Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-28
IBy Oliver Owen Kuhn.l

r. L oyp ShlNcI o"cH huAh.J
At some time or other most Of Uncle
Sans nephews-and nelces, too, for
that matter-have visited their state
capitals during sessions of the legis-
lature, and have heard the leather
lunged senators whose duty 1t was to
do the reading Of bills, resolutions and
all the miscellaneous grist that comes
to the lawmaking mill. Good wind,
sound lungs and throats. fair edu-
cation, such are the prime requisites
for reading clerk In most state legis-
latures. There have been auctioneers,
lots Of them, who might have little
trouble qualifying for these positions.
The men who fill them might be called
the bush leaguers Of reading-cler
dom; pursuing the sporting smile to
it's lair the men who fill the CORE
spending positions in the congress Of
the United States are the big leaguers
make errors even when accepting the
most polysyllabic chance. For ex-
ample ak.
'The Indians Of Topic use peyote as
a strengthening medicine. They rub
themselves with the ground root along
the joints and thus they are able to
names Of this plant are Anhalonium
fissuratum. anhalonium williamii. SEN
ecio callopyllus, senecio cardiopyllus,
senecio petasitis. senecio partwegiico-
tyledon coespitosa." .a.rs..
Even the dignified senate was forced
to laugh and. applaud when that body's
reading clerk, never hesitating. never
stammering. had waded thru that list
Of names The senator who had sent
a letter containing this graphic de.
scription to the desk with a request
that it be read and the august body bt
informed thru ,ita medium as to JUS
what made Indians go crazy. confess
I edly did not know himself what 1t wa!
all about. AS to pronouncing thu
names. he did not try. Even the larg
4 er portion Of the senators did not know
what it all meant, but in rather vocif'
| erous fashion they gave evidence Of
| their admiration of the pluck OF theil
| OFFICER who had refused to be joked
and who demonstrated that no words
were too small or too big but that hi
J, would read them to the senate in some
| form or other.
/ What the Clerks Have to Do.
| This little incident meagerly por'
trays Some Of the srdeals the reading
! clerks are forced to undergo in read
! ing to both houses Of congress. They
have these things to do every day
| They are able to do them gracefully
at sight. and without hesitation: thai
Is what makes them major leaguers:
| Papers, bills, communications, reso'
| lions, petitions and memorials-hun'
| dreds of them being received every
| week the congress Is in Session-at ont
4 time or another are read to the house
or the senate, or both The position
of reading clerk Is one that requires
yes, denands-a strong voice ant
stronger physique. 1t Is estimated tha
| during the course of "a single average
session OF congress three-fourths o.
\ the words IN the English language ART
repeated time and again by the read
| ing clerks In the presentation OF al
papers to both houses of congress.
| iPolysyllabtc words are the, bone Of
| the reading clerks. Notwithstanding
| the fact that so far as the members
I themselves are concerned few care II
all matter is read accurately or not
The parliamentary schedule and form
4 must be maintained and observed, ant
the reading clerks perform theil
1 duties; but It may safely be stated
r that there IL NO set Of men in America
that has greater knowledge Of the
4 words in the English language ant
the way they are pronounced than the
reading clerks Of congress.
81 Tricks OF tho Reading Clerks.
I'm the performance of their daily
duties the reading clerks practice MOI
few tricks OF the trade" 1t Is a
peculiar fact that at least one OF these
is keynote 10 the temper Of the sen.
ate itself. When long bills are beint
read to that body; when petition
thousands Of words In length is pre-.
scented that It may go In the con.
gressionai record; when a memorial O.
more verbiage than sentiment is pre-
scented ;:-. a.; = Tea;:es: .ha. !: print.
ed, It Is an ancient custom of the
| reading clerk. in his desire to facili.
MISREPRESENTATION
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