The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1916-09-01
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SEPT. I. 1916
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
For President Of the J. S.
WOODROW WILSON.
For ,vice-President of the U. 5.
THOMAS 2. MARSHALL.
For United States Senator,
DAVID J. LEWIS,
Allegany County.
For Congress,
J. FREDERICK c. TALBOT.
Baltimore County.
HR. LEWIS AND THE PARCELS
POST.
WESTMINSTER. ND.

Congressman Lewis ought to be yers
grateful to the Republican spokesmen
Who are questioning his right to the
title OF Father Of the Parcels Post. He
ought TO do his best to lure them on To
more attacks of The same sort. For
their efforts can have no other effect
than to advertise widely the trench
dously important services Of Mr. Lewis
In connection with the establishment
Of the parcels post and make every
voter In Maryland more appreciatise
Of his work.
The attacks will the more certainly
have that effect because there Is a
very pronounced element of pettiness
and meanness In them. Lewis is q
self-made man whose rise IN life II
due purely to his inherent capabilities.
He has not advanced one step by rea-
son of influence or luck, lie has
made by force his merit known" lie
was a miner, he made himself stu
dent, No one who has ever talked To
him on the subject of the parcels post.
or the telephones, or any of the sub
jeets which he has chosen for Insesti-
CATION, could fall to be impressed by
his thoroughness. his scientific habit
of mind. his almost unriYaled capacity
for assimIlating masses Of detail and
sensing them in their proper relation
ships. and his utter sincerity. Men Of
this type are altogether too rare In
public life TO go unappreeiated when
they appear there The natural incli-
nation OF every fair=minded man.
whatever his politics, Ii TO thank God
for them and wish them we'll.
Sent TO Congress by the voters Of the
Sixth district, Mr. Lewis made for him
self an almost unprecedented reputa-
tion for member in his first term. He
became at once the leading authority
in the House on the parcels post ques=
ton. AS ; fellow member OF that body
said OF him: When he begins 10
speak members belonging to both par
ties are seen 10 come fiocklng IN from
the smoking rooms and Hobbies. :.
They want to hear Mr.. Lewis Why
Because they know that he has ability
of high order. that his conscientious
industry takes him To the bottom OF
every question which he investigates.
In short. the members of the
House have absolute confidence IN
him" The good reputation made by
Mr.. Lewis IN his first term secured for
him the ehairmanship Of the import
ant Labor Committee IN his second.
a really great tribute.
1 is this man whom tho chattering
critics of the Republican party are
trying to belittle Their contentious
boiled down amount to his that he
did not originate The parcels posi- Idea
that he did not introduce in the House
the amendments 10 the Senate bill
the amendments which gave lie and
substance 10 the measure. and hat he
was not responsible for these amend
ments The first TWO statements are
true, but they have absolutely no
bearing On the question Of the value
of Mr. Lewis services. The third Is
distinctly untrue. Senator Underwood.
who was floor leader of the Democrat
ie party Al the time, gave the facts in
regard TO 1t at the meeting in Cross
Greet Market Hall Monday night:
When the bill came over 10 the
House ! suggested 10 Mr.. Lewis
that We prepare parcels post
section. which would be expert
mental and allow of Improvement
and progressive development, as
a substitute for the Senate pro-
vision Mr.. Lewis then prepared
The provision and submitted it to
me and those In charge of the
Postoffice Appropriation bill IN the
House. IL was accepted as thus
drawn and the chairman Of the
Postoffiee Committee offered Il as
:. substitute for the Senate amend
ment relating to the parcels post
and It was adopted by the House.
In the conference that followed
between the eonfereea on the part
Of the House and the Senate por-
lions Of the House substitute we're
dropped. But the substan-
Iial elements Of Mr.. Lewis draft
Of the House substitute we're
agreed 10, and the present parcels
post system, with it, 50-pound
weight limit, It's reasonable rates,
the inclusion Of books and farm
products. the insurance Of the
shipment, the c, o. D. and the
vital principles allowing OF other
Developments, none OF which we're
contained In the Senate provisions.
are all based On the draft Of the
amendment prepared b. Mr..
Lewis.
7 told him 1t the time" continued
mr.. Underwood. that he might fee
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