Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-09
Capital Sidelights

Herbert Hoover's one speech in the
South is to be at the historic little town
of Elizabethton, Tenn, where was form
ed in 1772 the first free and independ-
ent government established by Ameri-
cans on this continent. Representative
J. will Taylor is today the hero of that
section for having persuaded the Re-
publican standard bearer and his adj
visers to select this particular region,
which is to be mecca for voters from
nine States for his outstanding address
in the campaign.
EliZabethton is in the extreme eastern
section of Tennessee, near the North
Carolina and Virginia boundary lines.
Its history goes back to 1772, when
pioneers who had crossed the mountains
| from Virginia and the CarolinaS form
ed the Watauga Association. Written ar
! ticles were drawn up by the association
for the management of local affairs.
The community was wholly Self-govern-
ing, making treaties with the Cherokees
and administering municipal affairs, I'M
I til 1777. when the North Carolina Cen
| eral Assembly took over the territory.
Later it became part of Tennessee.
! Ellzabethton thus lays claim to being
the first place ON the American CONT
nent where Americans established their
own free and independent government.
| x X y x
One of the most eolorfM spots in the
| Hoover Curtis campaign viii be at Rose
bud S. Oak. on the Great Sioux Res
ervation, September 40, when Senator
| Curtis, himself of Indian blood, will
J be the guest OF honor Of thousands of
( plains Indians gathered at q powWow in
celebration OF the Semi-centennial of
the founding Of the reservation Sena-
tor Curtis is an eighth blood Kaw In
| dian and spent his early childhood on
an Inc fu reservation. He is beloved
by the indians throughout the country
for his work in their behalf in the
| Senate.
| 4 X II X
/ This is autograph -eollection see son,
/ with the presidential candidates. sig
natures especially sought after. One
of the happiest Of these hunters is
/ Rudolph Olson, IL years old from
Park Ridge, ILL.,, who has the distinc-
| ton of obtaining the first autograph
of Herbert Hoover at the latter's per-
sonal headquarters, 2315 Massachusetts
avenue. Young Olson is to enter
Harvard University this Fall He first
wrote TO the Republican candidate for
MS autograph, which. he said, he ex-
pected would bring him good luck in
his collegiate career. Then he called
in person and wished MIR. Hoover luck y
just now when all members of the
House and One-third the membership
Of the Senate are before the people
seeking reelection, it is timely to en-
phasize the Importance to any district
| n q 70 fOF.
time on the legislative job here, be-
cause the longer he is here under the
seniority system the more influence he
yields.
! Here is how it works out in the
| present Congress: Thirteen Republ-
cans and 16 Democrats have served
nine terms-18 years or more.
| OF these 10 Republicans who have
served ID years is Speaker, / Repub-
lican floor leader, are chairmen OF
important committees. These commit
tees are: Appropriations, ways and
means, agriculture, naval affairs, post
/ Office and post roads, foreign affairs
and subcommittee of appropriations for
the Navy Department.
That accounts for out Of IL in that
class. Can you beat that for the influ-
ence of seniority?
| If you drop down into the next class
those who have served eight terms
16 years-you will find Is Republicans
Of these, hold committee chair
manships And that, think, accounts
| for most of the committees Of much
Importance.
If a strange and unusual election
should occur some time that would re-
turn a majority of Democrats in the
House, you can make UP a list OF the
new committee chairnlen without wait
/ ing for the Congress to meet. You can
| be pretty we'll assured that the ranking
Democrats on each communicating one
\ who has served on that committee
longest in continuous service-wOuld be
Immediately advanced to the chairman
ship. And you can be equally assured
that they will be members OF long serV'
| ice in the House.