Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1914 — WAS IT OUR JOHN B. [ARTICLE]

WAS IT OUR JOHN B.

Who Nearly Fell for Practical Joke On New Mileage Graft Bill? j Washington, October B.—lt is a ■ well known fact that not all conI gressmen write their own bills, speeches or resolutions, and that many a statesman has been made famous by acting upon the hint of some outsider and fathering a project really not his own. If the real inside story of many interesting things that go on in the house of representatives were known. it would be found that the lower branch of congress is particularly prone to having some one else do its thinking. The house, however, apparently has turned over a new- leaf, io- the other day the most diligent canvas of nearly a dozen members failed to find one willing to make himself famous by introducing a resolution to read as follows: "W uereas, Under the democratic administration, the railroads. i.i order to offset poor business conditions and to meet growing expenses, have felt compelled to raise their passenger mileage rates 25 per cen’ above those existing under the preceding administration; and Whereas. This increase must prove an onerous and poignant bur- . den to democratic members of the I bouse of representatives; therefore, be it Resolved, That the mileage emoluments of said democratic representatives be increased from 20 to 25 cents per mile, that they may profitably reap the increased mileage rates and avoid inconvenience and loss.” The author of/ this resolution was a practical joker who is not a member of congress. One member almost decided to stand for the resolution, but his second thought deterred him. He was having a difficult 1 contest in his own district, and he had consistently voted for the “mileage graft” ever since he had come to congress.