South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-16
Statesmen Real
and Near.
By Fred c. Kelly

WASHINGTON. Dec. Is. - You
know yourself what a prejudice there
is against automobiles. somehow
motor car-society name for autOmo-
I Jile-seems TO sym bOlize extravaganza.
man drawing modest salary may
Jog about Red Key. Ind, or Urbana,
O.. with horse and carriage and not
excite much comment, but IL ne gets
into an auto that has less upkeep than
the horse and carriage, somebody viii
glare at him and inquire out of the
corner OF the mouth where he got the
money.
Owing to this same prejudice
against automobiles, the government
would rather buy a cabinet officer a
prancing team and carriage than
even an inexpensive little old last
years runabout. The reason for this
is that money 10 buy autos for cabi-
ret officers has TO be appropriated 10y
congress. and every earnest, states
manike congressman dislikes to be
implicated in the purchase of many
autos. lest he be tainted about ii
when he gets back home 'mongSt the
boys that do the voting.
Each cabinet officer has the use OF
a we'll groOmed team and carriage
and driver. That is the team is
well grOOmed, and there is also
carriage and driver. Now for the
same amount Of driving, an autOmO-
bile would be a great deal cheaper. l
am not at this writing an automobile
bile agent but IT Is a fact that the
government could sell its cabinet Of
ficers' horses to some good livery
stable, buy autos instead, and save
money. And the majority of the
cabinet would rather dash gayly
about in an automobile than behind
a we'll matched team of horses. Sec'y
McAdOO rarely uses the team at his
disposal but went and bought himself
a big auto. His team has little TO do
but stamp around in the stalls, look
wise the way horses will, and eat
great quantities of expensive hay. Nc
AdOO would be glad to have the gov
eminent sell the team and spend its
hay money for gasoline, but the thing
could not be arranged. If McAdOO
needs a motor truck for the treasury
department he can have ii for the
asking, but it is extremely doubtful
# the appropriations committee would
give him a nickel's worth of gasoline
for his own use.
Sec'y Wilson Of the department of
labor frankly told the appropriations
committee that he didn't care a con-
tinental about any team of horses,
but wanted an automobile. They
finally compromised by letting him use
an old secOnd-hand machine that
hasn't a self-starter or even an electric
cigar lighter on it.
Champ Clark before he became
speaker of the house. voted against
buying an auto for Mr.. Uncle Joe
Cannon, then speaker. The house
went ahead and bought the auto, and
when Champ got 10 be speaker there
was Uncle Joe's car ready for him.
But he wouldn't use it. Since then
congress has appropriated $4,5OO each
for autos for the speaker of the house
and the vice president-enough money
to buy two first rate cars with
modern plumbing and devices. Mar
shall pleasantly accepted him, and has
had a lot of fun with it. and goodness
knows a man is entitled to little sun
shine after being compelled to sit all
day long and listen TO the senate de-
bates. But Champ Clark has never
gone TO claim his $4,000 worth of auto,
even though there is perhaps no rea-
son for the speaker of the house walk
ing any more than for the presidents
secretary who has the use of one of
the luXuriantly mOnogrammer white
house cars A number of the speak
er's friends think he will give in
shortly, make up his mind to stand for
a little kidding and take his car.
William Jennings Bryan furnishes
his own automobile, but prefers his
ride in the state department car
riage and probably hasn't used his
auto more than a dozen times. He
also furnishes one Of the horses, as IT
happens, for the state department
team 1t is primarily "A riding horse
mat he brought along from Lincoln,
Neb but he likes 20 ride behind II and
has the man hitch it up alongside of
an animal provided by the govern
ment.
However, Mr. Bryan buys all the
hay and bedding for his horse, so
there is no scandal about that
Copyright. 1914, by Fred G. Kelly)