The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-03
house meets and its session usually contin-

house meets and it's session usually contin-
ues till 4 or 5. If a congressman pays
strict attention to the business that is
going on he can't do much else. though
there are plenty of members who keep hard
at work over their correspondents and 9th.
or private matters at their desks all the
afternoon. only stopping when
their vote is needed, whens they ask
q peighbor how it ought to be cast. In the
evening, especially during the last half oil
the session, there are not unfrequently
meetings of the house. which every mem
Der ought to attend, though it is very
seldom that half of them turn out. But a
faithful representative always finds mple
employment for mis- evenings 10 attending
to his correspondence and investigating
questions which have been referred to him
by his committee. A conscientious mem =
Der thus finds his time fully occupied from
the time he gets up till be goes to bed,
and a good dsal of it is spent on trivia
matters, leaving him little leisure for the
study of the great questions OF legislation
which come up every session.
A congressman who honestly tries to
discharge his duty to his constituents
therefore, has by no means al easy time
OF it, There is very little in the life that
is attractive to man of scholarly
tastes. Even a man who can stand pretty
well the hurry burly of a large asse mbly is
apt to grow disguised with body so much
given over to clap trap as the house of
representatives. The senate is an infinite
ly more attractive place. Indeed. a
senatership seems to me. on the whole,
the most desirable ofics in the govern
msnt. Especially is this true in those
cases where a man holds it virtually by a
life tenure, as Summer did in Massachu-
sets. and Edmunds does Ia Vermont.
Although the standard of qualifications
is steadily lowering. it is still true
that the majority of the seventy six
members are gentlemen of charac-
tor and culture. Then the methods of
the isenats are those Of gentlemen. the
greatest fault in this respect being 40
abnormal development of courtesy. In
the house q man has to make his speech
when his chance COMES or not all, while 10
the senate. If it is getting little late in the
day and be feels as though be would
rather wait till the next morning, there is
almost always a readiness Ito adjourn for
his convenience. There is none-or, at
least. very littls-of the confusion which
so often prevails 10 the house. Being SO
small body, there is chance for it's
members to become gen orally acquainted
and the long terms az )rd opportunities
for warm friendships to grog up. The
pleasant COMMITTEES rooms present e)Rveni-
ent harbors or rufuge when bore gets
the floor for long speech Ia short, all
the arrangements conduco to comfort. It
is strange that spub!ie men should 20
generally prefer seats IN ths senate TO
places around the cabinet table. One cs1
understand why man like Blaine, whose
lnborn love of a racket makes the quiet
Of be senate iatolerabie, should Welcome
a change. bat why the average senate:
should throw up position of sach com
fort and power for the distractions snd
and uncertainties OF cabinet place, ! cam
mot