The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-01-15

Inc New l DIX Herald OF January
contains highly interesting and in
structlVe interview with Speaker
Joseph q, Canaan. in which he likens
the work of congress to the whee
horses and leaders of the old tim,
stage coach. from which the following
extracts are taken:
Congress Is something like tho old
fashioned four horse team of pioneer
days. which was composed of wheel
horses and leaders and guided by a
single line" said former Speaker JOS
eph G. Cannon after reading the de-
bate in the house on the adoption If
the conference report on the tariff bill
The rules of the house may change
but the old law of organized effort re-
mains the same. The majority Is
guided by single man and Oscar In
derwood is the near wheel horse of the
team He is a very good wheel horse.
too After some years of vociferous
denunciatlon of team work under n
recognized guide. the gentlemen who
now constitute the majority not only
adopt but defend the old custom of
obeying the command Of driver whe-
Their that command be given by the
jerk or slap of single limo or by the
old idioms Gee and Haw'
THE leaders in the old four horse
team were driven and the driver rode
the near wheel horse. The leaders
were lighter in weight, had more met
tie, more style and more ginger than
the wheel horses. They also had
lighter harness, they often had gay
plumes on their heads and they gem
orally wore bells, which made music as
they pranced along at the head Of the
team. They seemed to realize that
they were the show part of the out
TT and to be conscious Of their func-
ton to attract attention. They pressed
into the collars with an enthusia SIN
which suggested that they were pull
Ing the whole load and tho wheel
horses. too. when the driver cracked
his whip. They trotted along In slack
traces on the level road and they were
so that they would not get their legs
broken by the swinging wagon pole
or get under the wheel horses or the
wheels Of the wagon.
Wheel Horses Responsible,
The wheel horses were calm, even
tempered animals. who understood
that they had the responsibility for the
wagon at all times, They pulled two
thirds Of the load on the up grade
and they sat back in the breeching
on the down grade. while they kept
the wagon in the road. lodging the
Istumps and bumps. the ruts and the
sinkholes They wore heavy harness
and the heaviest part Of 1t was in the
hreeching, that there should be no dan
ger of breaking and the heavy wagon
running over everything in front. The
near wheel horse carried a saddle, and
the driver of the team was astride
with a big blacksnake whip in his
right hand and the single line In his
left With limo and whip he controlled
the leaders When he slapped tho llue
over the near leader and shouted. Gee
that animal turned to the right, and
with a crowd stick reaching from his
collar to the bride bit Of the off lead
or crowded him in the same direction.
bn lei,
to turn to the left he pulled the single
line and gave the command 'Haw,'
When he wanted the leaders to press
into the collar and pull the load he
cracked his whip and shouted get up
and when he wanted them to stop he
gave the command, Whoa
The driver did not bother about the
wheel horses They knew pretty we'll
what they had to do and they did II
They had the responsibility at all
times and they pulled or held back as
the occasion demanded They were
there for work and not for show. and
they rarely received much attention
from the idle loiterers by the roadside.
who heard the jingling Of the bells
and admired the high spirited praJc-
Ing animals which led the team. The
lriver, however appreciated his wheel
horses, and they we're generally the
objects Of his affection as we'll as his
confidence. They shared his rerHonsi-
oility
Like the Old Four. Horse Team.
You can divide congress into gro,ips
If leaders, wheel horses and followers:
md the leaders and wheel horses there
perform substantially the same kind
IF work that the leaders and wheel
lorses did in the old four-horse team.
This is not reflection upon the men
n congress. would not carry the
smile 80 far as to say that there is q.
river with big blacksnake whip in
control Of congress, though we often
rear such complaints made by unao- +
'reciated statesmen and see the samei
yind Of complaints IN the undertaking
magazines II Is no reflection on any
i,.