The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08

Congress as a minority member and
with little opportunity to show the
country his real value as a legislator.
When the democrats came into control
of the House he was given this oppor-
tunity land with it he had many OBJ
stacles and long years of republican
precedent to overcome.
Judiciary Committee i'm Past Years
Way back yonder when the country was
under the political control of the grand
old republican party, and consequently
of the Notwithstanding to the DEM
ocrats, and before the people for a time
became temporarily insane, and turned
away from prosperity and the republican
party. and turned the government over
to the 'unorganized mob" according to
the republicans. and the reader is invited
to take his choice. any way before that
interesting and palpitating event, the
House judiciary committee was one of
the classiest little legislative cemeteries
extant.
When any kind of undesirable legisla-
ton, whatsoever. was introduced in the
House, and there was wanted a perm
anent abiding place for said legislation,
where there was absolutely no danger of
its ever being heard from again, it was
referred to the committee on the iudici-
ary." Many there were-aspiring young
democrats-who introduced great meas
ures of reform-the creatures of their
brain, who fondly hoped that such legis-
lation was so altruistic in character that
even hard-hearted and cruel repu blican
majority would not have the temerity to
even hard-hearted and cruel republican
buried forever, and then some by being
referred to the House committee on the
judiciary.
In those days this committee was COM
posed of eminent republican statesmen
with, of course, the requisite number of
democrats, who didn't count-who had
attained some prominence in the party.
and who We're lawyers, or near lawyers
it mattered little, who gave a correct
imitation of Saving wood and pro-
ducing nothing, not even the sawdust.
The House committee on the judiciary
was a huge joke, although it was not
so regarded by the above referred to
aspiring democratic statesmen who saw
in it only the dumping ground of their
hopes.
Clayton Made the Change
But when the democrats came into
power this was all changed. Henry ID.
Clayton of Alabama was made the chair
man of the House committee on the
judiciary, and everybody thought that
this was good place for ''the judge y
and as he had led an unusually active
life in Congress he was entitled to a little
rest and recreation, and where was there
better place to get the same than as
chairman of the judiciary committee? But
it was not long before Mr. Clayton made
it known that he desired everybody to
kindly "set up and take notice" The
House committee on the judiciary was
about to break all previous records and
report bill-more than that they were
going to report several bills. Still fur
ther sensations, they We're going to origi-
nate some bills themselves, and incl
dentally try case or two of impeach-
ments. In short the House committee on
the judiciary-instead of being a grave
yard, was going to be a very live and
potent factor in democratic legislation.
This Seemed incredible, but all the same
it was so. Since that time the House
committee on the judiciary has been on
the legislative map in red letters, and
instead of being a dumping ground is
now regarded the very center of activity,
and the very livest wire in Congress.
Proud of His Record
As a representative of the people of his
district; as a democrat faithful to his
trust as a member of Congress who has
unselfishly thrust into the background
all thought of personal profit or aggran-
dizement, Henry ID. Clayton, and his
friends and relatives can point to his nine
terms of service in the American Con-
gress with pride and without the neces-
sity of offering an apology for any of
his public actions there
The record of a representative in Con-
gress is found in his recorded votes and
speeches on public questions. These
present unimpeachable testimony to his