Evening star., 1932-07-03
GARNER QUICK SHOT
IN HOUSE REPARTEE
viii Be KeenIy Missed II He
Goes to Senate as Vice
President.

If John NJ Garner should find him
self presiding over the Senate next year
his friends in the House will have lost
a past master of the art of repartee.
Many of Gamers constituents down
in Texas raise mohair goats. When the
Underwood tariff bill was reported some
years ago it contained 10 per cent
rate on mohair and none on wool.
With this in mind, ]. Hampton
Moore, a former Representative from
Pennsylvania, composed bit of verse
entitled Gamers Goat of Texas"
Texan Shoots Back.
But if Mr.. Moore had hoped to get
Garner's goat, so to speak, he under
estimated his adversary. The laconic
Texan replied with this:
"Hampy Moore is a helava pote. He
don't know a sheep from cote"
Garner is product of the range
and that is no figure Of speech. Born
of pioneer stock at Blossom Prairie, Red
River County, Tex, in 1868, Garner
first saw the light OF day IN modest
surroundings. The father for whom
he was named was in moderate cireum-
stances 1t was in the reconstruction
period and money was scarce educa-
tional facilities were limited; as
youth, his health was poor; none OF
these things acted as a deterrent.
An aunt supervised his early educa-
ton; a law Office in Clarksville served
as his legal training ground. He worked
by day and studied by night Then,
tuberculosis forced young Garner to
leave the section where he was born
and seek the higher climate OF Uvalde
County. He fought his way back TO
health, and there his home has since
been.
Admitted to Bar at 20.
Garner was 20 when admitted to the
bar. He Joined the firm of Adams,
Fuller 81 Garner, and when the partner
ship acquired a struggling newspaper
the Uvalde News-and Garner became
editor, his singing editorials acquainted
the citiZenry with his presence. Then
came politics.
Following his tenure as Judge, Garner
went to the State Legislature as a
member of the House, serving two terms
and introducing one bill-which was
promptly vetoed by Gov. Sayre. This
measure would have cut Texas into
five States, and Garner, though called
crazy IOI lllb luCds blAA4 bCACFCo ~
sound. AS he reasons, the South is en-
titled to more political power, and such
a spiit-up would boost its representation
in the Senate by eight members and
add 20 electoral votes. In support Of
the argument, he emphasizes the in
fiuence of the small seaboard States
on national legislation, and points TO
the fact that Texas has an area equal
to 22O States the size Of Rhode Island.
For while, the young Texan dropped
out of politics. then in 1903 he entered
the race for Congress, was successful,
and there he stayed. Incidentally, his
constituents have been so well salts
fed that it has been a quarter OF a
century since Representative Garner
has made a campaign speech.
Rode District on Horse.
In the earlier days, however, Garner
found campaigning in Texas was any
thing but a phite-collar JOB His dis
trict then contained 80 counties, cover
ing as much area as the State OF New
York AS he had to address rallies IN
each county he rode horseback rather
than trust the erratic stage-coach
schedules. After week Of such cam
paigning. without benefit of a razor, he
There he was introduced to well
known cattleman.
A. little later the cattleman, who
failed to catch Gamers name, asked
who the bearded stranger was.
why, that's Jack Garner, our Con-
gresham" the mutual friend replied.
We'll" replied the cattleman, he S
the orst-looking specimen Of humanity
I ever saw"
In the House Gamers goal became
the powerful Ways and Means Commit
tee. As a result of the Harding land
slide In 1920, he became the ranking
minority member there, and as such,
led fights against the Fordney-Mc-
Cumber and Hawley-Smoot tariff bills
and the Mellon tax plan.
Succeeds TO Speakership.
Long the Democratic whip, Garner
became minority leader just few years
back when Representative Finis j. Gar
rett Of Tennessee, occupant OF that post,
left the House to wage an unsuccessful
fight for the Senate. AS such, Garner
was active in the campaign OF 1880 20
which the Republican majority In the
House was reduced to two, from more
than 100 and then when death swung
the balance of power, the Speakershlp
came his way.
In this high Office Garner succeeded
his friend. Mick" Longworth, whose
death during the recess had ended q
comradeship extending from their early
days in the House and which, oy rea-
son Of their different political faltns
and background, had been productive
of a wealth Of humorous stories.
Friendship Was Unusual
His renowned friendship with Long
worth began while both were serving as
greenhorns on the Foreign Affairs Com
fnittee. OF this friendship, Garner once
said.
1T was darned peculiar that silver.
spooned aristocrat like him and one oi
the common people like me should nave
hit it of, but we've been trying to out
smart each other from the beginning.
Upon his accession to the Speaker
ship, Garner began to be spoken OF as
presidential possibility.
His star, however, appeared TO po-