South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-23
Statesmen Real
and Near.
By Fred c. Kelly

WASHINGTON, Feb 3.-P. d.
Decker, a boyish-lOOking congressman
from Joplin, Mo, is great friend and
admirer of Sen. James a. Reed Dur
ing the debate in the senate on the
shipping bill somebody came up to
Decker and began to cast aspersions
on the things Reed was doing over in
the senate.
See here" interrupted Decker, Il
want you TO understand that I am
a friend of Jim Reeds and If he has
really done something foolish l won't
admit it,"
When the time came to start his
campaign for reelection to congress
last fall, Rep. John V. Lesher of
Pennsylvania was asked by the demo-
cratic campaign committee to furnish
them with copies Of all the speeches
he had made in the house during his
term of office. They wished to go
through them, pick out the goodies,
as one would from a hickory nut and
make use Of them in boosting Lesher's
candidacy
But the trouble is" said Lesher. Il
have not made any speeches. SO far
as 1 can recall now l haven't uttered
word, except on roll call
''Wha-a-a-t," gasped the chief of
the committee. You didn't make a
speech? Well, how in the name of
Iiil Bryan do you expect to make a
campaign then? That's what speeches
in congress are fOr-to use in the fol-
lowing campaign. The people will
think you're a dead one when they
| learn that you never got up and
talked about any of the great ques-
tions Of the day. What did they
send you down there for, anyhow?
] say, what did they send you down
i Z
for reelection"
We'll" faltered Lesher. every
body else was making speeches and
using up space in the Congressional
Record. putting the government to
much expense to print all they said
and 1 just thought l would be diff
ferent. l decided not TO make any
speeches at all. Then my people
would not have the chance TO accuse
me of disseminating hot air like so
many public men do. I'll simply have
TO make my campaign on that basis.
The campaign managers were eX-
! nelly dubious about the success of
l is, but they made the best Of it,
d whenever Lesher was presented
to an audience he was introduced as
the nOn-speaking congressman. He
got up then and made a stump speech,
of course, but in doing SO he pointed
with pride to his speechless record in
the house, his abStemiOusneSS from
mere talk and hot air and the glorious
novelty of his career in that respect.
/ The voters soon began to warm up
and glow with pride at having a con-
/ gresham 50 different from the usual
run.
! And they gladly reelected Lesher
Frank T. O'Hair, Illinois congress-
man, has a sense of humor. Also,
/ O'Hair got married a few years ago.
/ on the wedding trip O'Hair frequent
I ~ mortified his bride by eating with
I his knife and pointing out objects of
\ interest with his fork. Not until the
wedding journey was over did his
\ bride receive positive assurance that
O'Hair really knew better He had
/ been eating with his knife because he
/ thought it was good joke on his
| wife.
II a congressman desired to get an
I item in an appropriation bill past
I Chairman Fitzgerald of the appropria-
\ ton committee, and sought to do it
! Ey making polite overtures TO FitZ-
I Serald. patting him on the back and
/ calling him Nice Fitz. good old Fitz, -
/ he would make scant Roadway. The
/ only way 10 gain the favor of FitZ-
\ gerald is TO abuse him. calling him
/ every name at ones disposal And
( even then Fitzgerald would doubtless
90 ahead in his own way.
/ Copyright 1915. by Fred c. kelly)