Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1914 — RESUMPTION OF THE GREAT FAKE. [ARTICLE]

RESUMPTION OF THE GREAT FAKE.

The recent convening of congress in its short session brings to our mind one of the greatest and most ridiculous fakes that has ever been foisted upon the American people. And yet it is a fake fostered by the government. is the Congressional Record, the only really official publication in this country. Many or our readers have received from time to time copies of speeches purporting to have been delivered by some congressman in .Washington. ■> Some of these speeches were actually delivered on the floor of the House, but many were pure fakes. Here’s the way it worked. Congressman X was ambitious. He wanted to electrify his constituents by the delivery of a great speech, an oratorical effort which was calculated to enhance his fame with the voters at home. Not being able to secure the necessary recognition for a speech from the presiding officer, he carefully wrote out his remarks, interspersed them with numerous exclamations of ‘‘applause,” etc., and then wended his way to the session.

There he arose from his seat, cleared his throat, and with impressive dignity asked “permission to print,” which of course Was graciously accorded him. That ended his “speech” on the floor. But the Congressional Record was more obliging tbhn the obdurate presiding officer. The Record printed his “speech” in full —that speech that was never delivered—and very generously the government printing office supplied the congressman with thousands of copies of his “speech” for free distribution to an admiring constituency. And the taxpayers paid the bill. If a country publisher resorted to a hundredth part of the fakery that has been inflicted upon the public by the Congressional Record he would be cowhided out of any self-respect-ing ’ community. And yet the Congressional Record is the national newspaper! A national fake! Bunk!