The Washington herald., 1916-07-03
A Page in the Record.

One seeking diversion, not to say excitement,
OF an afternoon would hardly select the United
States Senate chamber, during a debate on the
agricultural appropriation bill, in his quest; and
yet the Senate's discussion on Saturday of this
pastorally suggestive measure offered entertain
ment to be found nowhere else in Washington
In the course of a frank and unrestricted ex-
change of views Mr. Henry Ford was given a
perfectly good free advertisement which appears
in the Congressional Record, while such i'm
portant questions whether automobiles can
cut their way through dense forests navigate
streams and climb trees; whether Senator Stones
hands are horny-handed or his observations are,
and whether the ways of Washington's smart set
ought to be emulated by true democracy re-
main undetermined
The Illuminating discussion was started when
the Senate reached an item of S55ooo for the
purchase OF automobiles, which Senator Gore
explained were for in the Forestry Service
Senator Stone suggested that horses were cheaper
and better fitted to "go across the hills or
through the tangled forest" And then he de-
clared, according to the Record:
That great committees of the Senate and the
house should put such things in appropriation
bills are amazing; and yet it has been done year
after year since l have been here MI
President speaking of automobiles and of car
rages drawn by pretty horses with liveried
H4t'N4S HSdLlAS pug mats, COCkdQeS pinned
them, yellow boots with breeches stuck in the
tops OF the boots, and all that, is a common
sight IN Washington, l have nothing to remark
about it when vain and vainer women do il
at their own expense; but it is disaereeable
sight to the eyes of many old-fashioned and
really refined people when see this snobbery
chine; but l bought and paid for it out of nv
own pocket have other Senators who have
yentured upon this extravaganza. l think the
business of Senators and members OF the
House lust important the business of
secretaries and assistant secretaries of executive
departments. and certainly as important as that
OF the clerks in these departments But we
Senators pay for our own transportation.
And then Senator Gore broke in with his
generous compliment which seems not to have
been altogether appreciated according to this re-
port from the Record:
Mr., Gore; entirely synpathize with the
horny-handed and practical observations of the
Senator from Missouri.
Mr.. Stone Not very horny-handed
Mr.. Gore. Yes; they are.
Mr.. Stone. !, ! have pretty, soft hand.
Senator deserves credit for it.
Obviously the Missouri statesman, proud of
his soft hands, misinterpreted the words of the
gentleman from Oklahoma. There must be a
difference between horny-handed observations
and horny-handed hands if Senator Stone
didn't it; but it must be admitted that Sena-
tor Gore made matters when he rejected
the Missourian's claim to pretty soft hand"
and insisted that they are horny-handed and the
Senator deserves credit for it."
In the course of hot debate on a topic so
exciting as an agricultural appropriation Sena-
tors cannot be expected to be precise in their
rhetoric, but surely they owe it to themselves to
the country and to posterity to see that their
views on vital questions are set forth plainly
in the Congressional Record. The Senators must
realize, now that it is too late, that they should
have revised their remarks before they were put
into form for preservation in the national
archives. Here is Senator from the great
State of Missouri quoted in a government record
as saying that thing "are amazing" and that
speaking OF automobiles "is a common sight"
while Senator Gore is represented as insisting
that the pretty soft hand" of fellow Senator
are horny-handed and the Senator deserves credit
for it"
And besides, there is great deal more the