The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-01
7AsHiyo4oN, 3. O., Marcel /,

A2WAbub tlQ DfaSH-bOund
CEDAR chests, the latter the final nifty
Atlie soliyenir furnished free BY kind
Ana ipdtilgelt government, clutter up
and oDstfuct the Railways in Senate
ana Holise office buildings, far mora
NctlccaDle 10 the latter buiIdinks,
Nuele ne exit Of statesmen into the
llley ana ahadoWg Of private life Is
moro numerouB. u ID. the luggage Of
re departing lame ducks, the MANNED
noicripFled o. the battle Of the bal
loif aa November. There are few
n les, who win not limp away.
ley qaitof their own volitIon.
1onie ebcaise they feared th prssur
OF cpposition and othrs quite volun-
IorllY Tor other reasons who could
have been returned to the sixty-sixEll
lQnt1gs With certainty. One Of lat
i-l & Representative Edward Cooper,
- TIE Fifth West, Virginia district.
But the great majority OF the de-
D1rtin ones got caught In the wreck,
md NE great majority Of them are
AenpcfatB. One and all hold their
reeident responsible for the crushing
|seppointnieut Of their hopes. II was
ha letter that did it to them, they
lfmly believe and are frank TO state.
one and ell are carrying away with
them q deep-seated grudge as they
ilr1plngly wend their way back whence
trey came with such high hopes and
great expectations Of long, brilliant
ana useful Congressional tenure.
The piles Of luggage in the marble
halls Of office buildings In no appro-
ptiate scene for faceEous comment
and hilarious levity although many
strangers passing SEEM to think so.
lt's the wreckage Of blasted hopes, the
debris Of human disappeintmen and
Q sight that brings sad reflections to
the minds Of just men with modicun
Of sympathetic appreciation IN their
MS. Most Of these men, II not all Of
thom Ter such Is the change In con-
eepdon Of congressional position in
these latter years) were hard, con-
scientious workers. They did their
be TO the limit Of their ability and
GuBtFy. They were conscientious
opd patriotic, kept their integrity un-
gglhed, were patient, jealous, eff
cent workers. Few Of them were pun.
4shed because their course was not IN
Harmony with the prevailing senti-
leut Of majority Of their coustitu-
tents, but most Of them them met de-
teat because the voters were opposed
tc their party's course. rather than OPP
posed to tfe individual. But such Is
the arrangement and the practice that
man must be regular and vote with
us party organization in Congress.
Those who do not, and they are few
illd seldom, ftrely serv q scoud term.
The common idea back home is that
Representative life is a bed Of roses.
How far fro mthe fact Is that belief
is more often than otherwise bed
i ttiorns. The salary that looks so
arge from afaF. Is farebly a middle
lass living In Washington. Part OF 1t
aust 60 back into the district to keep
p d personal organization. The de-
lands on the member are many, and
fost of them must be cheerfully met.
len axe great sacrifices to get to the
touse Of Representatives and that is
ist the beginning Of sacrifices.
hence on It Is struggle to stay in.
congressman's campaign Is never.
ddtng and defeat ultimately is, like
saith and taxes, inevitable. His fight
to stave It off as long as possible.
Is a highland day battle with an
Impending failure, and 1t isn't man
atufe to turn-tail in fight like that
ld surrender until he has to. But
Cner or later in most cases, sooner,
member % the House knows that, In
ie very nature Of things, he will "get
81 Senators, serving six years, yet
rest from campaigns and the spectre
defeat is not ever lowering near
EN-. Representatives., serving two
ars, never. tits widespread mis-.
inception that lame duck is a
ectacle for laughter and jest-a
anne duck" is one OF LIES tragedies.
March 4th, observation-disclosures
ptible got im9ortant-new men will
81 across the threshold Of Official
questionable in the Nations Capt
70 represent a West irginia consti-
encyl Their names go upon the rolls
that hour. Thenceforth they are
beet to call for any departmental
i other duties that a constituency
ich never. 1t seems, ceases to want
netting; the messenger boy SER
es Of a public servant. Later on, IL
extra session Of the Congress be
ed about Sune, which now seem to
the general opinion, or next Decem.
4 It should so happen that there
be no special session, the new
b on the West Virginia delegation
start on the larger, and more fas-
ating, part OF their official duties.
lew United tsates Senator and two
nd new Representative will be the
te's contribution to the congress-
ID nursery. Major Davis Elklns Is
baby member Of the Senate. He
ms the six year term for which he
so yictoriously elected Tuesday at
b. succeeding Senator Nathan Gott,
WelIs GoodykoontZ, ofiWiliam-
steps into the House to Succeed
iepage. The passing out of Little-
Democrat, and the coming in
chois 4 Republican. marks the net
81 one Of that Republican party
ara Cooper, and s. P. Echols, OF
ieton, q succeed Adam Brown
IONS last November. Nelly, OF
FIRST district, Is the last remnant
relic remaining from the Demo.
landslide in the state In 1910,
smashed a Republican mono