The Pensacola journal., 1919-07-28
he pleases sub.

President Wilson is going to square
accounts with Congressman Asbury
+. Lever, of South Carolina.
Two years ago Mr.. Lever after
serving fifteen years in the honse. the
last six as chairman of the agric,,l-
ture committee. threw his hat in the
ring for the senate against Senator
Ben C.Pitchfork) Tillman- Tnen the
war came on. Senator Tillman. as
chairman of the naval committee. had
staunchly supported the adm;nistra-
tion's naval program and had backed
President Wilson at every turn. So
the president in an open letter asked
Mr.. Lever to withdraw and psrmi.
Senator Tillman to be reelected with
out opposition. Although he and mis-
friends were confident that he would
defeat Tillman. Lever agreed to grant
the presidents request, withdrew from
the senate race and announced his
candidacy to succeed himself.
About two months later and two
months before the election Senator
Tillman died suddenly. But it was
then too late. under the state law, for
Lever to again become a candidate or
get his name on the ballot for sena-
tor. and his opportunity to go to the
senate. made doubly certain by Till
mans death, had been lost becalae
he followed the bidding of his party
chief.
Now the president has nominated
Mr.. Lever a member of the federal
farm loan board. a position with an
annual salary of $4,000, and a four
year term of office. From a financial
standpoint. Mr.. Lever will be better
off than IL he had remained as con-
gressman or been successful in the
race for the senate. In four year
when his term expires, IL he is not re-
appointed. the time will be ripe to be-
gin a campaign for the senate if h
should still have an eye on that place
Most peoples idea of a Washington
newspaper correspondent is that re
just sits around behind the closed
doors; shares the deep, dark secrets
OF all the big government officials ard
senator's and congressman and occa =
ionaliy writes a story the part truths
of what is going on.
All the correspondents, no doubt,
wish they could earn their money so
easily.
The assignment given by one of the
big New York newspapers a few days
ago to it's correspondent is fair
sample of the onerous tasks the
Washington correspondents frequently
get.
This New York daily wired at the
height OF the bitter debate over the
prohibition enforcement bill, instruct
ing the correspondent to ask every
member of congress how much, If any,
liquor he had stored up against the
drought and to quote his reply.
The correspondent gloomily con-
templated personally interviewing 435
members on such a delicately personal
matter. then sent a hurry call for help
to a dozen or more of his friends
who sometimes have some spare mo-
ments. They all listened attentively
to his recital of his assignments, heard
every word of what he said about
ample financial returns. but all in
sisted it was one of their very busiest
days.
He could get no help on that as
signment so did the best he could
alone. He received only three kinds
of answers:
The sincere dry prohibitions said
they had no store of joy water.
The wet prohibitions. those who
drink the horrid stuff. but vote
against it. said frankly it was none
Of the correspondents business.
The wet" prohibitions, those
who are wet personally and vote that
way too. were all nom -committal
All the congressman are anxiously