Evening star., 1945-11-11
Capital Sidelights
By viii p. Kennedy.

One OF Congress own boys has come
back from the war, welcomed with open
arms and given an important position
Dorsey Joe Bartlett of Clarksburg. w.
Va, a former page who enlisted In the
Marine Corps in June, 1914. He received
his honorable discharge on September
28, and on October 81 was elected unani-
mously by the Republicans of the House
to the position of Republican chief page.
He is one of the most popular of the
young men who have started career
at the Capitol and is as highly esteemed
by the Democratic members as by their
Republican colleagues.
How the all-time-great John w. For
ney, clerk of the House secretary Of
the Senate, editor of both Democratic
and Republican organs in Washington
and nearly a century ago editor Of the
Democratic newspaper, the Pennsyl-
vanian, in Philadelphia, "scooped"
Horace Greeley. Daniel Webster and the
Whig newspapers, was told by a veteran
newspaperman, now in Congress, during
cloakroom discussion of the good old
days" Of journalism and politics. When
the Robert j. Walker Tariff Act was
passed in 1s46, Webster visited Phila-
delphia as guest Of the Wings at the
celebrated Chinese Museum on Ninth
street. He spoke late at night. The
Whig papers planned to print his speech
in full. To get the jump on them, For
ney dug up an old speech Webster had
made on free trade % years earlier and
converted 1t into supplement to his
paper. Many thousand copies were sold
before the hoax was discovered. Greeley
of the Tribune, who had come to Phila-
delphia to hear Webster and had bought
several copies of Forneys paper, was
among those most disguised. Webster,
however, hugely enjoyed the Scoop
and, when his friend George Ashmun
handed him one of the extras, laughed
heartily and said: II think Foney has
printed q much better speech than the
one I made last night" That was six
years before Webster failed of the Wing
nomination for President.
y u
An unusual character In Congress was
Mike Walsh of New York, born in
Youghan. Ireland, and brought to this
country as a child. He spent his youth
as wanderer. Later he printed the
"subterranean" newspaper in New York
which was terror to the politicians
and which finally cost him two years
Imprisonment for libel. His experience,
however, increased his popularity and
sent him to the State Legislature and
Congress. He was full of impulses, a
sstirist by nature, with no patience for
pretenders. Whenever he spoke, it was
to say something novel or odd. At times
sad, when in the mood nothing could
exceed his bright humor. After he quit
Congress he toured the world, visited
the camps Of the contenders in the
Crimea. was guest Of Carroll Spence,
American Minister at Constantinople,
where he arrived penniless and with
out suitable clothing. Long 4 political
power in the famous Empire Club, New
York, he was found dead on March II,
1859.
~ u
Several House members are inform-
ing themselves about the conviction OF
the notorious whisky ring Of TITS.
They are reading In turn l,ard-to-get
book, published in 1880 by Gen. John
Mcdonald, former supervisor Of Internal
Revenue for the district embracing Mis-
souri,, Arkansas. Texas Kansas, Indian
Territory and New Mexico, who was con-
victed as member of the whisky ring
but who demanded his pardon coupled
with threats Of exposure and was
promptly released.