River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-06-26
Our Weekly Letter
From WASHINGTON
(By James A. Frear, M. C.)

Washington, D. c., June %, 1919.-
Eastern papers have paid fine eulogies
to Ex-senator John c. Spooner, who
died in New York last week at the
age of rs. Mr.. Spooner lived in Hud-
son when he made his first canvass for
the United States Senate. At that
time the writer, a youth just gradual
ed from a Washington law school, was
Col. Spooner's private secretary and
knew him as few men were permitted
to know him. A man Of great powers.
eloquent and able, he confessed re-
peatedly he was poor politician. He
was partician in temperament and yet
loved people and often confessed his
home life back in old st. Croix and the
surrounding counties were the hap
piest in his eventful career. Spooner
was born debator and at the time he
resigned from the Senate was the ac-
knowldged Republican leader of that
great body. His resignation from the
Senate and his refusal to accept two
places offered in McKinley's cabinet,
were striking incidents in a great ca
reer, probably never equalled in the
experience of any other man. The
last time the writer met him was in
the United States Supreme Court
room where Mr.. Spooner had matter
before the court The black hair was
streaked with gray but for a man of
his age, he was wonderfully preserved.
He inquired about the old home town
and the folks who called him eJohn''
and for the moment was. the. same
Spooner of olden days. A soldier Of
the Civil War, an orator and states
man equal to the best he honored the
state that first honored him.
Those who gave the average mem
Der his instructions how to vote on all
kinds of questions and who demand
his views on many matters not before
Congress may be interested in what
occurs in one brief day, type of sim
liar days. First call for constitu-
ent at the department in the morning
call from the floor Of the house by
another youthful constituent and his
bride, novel and pleasant variety
forty letters written and mailed in re-
Spouse to an equal number received
a visit from a Nicaraguan who pro-
posed Congressional remedies for his
country's troubles, a brief period in
| the House during debate on the Mill
tary bill, supplemented with three
hours hearings with the committee, on
tariff duties on potash and chemicai
glassware. On the same day the
peace treaty of 44O articles and 8
lengthy plan for railway regulation
were placed on the desk for examina-
ton. Any man VIII pretends to give
fair consideration to all these subjects
in day would rightly be rated below
perfect, yet such matters call fol
some attention from the average
working member every day.
Congressional honors are sometimes
associated with hard work. Members
generally are ambitious to act on spe-
cial committees because of opportuni-
| ty to perform Individual service. With
the Ways and Means committee as
signment and work mapped out for a
budget bill campaign, the writer has
had no ambitions for further duties
but on Tuesday Speaker Gillett asked
that all other matters be laid aside
temporarily and that the writer take
the craftsmanship of Subcommittee
No. 1, of the War Department inves-
| tigatiOn. The subcommittee has
jurisdiction of the aircraft record of
the government which expended a bill
lion and a half dollars during the war
accompanied by alleged inefficiency
and great waste. The request came in
such form it could not be refused and
the committee expects to take up work
preferred by Charles E. Hughes at the
Presidents request and also by other
agencies, but the probe committee is
not limited in its jurisdiction. The ap-
pointment, unexpected and unsolicited
was a surprise and the added labor
and responsibilities are fully appreci-
ated. Promised aid and information
comes from different sources, includ-
ing men who have seen service at the
front in France.
Eight appropriation bills aggregat-
ing two billion two hundred million
dollars have been passed by the house
within the past 80 days. These cover
the next fiscal year beginning July l..
The same bills were passed last ses-
sion but they failed in the Senate.
When passed before, they totaled
$3,476 ,O0O, 900. They have been pared