Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-04-23
Training the CONGRESSMAN.

h is only interested in the selection
az a candidate who will be of the
greatest value to the district to take a
decided stand n way or another.
The pledging of a newspaper at this
time to the support of a candidate
binds it more or less to co 1tinue to
support him to the end, irrespective
of whether or not a better man an
aornces himself later on, and We do
ret care to take this position
There are several now more or
lees definately in the race, but from
present indications the contest will
be largely between Mr.. Reynolds and
Congressman Gudger.
Throughout the entire country the
people and the press are going more
on general welfare and less on party
pc tics. They are coming to realize
that the sending Of a man to Washing
ton means something more than red
light parades,, bursts of oratory and
rats on the back during campaigns.
If it be but a salary shifting PROPOSE
ton, if it be just for the little personal
gains one may secure by the change 1t
is all very we'll to shift our represen'
tstives every two years, or oftener II
we can. But if it be the general good
III the people, the sane administration
&c our affairs, it is all an error.
Run over in our minds the list OF
the big men in Washington and then
ascertain how long they have been
there. 1t will show that there is not
one who really counts for anything
that has not had tic remain in either
the senate or house for several terms
We have one senator from this state
who has been allowed by good judg-
ment to remain long enough to Sc
cure positions on the most important
committees in the administration. II
would be a crime against the public
to remove him now that he has each
ed. the standing where he really is OF
some Importance 20 the nation and TO
the state.
It takes half of a new members
time during his first term to get &C
ouoirted with his job. He has no
more standing than a child. every
thing in Washington is governed Dy
seniority these days and a congress
man can not accomplish great things
until he has reached a congressional
aee of understanding and ability. II
congressmen themselves were allo"-
e.. to honestly select their associates
thew would not think Of doing SO every
two years because a mar a not tune
IN that period to demonstrate Wnat
there is in him He must first reach
\ standing in his work.
We too often condemn onnano'
without a knowledge of conditions q
representative for not doing the I'M
uossible, Judge him at long range
without a second thought. 1t is very
o..v for the at-homes to find tault'
whereas if they were at the 'front.'
they would see and understand many
things. 49,
we are not defending Mr.. Gndger
for n shortcomings; we DO not say
no is the best man in the 10th district
for the position but we do say tnat 70
change from a man who is just reach
Ing a prestige that will enable him to
really have some influence to one tnat
vo cannot expect to do anything more
eor No than routine work that a child
,cculd do as we'll is foolishness. It's
like having an apprentice during his
educational period and then dfscharg-
ing him as soon as he has learned MS
trade. The standing of North Caro-
lima in Congress is in the hands OF the
people themselves. The control OF
things national is conferred today IN
tho representatives from a very Few
states-those that realize that to~geS
tbingsin into their hands requires time,
and year after year q return the
sarne man to the job, retaining them
through the "boy" period as an In
.xestnent for the future. 1t is the
same old story of the rolling stone
gathering no moss" and the two
years changing of u representative
gathers no honor for the 10th district
or for our state, 1t means that we
waste $4,000 of the tax payers mon
ey every two years. for the one o two
term congressman can do no lasting
good in a large way.
pnle6s q representative has demon-
streted beyond ali possibility Of doubt