White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-02-18
GRAVEYARD OF POLITICAL
0DE


HOPES.
There was a time when ability to
land a sea- in the national house OF
representatives was the beginning OF
many a fine political career and held
out hopes for the future as no other
positions under federal or state gov
ernments. Those were the days of
Colfax, Stevens, Blaine, Garfield,
RANDALL, Sunset Cox, Carlisle, Crisp,
Breckenridge, Reed. Mckinley and
other outstanding figures in national
history of thirty to fifty years and
more ago. Those were the days when
newspaper readers turned first to the
Washington column of their favorite
daily and read before other news
items the reports of what these and
other prominent members of the
lower house of congress were saying
and doing. Those were the days
when the great fountain for presi-
Dental material was the lower house.
How different now, Speak quick.
Can any reader inside of five seconds
name a really national character
among the membership of the lower
house? "Yolstead," did you say?
But Volstead's name is anathema;
his political advancement was e.
toed when his name was tackled TO
the law he fathered. Besides. he
was defeated at the fall election and
is politically down and out. Nobody
answers. They are silenced, for
there are no such national figures
remaining. Cannon has had some
prominence due to his unsurpassed
length of service, but he is about to
retire and is a hasbeen. Bourke
Cochran has some prominence, but
every ounce of ii is due to fame
gained outside of congress. Champ
Clark is dead, but he was defeated
for reelection and if he had been
lspared for a day more than his Of
fetal term it would have been as a
private citizen, without hope of COM
Ing back.
From the intermountain states
and the coast there is no nationally
or politically prominent member of
the lower house. One reader II.
twenty might be able to speak the
name of a member or two from ad-
Joining states, but not moro. Some
few California members have been at
the capital for years, but they are
in a rut Of Oblivion ard ere never
heard from.
Even Nevada shows ths contrast
etWeen its representatives sf the
old days and those Of today. Tom
Fitch, WOODBURY., Bartine and New
lands were some OF the James that
were heard throughout the country
and they designated mou who made
themselves and the rights OF their
state heard. But in twenty years
Van Duzer served two terms and il
forgotten; Bartlett served two and
holds an appointiye district judge
ship; Roberts served three but can
not come back; Evans dropped out,
defeated, at the end of one, and
Arentz is on the brink of %obseurity
at the end of one.
No doubt the main trouble is the
huge membership of the house. With
435 members nc man of ordinary
lung power and legislative skill can
make a showing. II one gets by for
more than two or three reflections
1t most likely is through his care In
the selection of a good correspondent
Tor private secretary, which was
what kept Roberts on the job as long
as he stayed.
Few men of force have a desire to
enter congress under present condi-
tons Realizing as they do that
their ability to get results rarely
dates from their first term, they look
upon 1t that two years is 100 short
and they leave 1t alone.
BY this arrangement the country
is the loser.