The Elk Mountain pilot. [volume] (Irwin, (Ruby Camp), Gunnison County, Colo.) 1880-19??, 1919-10-02

was made brevet brigadier general by President
Lincoln February 49, for long and faithful service
and conspicuous galantry at the battles OF Re
SAGA. Atlanta Franklin and Nashville; member
Of Loyal Legion and G. A. r."
So only seven Civil war veterans are members OF
the Sxty-sxth congress-H years after the close
Of the memorable struggle between the North and
South. Soldier representation in congress was
at its peak between 1880 and $780,
The fact that the period between 1880 and 1880
marked the larger soldier representation in con-
gress indicates that most Of the soldiers who
in their twenties at the close of the war In
1865 did not begin to aspire to congressional
service until had reached thirty-ive forty
years of age. Many of them were between forty
and fifty when they took their seats.
There has been much conjecture to how
soon the veterans of the War of 1917. the
recent world war has been officially designated
by the war department. will occupy majority
of seats In congress. As a majority Of those who
actually foreign service. which will be the
larger political factor as the years go by. were
between twenty and twenty-five years OF age, 1t
may be safely calculated that 1t will be at least
Is years before there will be another soldier
congress That will be in 1894. 1t may be
If the newer custom of eecting young men is
continued. The average age of congressman has
decreased in recent years. Several of the pres
ent members are in their early thirties. The West
shows the greater tendency to elect young men.
Two veterans of the War of 1917 already
in the house-in fact were in It when they put
on the uniform. They are r. ii. La Guarda OF
New York. who a major in the air service,
and Royal C. johnson of South Dakota, who
fought in the trenches and was wounded King
Swope a returned soldier, has been elected
representative from Kentucky to fill a vacancy
and has just taken his seat. His election has
set the politicians wondering. inasmuch as he
was elected the Republican ticket in Demo-
cratic district and his platform was opposition to
the League of Nations.
Representative Lucan Walton Parrish of the
Thirteenth Texas district not only had the dis
'tnction of winning a $50 gold prize as the best
debater in his last year at the University of
Texas but won his election by the use of ''niv-
YER" He says: Is. prior to entering the
race for congress he had never sought or held
public Office emOlument; he had. however,
been active in public affairs, as president of the
school board. president of the chamber of
commerce of Henrietta, and had held other like
positions of trust. C. F. Spencer of Montague
county and f. p Haney of Wichita county were
his opponents In the for congress. and both
of them were seasoned politicians. Mr.. Haney
having represented five of the IL counties in the
and Mr. Spencer having been county attorney of
Montague county, and at the time he entered
the race district Judge of Denton. Montague
Wise county. giving him extensive ac-
quaintance in these four counties of the dis
trict while Mr.. Parrish practically unknown
in any part of the eastern district. With Mr..
Spencer in the east and Mr.. Haney' in the west,
all the political prophets quite sure Mr..
Parrish had no chance to win. However. with