Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-29
LaWmaking Chambers Do
Not Look Same Without
Joe Cannon, Jim Manu.
Champ Clark and Others
Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
40S Evans Building.
BY THEODORE TILLER

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-When
the new congress convened some one
in the galleries looked around the
floor below for the old familiar faces
and did not find them. There was
something missing in the picture;
congress did not seem the same.
If one has never seen a congress
convene, the story was not there for
him; but the old-timer wanted to
read "the story of missing faces"
and so here it is. Suppose We put
it in the form of AN interview with
the old timer who has been about
the capitol for a half century or so.
'It isn't the same down there on
the floor today" the old-timer would
say. Its bad enough in the senate
and worse in the housewife lot
of youngsters running around and
taking the places of the men of yes
terday. Sorter makes me sad and [
know I'm getting old and the times
have changed
House Upside Down
Look down there in the house!
| Where's Uncle joe Cannon, who sat
| in yonder seat for forty-six years?
He's out in Danville, H., and prob
ably pining away because he wants
| to be here. L don't see why he quit.
Remember how he used to get the
big hand" as he entered the cham
Der on opening day and how again,
at the close of each session, they'd
sing a song Of farewell and Uncle
joe would swell up little and a
misty look would come into his eyes?
cir MI iS17't wit h.
out him and some of. the others, /
don't care how we'll you like these
youngsters.
at appears like deaths, resigna-
tons and defeats have turned the
house upside down. 1t must be lone
some down there for the few old fell
lows who are left. I miss Jim Mann,
of Illinois, who died just a few
months ago. Mann fought his par
tvs battles there for twenty eight
years. Champ Clark, who was his
personal frienl but political enemy,
used to- call him the most useful
man in congress-
Jim was wizard at parliament
| tary law and the floor strategy Of
| legislation. I saw him lead a fill
buster once for three days, when all
vent filibusters. He knew bills and
laws by heart, and he never knew
when to quit.
Champ Died of Broken Heart
Champ Clark, too, is dead, and he,
| like Mann, served well his country
for twenty eight years. L always
thought Champ Clark died of a
broken heart; he never fully recov-
cred from the trick of fate by which
he lost the nomination for the presi-
dency.
Another face I miss is that Of
Joe Fordney, of Michigan. He just
got tired and quit last March.
Could have been elected again, but
his name is now attached to a tariff
law, and he's had enough. Fordney
was around here for twenty-four
years. you know.
Richard Wayne Parker, of New
Jersey, who comes Of revolutionary
stock, isn't here today after an
equal service Of twenty-four years.
Recall him? Always precise and
punctiliCus in debate, but inclined
to get riled now and then.
Frank Mondell, Of Wyoming, is
gone. Has a job now on the war
finance corporation. Was around
here twenty-six years, and might
have been yet except that he was
ambitious TO go to the senate and
didn't make it. He'll be succeeded
as Republican floor leader by bald
headed Mick" Longworth. How
ever, Nick is no chicken in the leg
islative yard; he's been here eight.
cen years and is one Of the near
oldtimers left.
VOIstead
And whatll I say about Andrew
J. Volstead, defeated after twenty
years service here and after he's
written a much cussed and discussed
prohibition law. The Republican
side Of the chamber doesn't seem
natural without Volstead, stroking
his long black mustache and moving
his chew of tobacco from one side
of the face to the other, with we'll
directed shots now and then at
cuspidor. Remember the time when
some practical joker sent every
member Of congress, through the
mails, 'chaw of terbacCer' and
asked them to have a sample in
honor of the lanky member from
Mill l0SOld.
Three other men on the Repub-
lican side have departed after
twenty years. There was Phil
Campbell. of Kansas, who looked
like the picture of Bobby Burns, and
was proud of it. Defeated just at
a time when it looked like he might
have a chance at the speakership.
Big Bill" Rodenbery, Of Illinois,
quit voluntarily. Rodenbery was
one of the best orators the house
has had in years, but he didn't
speak often enough. The third of
| this trio Of twenty-year men was
Halvor STEVENSON, of Minnesota,
fellow Of immense bulk, standing
more than six feet two. That Scan
dinavian accent of his, particularly
when he got excited, was worth
going across town to hear"
ing men and number of years thev'd
fused and debated with one another
and the Democratic enemy.
Stafford, of Wisconsin, whom Vic.
tor Berger defeated last year; c..
Bascom Slemp, of Virginia, now sec.
| rotary to President Coolidge; Pat
Kelley. of Michigan Thoma B.
Dunn, of New York, and others who
have been on the floor from eight to
sixteen years.
Claude Kitchin
Then the oldtimer turns to the
Democratic side and first laments
the passing of Claude kitchin, of
North Carolina, who was floor lead
er of the minority when death called
him the past summer.
"kitchin was here for twenty-five
years." he said, and was perhaps
the best rough-and- tumble debater
the Democracy has produced in a
generation. OF magnificent physical
appearance, with coal black hair and
black, flashing eyes, he could work
the Democrats into a near-frenzy on