The Colorado statesman., 1923-03-24

tribute 10 lle utIuOIy VI buudlO
Bill, who through many campaigns in
the West. was his scout.
General Miles, however, has de-
cllned to express any opinion as to the
beauty and effectiveness of the memo
rial statue of Buffalo Bill. which will
be erected near Cody Wyo. There
has been good deal of rather sharp
comment on the work OF the sculptor.
criticism being particularly directed at
the horse upon which the scout Is
mounted. The critics say the animal
is in an unnatural position.
Washington is rather content to
wait until plainsmen definitely have
passed on the horse before accepting
Mt their face value opinions which
have been passed by eastern critics.
Everybody In Washington remembers
the row that was raised in the coun-
try over the eagle which appeared on
one of the gold coins of the United
States some years ago. The bird was
declared to be unnatural and to be
wearing "pantalettes." Ornlthologists
quickly came to the rescue of the
eagle and Its designer, saying that
full-fledged American eagle wears
pantalettes of feathers fact which
did not seem to be known to the crit
les. The position of the eagle gen.
orally was declared grotesque, yet or.
nithologists said II was perfect. So
possibly 1t may be with Colonel Cody's
horse.
Their Last Campaign Together.
The writer of this went through the
last Indian campaign in which Buffalo
Bill participated. 1t was the cam.
paign against the Sioux in southwest
ern Dakota In December, 1890. and
January. 1891. in course of which were
fought the battles of Wounded Knee
mishes. General Miles was in COM
mand in the field, having left his
headquarters in Chicago to take COM
mand of the troops. He wired But-
falo Bill, asking him to proceed to the
front with him. They were together
in that Indian campaign for something
like five weeks. Then they parted.
and their last plains adventure as
companions was over.
probably somebody can be found who
still possesses one of the striking pic
lures which was used to advertise the
Wild West show. This poster, or
rather a picture intended for shop
window display. represented General
Miles and Buffalo Bill on horseback,
on a high point of land from which
they could overlook the hostile Sioux
camp. 1t was u most striking picture.
Blocs Cause Anxiety.
The experiences of the last session
of congress have made leaders of both
political parties in Washington won
der what Is going to happen in the fu-
ture If the present indications of "gov.
ernment by blocs" shall reach lasting
reality.
Party lines frequently were wiped
out in the house during the last session
of the Sixty-seventh congress. The vot-
ing on many occasions was by groups
which took no cognizance at all Of
party labels. Some of the leaders ac.
tually are apprehensive that anything
like celebrity in legislation will be i'm
possible In future congresses unless
there can be a return in some way to
groups of two parties instead of to
groups of n dozen blocs.
In the SiXty-seventh congress there
was an ex-service mems bloc, a work
ingman's bloc, dry bloc, wet bloc
big business bloc, an agricultural
bloc and radical bloc, although the
members of the last named bloc pre-.
fer the word progressive to radical as
descriptive of their efforts.
There does not seem to be any
thought in Washington that party des-
ignations will disappear, but the fear
is strong that it will be almost impos
sible eventually to get anything re-
sembling party legislation through
congress unless so many compromises
are made to suit this bloc and that
bloc that the legislation as originally
intended will have lost all semblance
Of itself
Every Bloc Has Its Headquarters.
Virtually every one of the blocs
which have been named maintains some
kind Of headquarters in Washington,
The men charged with the work of
keeping track of legislation in which
the various blocs are interested are
on the ground all the time. They are
called legislative agents, although an
other and older name for them is lob
byists. Every one of the blocs carries
on propaganda of some kind or other.
1t seeks to reach the press of the coun'
try with its views and 1t succeeds gen.
orally because the men charged with
the propaganda work know the value
of news and they succeed frequently In
creating news which must be printed
because 1t is news.
Before the fascist movement reached
its climax of success in Italy the Italian
legislative chamber was composed Of
blocs. There were as many groups as