The Washington times., 1914-07-12
Virginian's Mastery Address,
Drowned Out by RooseveF's
"River of Doubt" Talk, 1es-
cued From the Record.
By THEODORE TILLER.

bill delivered a mastery speech In eX-
plansclon Of that measure.
On May IS, 1914. at night, Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, former President, ex-
plorer, author, and naturalist. faced q
/ big audience under the auspices Of the
National Geo graphic Society and related
the story Of his trials in the jungles of
South America. 1t was the River of
Doubt night" in Washington. and at
least passing interest was taken in the
| colonel's story throughout the United
states, England, Brazil, and other coun-
tries.
| The papers next day contained col
umns about the River Of Doubt lost
canoes, jungle fever. and red-headed
South American Indians. The aforesaid
papers mentioned in a Congress sum-
mary, stuck in hurriedly about press
time. that 'the House continued debate
on the antitrust bill. Mr.. Carlin and
others spoke"
Hence this story. Mr.. Carlin really
| delivered an important speech. He SIM
ply picked bad time to make It, for,
since the discoveries of the colonel had
been challenged by certain Britishers
and the colonel had just arrived home,
as to whether the jungle fever would
prevent h'ru from running for President
| in ls1S-well. the colonel just had the
| call On the news.
Carlin Didn't Mind It.
The fact that little of Mr.. Carlin's
speech found its way into the news
paper columns is no reflection on the
House speechmaker. 1t will be used as
campaign document by the Demo-
| cratic party when the campaigns are
on, and it is undoubtedly a valuable
contribution to the Congressional Rec
ord, that usually dry publication, so
the Virginia trust buster did nst and
should not feel cast down.
However, 1t Is now proper, since the
colonel grabbed the front page space en-
the night in question, that Washington,
| Alexandria, and the remainder of the
| country should know something about
! Charlie" Carlin. He doesn't blow his
own horn: he'd probably starve to death
\ as an advertising agent, but he has
arrived" in the field Of natiorsl poll
| tics. and he won't be checked just
because the House show ran counter to
| the colonePs narrative Of his South
| American expedition.
The morning after the Carljn rpeech
| and the Roosevelt lecture, sympathetic
! newspaper friend sought out the Con-
gresham and said:
Sorry we couldn't carry but a line
OF that speech Of yours last night but
we were jammed."
Sure" said Cariin IT knew II would
| be that way, but I had to close the
debate for our side. What could ex-
pect with T. r. and his charts Of the
River of Doubt in town."
That's all he has ever said about II.
although he started off that speech by
saying that for six months he had prac-
| tically been with the Administration .
trust bill night and day.
The statement is literally true. when
| the Administration leaders determined
that there should be antitrust legisla-
ton at this session of Congress, some
body had to do the work.
carlin Worked Hard.
The preparation OF the bill fell to the
House judiciary Committee Manifest
ly the entire committee couldn't make
headway with twenty-one members
mulling over details, important and un-
important The Democratic majority
named a subcommittee consisting of
Chairman Henry D. Clayton, Charles
| C. CarIin. and John c. Floyd. All
| three did hard work, but 1t is not un-
| fair TO say that probably Charlie" Car
lin had to bear the brunt Of the toll.
Chairman Clayton was slightly Ill
| from overwork during 4 part of the
| time the trust program was in the
| making. Mr.. Floyd had to devote con-
| siderable attention TO the subcommit-
! tee work On the report Of the Lobby
Investigating Committee. Mr.. Ca<lfn
| was free ard he buckled TO II. the three
members holding daily and nightly con-
| ferences among themselves and not
infrequently with the President
The bill was finally approved by the
Judiciary Committee aiority and
! brought into the House. II has the o.
X. also of President Wilson. who grew
| to admire the ability and hard work
Of the Clayton-Carlin-F Floyd subcommit-
| tee.
There were hours and hours Of gen.
| eral debate when the trust bill was
taken up in the House. 1t was agreed
that Mr.. Carlin should present the con-
| Guiding argument in support of the
| Administration bill and in refutation OF
minority attacks. He did the job ex-
cellently, modesty. convincingly, but
the general public learned little about it
In the newspapers because of that
Roosevelt speech.
The trust debate, YOU understand, had
been running along for days. There
We're speeches. good, bad. and indiffer-
ent. Even the members were tired.
Roosevelt. absent for months, was a
novelty. an attraction returned. He
got the headlines.
Antitrust Prophet Here.
One hears early in life OF the trite
observation that a prophet is not with
out honor save in his own country 1t
has worked out that way many. many
times. Washington, D. C. and Alexan-
dria, Va. however. have an antitrust
prophet right here at home who has
| made good.
If one had gone to Charlie" Carlin
ten years ago with the prediction that
within less than q decade he would he
sitting among the seats of the mighty
in the National Congress, would be
hobnobbing with the President and
other Administration leaders on one of
the most important policies of a new
Administration. and would be one Of
the three men actually whipping to-
gether the Administrators compact
with business, big and little, the Vir-
ginian probably would have smiled in
credulously.
And vet, Carlin. the trust buster
from across the Potomac" has. through
sheer ability and good fortune of his
party brought this about. He is a
comparatively young legislator. too.
and IL the Democracy remains in con-
troll the field Is an open one for other
noteworthy achievements.
day. cana BILE. engaging sort OF a fellow.
He possesses ability without the big
head" He Is a man well met without