El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-03-27

regular fellow" and will make a
speaker Of great ability, No one will
question that He has been d student
OF public affairs for q generation He
really studies public problems. He be-
gan in college and has kept It up all
his Life. In all the years he has been
in the house, no has made few
speeches. If all Of them were col
lected, they wouldn't cover as much
space in the Congressional Record as
one Kansas member used in the last
session alone. Gillett takes hold OF a
problem and sticks to 1t until he has
mastered it. Then, in carefully pre-
pared speech, logical and analytical,
he sets forts his conclusions 10 the
house. When he says something it can
be depended urpn. He is very much
the business man type Of statesman.
He likes bt~slness-not political prob.
lsma to deal with. His Judgment is
good and his air-mlndedness is recog-
nized on every hand. 50 it is that
while the public knew very little about,
Gillett of Massachusetts, the house
membership did. Through the years
they have been going to him more and
more on this question and that, asking
his counsel. His counsel for the most
TART, has been good. And his prestige
as a wise man and q fair man have
grown accordingly. In his quiet way,
he is recognized as being one of the
really substantial men of the house,
who has something more than words
to offer to settle the big problems
confronting the lawmakers. So 1t is
that when he was turned to beat "Jim''
Mann, the members had no hesitancy
in accepting his qualifications for the
post. They were recognized.
Gillett has been in washington more
than a quarter of a century, He knows
the every in and out of the govern
ment. He knows the workings of con-
gress. A bachelor until three years
ago. he used to keep bachelor quar-
ters with General Crozier, and former
Associate Justice Of the Supreme
Court Moody. During the Roosevelt
Administration the three were known
the Three Musketeers." There
was nos table, outside of that Of the
White House itself, where more qpes
involving all branches Of gov
ernment we're threshed out than
the Giilett-C fozier-Moody
board. Society, diplomats, politicians
entree to the Bachelor Hall"
and its famous dinners.
Mr.. Gillett is tall, slender, with clear
blue eyes and a short cropped beard
COW largely gray. He has been an in
Teterate golfer. He is a straight driv-
er and a good loser, one of his friends
commented, And that tells the charac-
.er of the man.
The Instincts Of a Gentleman.
Eiifu Root. when secretary Of war,
old a story that illustrates the char
Of the man. One day Giilett
JAILED upon Secretary Root to press al
his district was much interest
I'd in, but the department evidently
was not so much Interested in 1t. Gil
cit, so the story goes, presented his
politely and wen as far as he
could consistently toward commencing
t to the secretary Of war, but no
AS he left, Secretary Root
embarked with a laugh:
1T is interesting to see in Mr.. Gil
EFT the necessities of politics strug-
Cling with the instincts OF a gentle
But that tells Gillett's view Of pub
ic duty. He never has been a pork
statesman. He never hunted
pork" for his district. He doesn't be-
ieve in it and viii throw the weight
IL the Influence Of the speakership
!gainst pork" legislation.
The biggest political fight was made
IL Gillett because he voted against
prohibition and suffrage. Gillett did
lot attempt to evade either issue. He
jaid his state was against both, and
lie voted against both and had no
.pologies to make. His votes were
iistasteful to western members. On
he other hand, no man in congress
las a better record on Americanism
han GilIett. He has been a sturdy
throughout. He didn't give a
for the German vote. He stood for
Preparedness and making ready before
,ur entrance into the war. He was
igainst the McLemore resolution and
he embargo resolution. He didn't
mis- sails on any question during
he war. He gave the wal and every
var measure his enthusiastic support
when many Of his colleagues were
lodging. On the appropriations com
he has stood out again and
lgain for the budget system in gov
.rnmental finance, and does so today
ie has a business turn OF mind, and
Xxi q