The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-10-03

was made brevet ~brigadier general by President
Lincoln February is, for long and faithful service
and conspicuous g~allantry 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 Sixty-sixth congress-54 years after the close
Of the memorable struggle between the North and
South. Soldier representation in congress was
at it's peak between 1880 and 1890.
The fact that the period between 1880 and 1890
marked the larger soldier representation in con-
gress indicates that most Of the soldiers who
were in their twenties at the close of the war in
1865 did not begin to aspire to congressional
service until had reached thirty-fve or forty
years of age. Many of them were between forty
and fifty when they took their seats,
There has been much conjecture as to how
soon the veterans Of the War Of 1917, as the
recent world war has been officially designated
by the war department, will occupy a majority
Of seats in congress. AS a majority Of those who
actually saw foreign service, which will be the
larger political factor as the years go by, were
between twenty and twenty-five years of age, it
may be safely calculated that 1t will be at least
Is years before there will be another soldier
congress. That will be in 1884. 1t may be sooner
IL the newer custom Of electing 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
SnOWS TIC tSheSbNy !" SASS oui Z
Two veterans Of the War of 1917 are already
in the house-in fact, were In 1T when they put
on the uniform. They are F. H.. La Guardia of
New York, who was 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 a
representative from Kentucky to fill a vacancy
and has Just taken his seat. His election has
act the politicians wondering, inasmuch as he
was elected on the Republican ticket in a Demo
cratic district and his platform was opposition to
the League of Nations.
Representative Lucian Walton Parrish of the
Thirteenth Texas district not only had the dis
tinction 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 a "fiv-
ver." He says: 9. prior to entering the
race for congress he had never sought or held
public office or enOlument; he had, however.
been active in public affairs, as president of the
school board, as president of the chamber of
commerce Of Henrietta, and had held other like
positions of trust. G. F. Spencer Of Montague
county and e. p. Haney of Wichita county were
his opponents in the race for congress, and both
Of them were seasoned politicians, Mr.. Haney
having represented five Of the II counties In the
congressional district In the legislature of Texas
and Mr. Spencer having been county attorney of
Montague county, and at the time he entered
the race was district Judge Of Denton. Montague
and Cooke counties, and besides was reared In
Wise county. giving him an extensive ac-
auaintance in these four counties of the dis
trict. while Mr.. Parrish was practically unknown
in any part of the eastern district. With MI.
Spencer In the east and Mr.. Haney In the west,
all the political prophets were quite sure Mr..
Parrish had no chance to win. However, with