turmoil. It was q
rare thing for a meeting to be held with.
out some form of hostilities. and Vic
tors sandy hair and fighting spirit lent
themselves nicely to the prevailing
scheme.
II came about that there was a plan
framed TO pass a ship subsidy bill in
the House, and the bill was to be in
cubated In the postoffice committee. Vic
tor Murdock and a minority OF the COM
mittee were against ship subsidy. but
there seemed to be no way to prevent
IL from being favorably reported to the
House.
One day II was apparent that there
were enough votes present TO pass the
bill out OF committee, and the chairman
prepared to do so.
Representative Stafford. of Wisconsin.
turned to Victor Murdock and whispered
excitedly:
Get up and make talk against ship
subsidy. We can't stop them from pass
ing It out. because they've got the votes,
but we must make a show Of fight"
THE trouble is" whispered back Vic
tor. that / don't know anything about
ships. I was raised inland and I don't
know a knot from a log. You get up
and talk"
mo. you talk first" insisted Stafford
Say something-anything. You know
more about it than do
So Victor got up and began to talk
about ships and ship subsidy. wondering
each moment IL he could think of enough
things to say to last another sentence.
Then Stafford made a brief talk. He
knew more about ships than Victor. but
to be on the safe side. he did not dis
cuss ships much. preferring the safer
ground of generalties.
The chairman put the question to a
vote. and. 10. the subsidy proposition
lost by the rather meager margin Of one.
Representative Hoggett. of Colorado.
was one of those who had changed sides,
and Murdoch went over to him to ask
why he had voted with them against
the bill.
why" the man replied. earnestly,
those two speeches convinced me"
On the day that William Mckinley
was shot at Buffalo. Theodore Roosevelt.
then Vice President. was with a party
OI OH an lsldIu III Lane NHdlll-
plain. Shortly before they got the word
of McKinley's assassination, members Of
the party were sitting about telling
staries Roosevelt told one about a queer
experience he had not long after he
went out West as a young man TO build
up his health.
He had gone down one day to a little
ranch town to attend a cowboy conven-
ton, and the one shack OF hotel in the
place was crowded. Roosevelt. all done
up in his brand-new cowboy clothes.
that branded him as a tenderfoot. went
to the hotel proprietor and asked il there
was not a possibility OF getting a bed
The proprietor said there was just one
bed that didn't have two people in il.
and that he was at liberty to go up and
persuade the occupant of that bed TO let
him share it
Roosevelt went up, but the other guest
was not in the room. Both room and
bed looked rather good to Roosevelt.
though and he determined to undress
and get into bed and make explanation TO
the other man when he came in.
Soon he was fast asleep. He had
a dream-Iike knowledge OF somebody en-
tering the room at some time during the
night. but he did not wake up. The next
morning Roosevelt saw indications that
some one had slept in the bed with him
and mussed the room up. but whoever II
was had packed up and gone. Young T.
r. was much impressed with the wonder
full pOIiteness and consideration Of
person who would find a stranger in his
bed and let him share II without a Ques-
ton. He hastened down stairs TO find
out the name Of the kind person. but
l 80 i
not recall his name.
And 10 this day said Roose velt, in
telling the story to the crowd on the
little island in Lake Champlain. Il have
in vain about the identity of
that courteous burkmate."
At that point spoke up William Sey-
mour. who later on became mayor OF
Tacoma, Wash. but who was living in
Vermont then not far from the island. He
began to ask questions about the town
where the bedroom incident occurred. the
approximate date. the appearance of the
room and ALL until finally T. r. arose,
showed his teeth, and exclaimed.
Nobody could know so much about
that room unless he was there, You're
the man whose bed l shared"
And it was even so.
When the feet was ordered to Mexico
the other day. several Washington news
paper correspondents were hurriedly sent
along. No one had more than an hours
notice. and there was little time to pack
Dne's trunk or hatboxes. Archie Jamison.
who represents one of the big news
services. took just one article Of bag
gage, which he obtained after a mad
rush. He was unable to get a clean col
lar or even a toothbrush. but he took
along A good. stout umbrella When
storms arise and all on board the war
ships are Obliged to say in out Of the
wet, Jamison alone will be prepared for
The worst.
Copyright, 1915 by Fred G Kelly. All rights re-
served