The Washington times., 1915-01-09
Congressman for More Than
Two Decades, Never Had
Washington Residence.
'LUTHERvILLE GOOD ENOUGH
Beloved IN Little Maryland Town
and Long a Power In Demo.
cratic Councils.
BY THEODORE T1LLER.

Oy AnLVOVSE 44AACxss
After serving more than twenty years
In the House Of Representatives, Uncle
Fred" TAlbott Of Maryland. has moved
to Washington for the session
In the back Of the Congressional Di.
rector. issued at intervals In order that
the curious public may have the bio
graphies. the full names and the ad-
dresses Of members of the Senate and
House. there has always been . blank.
dotted line In the column which should
be devoted to the washington resi-
dence" Of young Uncle Fred" He had
no Washington residence, although It
was boldly set out opposite Congressman
Talbotts name that Lutherville, Nd,
was his homo town.
"Unele Fred" Moves To Town.
There's been = reason for this blank
line In tho Congressional Directory.
Most members. in fact practically all
members. from year to year have main
tained a Washington esidsnce-wheth-
er 1t be hotel, apartment house or board
ing house. Not so with Uncle Fred
Lutherville. II you please. was good
enough for him, and year after year,
day after day. Mr.. Talbot has made
the little Maryland town, where he knew
everybody by their first names.
A few days ago Uncle Fred" decided
that he would move in to Washington.
He found an apartment that suited him
at the Occidental Hotel, and that's his
Washington address nowadays. The
printer Of the Congressional Directory
next to be issued Will kindly take note
The railroad conductors who have
ticket for these many years don't Know
Just what to think Of the new. order
Of things There's something lacking in
their runs between the National Capital
yond. As the conductors walk instead
lily down the aisles OF their trains there
Is missing . customary good morn
ing" and good afternoon" ''Uncle
booked s now only Tor e The ca tfips ri
with an occasional turnover between
times when the spell Of Luthervilie
calls.
for the winter. said consressman Tai
bott. In his modest, matter-of-fact way.
II lived in Washington, . short time a
number Of years ago. but I've slways
don. ons Iass anow aRs how !on ions e Hs ss.y
town--out probably to the end Of this
session. anyway. 49,
Almost "Fsther' of House.
Congressman Talbot is one of the
characters of the House. He's almost
the father Of that body now. since
the death of Serene 4. Payne. althoush
there are members who have served for
a longer continuous time. Mr.. Talbot
has served in ten Congresses and has
been elected to serve in the eleventh.
But the continuous term fellows are
younger men, and one must accord to
Congressman Talbot a certain distinc-
tion because Of the length OF his SER
vice In conjunction with his age.
This 10 evidently the view OF Speaker
Clark. for 1t 10 Uncle Fed" who ad-
ministers the oath Of office to the
Speaker at the beginning OF a new Con-
Somebody has to swear In" the
Champ Clark has looked over tho
House. sighted the TO- form ft Of the ~ xetsr: tor:
called him to the center Of the cham
Der. where. as the Speaker holds up
his right hand. "Cncls Fred" admiI.-
listers the oath. which requires that
the presiding officer Of the HoTss t,,s
and shall uphold the Constitution OF
the United States Of America
Old School Politician.
"Uncle Fred" now rounding out his
seventy-second year. ig a politician of
the old school. and q Southern gem
tleman OF the kind about which one
likes to read. He goes about every
thing quietly and unobtrusively.
There's no beating Of the tom-tons
raign or is interested In q certain
piece Of legislation. The veteran
Marylander merely moves In and out
among the people who do things. He
drops a quiet word of advice here and
there: he gets his hack up aud fights
when there's something to fight for.