Evening star., 1923-02-25
Capital Sidelights
~ WILL p. KENNEDY,

patcn, nave now been CITED as nor
rfblo example emphasizing the need
for dress reform in Congress. We
nrst sprung the story Of Longworth.
chided by a friend that he was too
careful a dresser to please the prole-
tariat, confiding the fact that his
pants were patched. Then sone OF
the rival faction came back with the
suggestion that he must have torn
them climbing through a barbed wire
fence after a golf ball.
The other day some OF tho elders
in Congress were looking at some
old-time photographs which John
Hollingsworth, disbursing clerk OF
the House. possessed. showing mem
bers of the Fffty-fourh and Fifty
nth Congresses. all wearing frock
coats and "stovepipe hats" The con-
versation drifted to discussion OF the
careless garb Of members today and
the general agreement was that It
would be well II members OF Con-
gress took moro pride In their per-
sonal appearance. Then II was that
they recalled how Nick" Longworth
and Speaker Gillett and others. who
are still the most carefully and neatly
dressed. are by no means as fastidious
in their hab!l!ments as they were
some years ago. having fallen into
the general habit OF negligence.
In those earlier days every member
Of Congress. no matter how much OF
a rube he might be. felt II incumbent
upon him to dress the part, but the
custom has gradually changed since
the Spanish American war. II was
recalled that even "Tim" Campbell!
was the member OF the House often
quoted for his comment, whats the
Constitution among friendsT" He is
also credited with having started the
custom OF calling member Of the
House "congressman." He brought to
the Capitol as doorkeeper Tom Coax
ley, veteran Tammany man with
old-tine suavity Of manner. Some
ward heeler from the Tammany baiii-
with his thumbs in the armholes OF
his waistcoat. would demand, II
wants to see me congressman" and
Coakley would lead out Tim" Camp
bell. He was known as congress-
Old-timers recall. OF Tim" Campbell
that, showing q party OF constituents
through Statuary Hall one day. he
d
Robert Ful.on's statue. who that was.
Campbell didn't know, but wouldn't
admit It for the world, SO he said, off,
hand: "Oh, that's the fellow who
invented roller skates"
Campbell was gifted with native wit.
and on one occasion when delivering
a speech which had been prepared
for him got or the expression virgin
forests" What do you mean oy
virgin forests Tim?" one Of his con-
"a ha Se
piled: why. where the hand Of man
has never set foot"
In more recent years 'Biil' suiEer
giaddened the eye with his personal
iong-tailed coat and q big pun tie
such as was made famous by Presi-
dent Arthur. SulZer became head o.
the foreign affairs committee and
went before the committee on ac-
counts asking for an additional clerk.
He appeared wearing a very ornate
waistcoat. and with such dignity and
precision Of speech that you would
think you were attending the arms
conference. HE was dressed At TO
add that his vest was as colorful as
Joseph's biblical coat and was set OF
with glass buttons. Sulzer was IN
Corrupted in his very cignined, almost
grandiloQuent, presentation oI ms
tive Garner Of Texas: VIII the gen
tieman yield?" And when with
courtly grace Su!zer did yield Garner
said he'd like to ask: Where IN he'll
did the gentleman from New YORK
get that yest?"
But 70 get back TO the old-t!me
swell d-essers." Capitol Veterans
say II was q sight for sore eyes to
Sc 9 Charles A. Boutell OF Maine walk
Ing Pennsylvania avenue.
Then there was the Beau BrummeN
Wallace T. Foote Of New York. and
Melville Bull Of Rhode Island. the
"Adonis Of the House" Representa-
tive Hamilton Frsh's father was also
g. conspicuousiy fastidiovs dresser, as
was also Gen. Harry Bingham o.
Pennsylvania, father OF the House.
Alfred c. Harrer Of Pennsylvania ts
recalled as haying had nseEtie ,,;.'!: TOT
sSs-;aaa aa! ahd nd VI Wiliis1 Mckinley We're
also careful about their personal ap-
pearance. Another was ]. \. Beidler
Of Cleveland. Ohio. William NJ:
Stringe- OF Illinois was conspicuous
b. is 81 eyepfsssris ven os Wso n0qsoe speaIs. TOM
Reed said. "IIe will never be right or
President" There was Allen Dur
ourrow OF Chicago, Of whom It is re
lated that he used to take Daen III
champagne and sleep IN aanys =,
birdie Adams OF Philadelphia Frank
Htscock OF New York, John murray
Mitcheil Of New York. DR.. J. A. NOR
ton OF Ohio .(sometimes recalled as
"MsDsto4ns,sSJ ssss Jce Baiis, aa and osear
Underwood. and not forgetting H'on-
mond P. Hobson.
This illustrates the little queer and
amusing ou,rks of fate. Recently Rep
resentative Louis c. Cranton OF Michi-
gan introduced a resolution proposing
to change the plan Of financing the Ma
tionaI Capital and suggested lump
sun, Of IS, ,00o. 900 a year from the fed
eral Treasury in lieu Of the present as
sessment Of 40 per cent Of the expenses
OF the District Of Columbia. Represent
alive Cramton got many letters. some
indorsing his plan and many opposing
II. One person, evidently greatly dis
pleased. cut from one OF the Wasnhsnis,, his,
he noted that Representative Cramton
is from Lapeer. Mich. He wrote on the
margin Of this: "IIe is making an ass OF
himself and the district asep he apeer
Newspaper. Lapeer. Mich" When this
letter reached Lapeer the postmaster
tried consc!entiously to get it delivered
and sent It to Cramton's own news
paper, and the clipping with the nota-
lion was promptly sent back to Cram
ton here, much to his amusement.
y y +
At last, thanks to Representative
Harry b. Halves Of Missouri, we have
an official government publication on
1.-THE Dog and Representative Hawes
Is receiying requests by the hundreds