The Washington herald., 1914-06-01
Statesmen, Real and Near.
Hv PRED G. KELLY.

BY FRED @. KELLY.
When former Representative Curiey
was made mayor Of Boston little while
ago. the Bostonese held . special election
and picked one James oailivan in Cur
ley'a stead.
Inasmuch AZ II was special election.
for one ONCE only. Q great many voters
did not bother to 70 to the polls. But
when he reached Washington, Gallivan
was surprised, astonished in fact, to find
that there had been several hundred
voters, each OF whom was largely respon-
sible for tho victory. There were some
LOO letters piled UP on his desk. and
about half Of these were from voters who
offered to receive some neat little favor
for Invaluable service rendered the party
and the nation. and more particularly
1t Just happened that GaIlivan is a
person with deep sense OF curiosity
about all manner Of things, and he got
to wondering He wondered and wonder
ed until finally he arranged to have the
poll books that were used In the special
election all sent to him.
These books showed the name OF every
man who voted. They did not indicate,
of course. which candidate the man voted
DuI Iney COut6lucu tnc HdInes Ol
everybody who took the trouble to ap-
pear at the polls and cast ballot for
somebody.
Gallivan studied these books for an
hour or so and then he began to run
his index finger down the lists OF names
and compare them with the names of
the letter-writers who desired favors.
And he made funny discovery: Out of
all the names signed to letters OF per-
sons who confessed to being largely re-
sponsible for Gallivan's election, scarce
ly a one had even been to the polls to
vote.
voted. only a scant few had any favor
to ask. They wrote letters of congratula-
ton, perhaps. but let 1t go at that
Gallivan sat staring at a spot on the
carpet and pondering over this for a long
time and then sadly he began to sort the
letters into two piles.
Sam Blythe went on trip out West o
short time ago to size up the political
and In his absence he asked
his friend Tom Pence to keep him In
formed by mail or wire Of what was going
on In Washington.
humor, didn't send him anything for
about a week. and then he wrote as fol-
lows:
Dear Sam: The only news Of great i'm
portance that has occurred since you left
Is that contained in the inclosed clipping
from the Washington Post
The important item referred to appeared
under New York date line. about a CO.
tllion leader. and read as follows:
Preston Gibson. Of Washington. d. C.,
who is passing some time with Mrs. Glib
In Il
tcday and gave a dinner tonight at the
returning afterward TO the
New Jersey resort.
Mr.. Gibson took his guests to the
Astor Thester. having a box at the left
side Of the stage"
Here is a sample of the adroit and
cagey manner in which Cncle Jerry
Donovan, of Connecticut, proceeds to an
objective point
Representative Donovan appointed
postmaster In his home town a little
rhile ago and the selection was not sat
sfactory to a lot of persons who were
friends Of other candidates. They as
'erted that the appOintee was not a
enough Democrat-that he once
scratched a ticket or committed some
'ther objectionable offense. So they did
he same thing that the eolored people do
when anything does not suit-that is
Key held an Indignation meeting.
This meeting was announced a day or
two In advance. and when Uncle Jerry
Donovan heard about 1t he decided to slip
ip and attend the little gathering.
1t was the sense of the meeting that
great wrong had been perpetrated, and
hat committee should be appointed to
appear before the Postoffice Committee
" the Senate and make a protest
"But who's gOipg m for he
rearing before the Senate Committee?"
inquired one man. None of US Is ac-
luainted in Washington"
TIL fix II for you"' suddenly spoke I'D
compact little man who had Just en-
cred the hall. Just leave it all to me-"
II was Congressman Donovan, against
whose appointee they were in the midst
u indienating
You have a perfect right to be heard
before the committee went on Dono-
ran. "and /. being your representative
II washington, am the one to arrange
{. Send down a big delegation. and
when they get through with the COM
nittee hearing I'd like to show them
about the town. Washington's never
10 beautiful as In May and June"
The day for the hearing came. but, 10,
lot a member of the delegation from
showed up. Donovans offer
" so much hospitality had shooed them
VI.
The man who wears the largest hat
n Congress is Representative Rainey.
II Illinois. member Of the Ways and
Means Committee. 1t is not the largest
rat as to the numerical size. for II is
'nly rs. whereas Serene Payne. also |
II the well-known Ways and Means |
Committee, wears a IN But no other !
iat in public life compares with Rainey's
n total area. 1t is much larger as 10 |
.rim than the hats worn by patent |
Medicine statesmen In front of court |
louses
Rainey got the ponderous hat as a |
resent. and therefore wears II, even at /
he risk OF becoming round-shouldered.
Copyright, l9li By Fred G. Kelly. All rights |
rcseTed)