The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-12-30
GARRETT BECOMES
MINORITY LEADER
MINORITY LEADER Is POST or
HIGH HONOR
Speaker Champ Clark Engaged in
Other Matters -Kitchin is III and
Mantle Of Leadership Falls to Gar
rett-Is Demonstrating His Ability
to Fin Position.

Congressman Finis j. Garrett, Of the
Ninth Tennessee district, is now act
ing minority leader Of the House, one
OF the aignest recognized honors that
can be bestowed upon a member who
is not the titular leader With the
converting Of the congress for the
present session, former Speaker
Champ Clark has been busily engage
ed ia other matters Oil Legislation
Tran handling the various measures
before the House, while Minority
Leader Kitchin is i'll and unable TO
attend. Indications are that his in-
disposition will remove him from
actual participation IN the House
business for some time.
The mantle Of leadership then fell
upon Mr. Garrett, and Ton thu first
time during his long career III tile
House he has4heen honofed by having
the reins turned over to him entirely.
ais it were Mr. Garrett as result
of this opportunity has demonstrated
beyond all doubt his ability, his fair
ness and his thorough knowledge Of
the numerous measures pending.
In days gone BY Hon James n.
Mann, Republican, from Illinois, when
minority leader Of his party ID The
House, amazed his colleagues BIZ IA
intimate knowledge of every bill an
The calendar for consideration. no
matter under what circumstances it
was called up. But it was by ardu- I
GUS work that Mr.. Mann equipped
himself for this task of hedging and
holding the majority IN check,
seeing to it that the interests 81
minority were subserved The re-
suit was a general breakdown, from
which he has not recovered, and which
was responsible to large degree for
his relinqishing, under fire, as II
were, the leadership when the position
of speaker was within his grasp Mr..
Kitchin as minority leader also
worked day and night. and is today on
the verge of invalidisgn
With Mr. Garrett he goes about the
job differently. While he is the first
man to appear upon the House floor
and the last to leave, and as a result 4
has little time for study, the maker
of mems minds has dealt with the
Tennessee congressman more gener-
odsly than he has with either the
gentleman from Illinois or North
in that he grasps the point
and can see through the question, To
use hackneyed phrase, more quickly
than either, and. once he hears d bill
read or explained, or glances over
it himself, he never has to refer to
il aoasf
For this resson his peculiar gifts
which equip him for the minority
leadership are being demonstrated
dai1E On the floor of the House III
was sal " Senator Underwood when
be suo f6r the Democrats as Demo-
cratic leader ii the House that he
was an @easv leaders and to this
faculty much Of bis success wax due.
With Mr. Garrett he Is able to
handle the situation with more ease
than did Mr.. Underwood, and. more
over he ait all times has the respect
and esteem Of his colleagues Oh the
side. This Is because,
that be knows the House
hetter than any man In the
House and Republicans are as ready
to accent his statement on rule or
uian Of procedure as are the Demo-
Gratis. because All recognize in him
'gn1are lpadprN