Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-05-22
An EFFICIENT CONGRESSMAN.

1t requires q combination Of rare and
peculiar talents to make an Efficient
member of Congress The hero OF the
hastings is seldom useful to his constit-
uents. Those who figure in newspapers
are not the men who accomplish results;
the favorite of the galleries is generally
q cipher in the committee room. 1t re-
quires one kind of talent to make a
noise and another kind of talent to serve
a constituency with success. The PEG
pie do not sufficiently distinguish be-
tweon really Efficient member and the
mere politician.
Often times the citizen has urgent
business before Congress which would
certainly receive favorable action if its
merits were known. Frequently some
oversight in legislation Expresses an i'm
portant local interest;-we call to mind
many cases where enterprises Of vast
value have been abandoned, simply be-
cause unable to obtain the ear Of Con-
gress for even FIVE minutes. Hence the
man who can present these cases so as
30 secure hearing, is invaluable to his
immediate constituency. Such is the
pressure of business in the House that
unless the facts of case are so present
cd as to fully and fairly exhibit the mer-
its and unless they are compressed into
the fewest possible words, the matter is
never considered, however important or
meritorious. Hence, it results, that the
mest efficient representative is no who
has the capacity to first ascertain tho
merit. of a measure aud then to present
it in shape that others will be quickly
possessed OF bis information. He who
can convey to others, within the short
est space OF time, the information which
It takes half day to acquire, is the
most useful member of Congress. He
must have that high grade of intellect
that grasps details in a moment he
must have that acquired faculty SO rare
in Washington, of being able to work
in whirl of dissipation, about matters
of no personal interest or consequence
to himself; aud lastly, he must be able
to compress whole sentences into SIN
Gle word. Such a man seldom makes
much noise, but he is worth millions TO
bis District.
These reflections are suggested by
reading a report recently made to the
House by Mr.. Bowman, of Massachus-
etts, recommending bill for the relief
of our friend J. NJ. Mason, Esq, of
Charlestown. The U. S. obtained an
injunction and stopped Mr.. Ms ferry.
The Injunction was dissolved and he
petitions Congress for damages. The
Justice of this demand was admitted ; 1t
was a case Of peculiar hardship, but the
details were so numerous and compiled
ted, and its features so anomalous, that
many persons predicted the petition
would fail, simply because it would not
receive the requisite iuyestigation-West
Virginia no, being represented on the
committee. Fortunately, the matter
chauced to fall into the hands of such a
maa as We have described. This report
can be read in three inmates all the
material facts are compressed into less
than FIVE hundred words, and yet after
reading this report, any man of average
capacity can vote intelligently. The
claim is presented so Congressman
may understand it with the least posi-
Bile labor to himself. This model of
perspicuity marks its author with whom
we have no personal acquaintance as
one of the few men who possess those
rare talents and requirements We have
indicated.
These reflections have special inter
es. at this time when weare contrasting
the merits of our candidates for Con
gress. The country needs the services
of such men as we describe, and fortu
nate indeed IS the constituency that lie
represented by man who comes fairly