Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-16
Capital Sidelights

Each House of Congress has lost
its Nestor. Speaker Gillett, who has
left the House for the Senate, and
Senator Lodge. who has died, each
held clear title to being the longest
time member, and that continuously.
In his respective chamber. Each had
served uninterruptedly for 80 years
In the Senate the honor now goes
to Senator Francis Z. Warren OF
Wyoming, who has been a regular
attendant since March 4, 1895, and,
who before that served from Deem
Der 1, 1890, to March 4, 1893. He
has had a distinguished career. He
served during the Civil War in a
Massa chusetts regiment and received
the Congressional medal of honor for
gallantry on the battlefield at the
siege of Port Hudson. He was ap-
pointed Governor of the Territory of
Wyoming by two Presidents-ArthuI
and IIarrison-and then was elected
the first Governor of the State when
1t was admitted to the Union.
In the House, the honor OF being
the member who has served longest
Is claimed for Representative Thomas
S. Butler, who after serving contin-
uously for % years has just been
given a wonderful tribute by his
home voters, who have sent him back
with a vote OF 50,523 against a paltry
11.7S2 for his opponent.
But Representative Butler Is nosed
out for the honor by Representative
Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin,
who first came to Congress SO years
ago, at the time Senator-elect Gillett
made his first appearance, but who
six years ago was defeated for one
term-so Cooper has a record Of 80
years against % for Butler. Repre-
tat "a
of the La Toilette following for
Speaker when the present Congress
organized, and may be the Independ-
ent-Progressive candidate when the
House undertakes 10 elect a success
sor TO Mr.. Gillett. In his youth Rep
resentative Cooper was n base ball
catcher OF national renown.
Death has removed another veteran
House member, Representative VIII
liam s. Greene of Massa chusetts.
auctioneer by profession, who first
came to Congress rs years ago and
thus ran neck and neck with Rep
resentative Butler.
The oldest man who ever sat In
the House, Representative Isaac y
Sherwood of Ohio. now SO years or
age, who first came to Congress on
the same day that Uncle Joe" Can
non made his Legislative debut, has
been defeated in a spirited contest
by the school superintendent whom
he unseated four years ago. Sher-
wood, who is a Civil War hero, after
service in the Forty-third Congress
with Uncle joe" devoted himself
to editorial work and local politics
for "a years and then staged a won
derful comeback by his election TO
the Sixtieth Congress. He is A pic
turesque character In the Capitol,
always wearing a red carnaton, and
until very recent years he drove
pair OF thoroughbred horses reputed
to be the best in the land.
Two other longtime members OF
the House who have been retired by
votes of their constituents in the
primaries are Representative Charles
r. Davis of Minnesota, ranking Re
publican on the House appropriations
committee and chairman Of the sub
committee on appropriations for the
National Capital, who was a Mime
sofa pioneer. and Representative
Frank Clark of Florida ranking
Democrat on the committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds, who was
much interested in the S50,000,000
building program for the National
Capital to house government activi-
X X x
When he was building his 100 mile
100000 concrete highway in Della
ware, Senator elect du Pont was faced
with the necessity OF getting rights
OF way. In one case his road would
cut in halves d pasture. The woman
who owned the pasture refused
right of way because it would mean
driving her cows from one end of
tho pasture across the highway with
considerable traffic into the other end
OF the pasture TO be watered. Then
du Pont said: All right, we'll make
a nice private underpass for your
cows to walk through" And the
great highway proceeded while the
cows were undisturbed in their
meanderings from one end of the field
to another to get a drink.
There's a new chautauqua lecturer,
by profession, coming to the new
Congress-. Brooks Fletcher OF
Marion, Ohio. not long since a rival
of the late President Harding in the
editorial field. A decade ago Fletcher
bought the Marion Tribune and be-
tween lecture engagements wrote edi-
torials and ran his paper. At the
same time Warren CT. Harding was
writing editorials for the Marion Star.
When the Star was purchased two
years ago the new owners took over
the Tribune and since then Mr..
Fletcher has done nothing but fill
lecture engagements.
Representative Theodore E. Burton
Of Ohio, who has been offered a big
block of votes by his fellow members
if he Will consent to be candidate
for Speaker, has had a career IN
usually full of important tasks, so
that the speakership would come to
him with peculiar fitness as a crown
Ing honor. He will be 70 years old
next month and has been serving the
national Government conspicuously
and ably for Sc years. He served
two terms in the House and then
went to the Senate. He was chair
man of the Inland Waterways Com
mission by appointment of President
Roosevelt and Of the National Water
ways Commission created by Con-
gress. He was a member of the Ma
tional Monetary Commission, and
member Of the executive committee
of the Interparliamentary Union, par
ticipating in its meetings In ST.
Louis, London, Paris, Geneva. The
Hague, Vienna and Copenhagen. He
served on the Debt Funding Commits
sion by appointment of President
Harding.
x + y
With the return to the United States
Senate of Coleman du Point. the good
roads movement gets stronger sup
port. Du Pont last year gave his
native State a 100000 concrete
highway, and has been a highway
builder for community betterment for
more than 80 years, or since he was
20 years old. Here's his own story