Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-11
WASHINGTON.
WHY CONKLING WOULDN'T GO TO
III e CIRCUS WITH FOLGER.
What It Costs a Congressman to Live in the
CapitaI-StyIish Living the Only Remedy
for 0bscurity-The Star Route Trial.

Roscoe Conkling went to Barnum's circus
in New York. He was escorted to a box
by the great Snowman, but refused to enter
when he saw Secretary Folger already seat
ed therein. The incident was widely dis
cussed at the time. The Critic tonight
explains Roscoe's action. 1t says Fred De-
Barry, who is known throughout the land
as 'O!d Appolinaris,'' had a case before
the treasury department involving the
entry in Appolinaris water. He employed
Conkling to argue the case. Mr.. Conkling
did so to the satisfaction of his client and
as was thought, to the equal satisfaction of
the department, but the decision was de-
layed and delayed, which was thought the
mora surprising as the case
was apparently q plain one. The delay
became very annoying, and some one
whispered to Mr.. DeBarry, or his agent,
that he could hasten matters much by en-
plOying certain lawyer who lived IN the
same house with the secretary. This in
formation was conveyed to Conkling, who
scented the idea, and declared such a thing
was impossible, but as the decision was
still delayed and the delay was most annoy
ing and expensive to DeBarry, it was con-
Guided by him or his agent to test the mat
ter. Accordingly the lawyer who lived
with the secretary was employed and de-
cisior was Immediately promulgated in
very nearly the language of Mr.. Conkling's
argument, concluding as follows, Il will
therefore adhere to the former decision
of the department that that water be admit
ted free Of duty" Now when Conkling
learned how the thing was done his wrath
was OF the cyclone order and found full
vent. That IS why he refused to witness
the circus in Folger's company.
WHAT IT COSTS CONGRESSMAN TO LIVE.
new member of congress came here
few days ago to make some arrangements
for winter residence He speedily ran
across an old member from his own city
which will not be named here, but it
is in the northwest and the political re-
cruit asked the veteran where he had bet
ter look for a house.
How many are there in your family p
asked the old member.
Only my wife and l." was the reply.
You don't want house at all,'' said the
old member.
''Where shall I 60 to board:"
Go to the -; that is just the place
for you cut glass gentlemen. Yes, you can
live IL swell style there for a great deal
less than it viii cost you to keep house.
A lived there all the while he wa5 in
Washington, and B, who tried every
hotel Il town, spent his last political day
there"
What did A. pay" asked the new
men Der.
he had HIS wife aud his daughter with
him and he paid 500 a month";
f' yuLTzF'aj +~e nay mann loa1.
could nay 500 a month if he really wanted
to: IN uot going 10 pay 500 month.
know where can gat very good accommo-
dati0ls for $3.50 q month";
Put another $50 with that and compro-
mise Oh $780," said the old member, 'and
20 IL for some Of the ct ceteras.
have been here some years. he
continued, and I can give you a few
points. You dOz't want TO bury yourself
IN any $50 place. If you we're common
citizen you and your wife could get very
good accommodations for the figures you
name, but congressman can't do it. You
want to go to place where the people
will know you are member of congress
and Will advertise you. Give you boom.
You havn't any idea of how totally OBJ
scure you can be next winter if you are
not careful. Every new member of con-
gress is looked on as an accident. If he
gets reelected it is assumed his constitu-
ents did it on purpose and he gets treated
with corresponding respect. but he is no
particular account his first two years.
You come on here next winter
a new member and personally unknown
to the leaders of the house, and You are
tackled on to the tail end of an unimpor-
tant oommittee-the committee on revo-
lutionary claims or on expenditures in the
state department, and you never catch the
eye of the speaker and it will surprise you
to find out how small part of the govern
ment you are, and how little you count in
Washington, though at home you are a
prominent citizen in one of the great
cities o. the country. Therefore, you want
to live where you will be of enough &C
countto compensate you for your obscurity
at the capital. Suppose you go to that
$3.50 place, you'll have god food and a
good room, but nobody in the house will
remember that you are a congress
man or care if they Gid. Now
how would you like it to
putin hard days work at the capito
wearing yourself out in a committee where
there Is plenty Of work and no glory and
then 90 to your boarding house and be
asked where you've been all day. YOU
wouldn't like it. You've got money an6
you'd better live where you can get some
enjoyment out Of being congressman, bz
the way" said the old member, recurring
to this subject, "a -, whom I referred t.
used to have pretty comfortable quarter.
at the hotel l spoke called O,
her once ond was impressed with that fact
A, said he, you have nice rooms here
When your term expires, think I'll take
them. What do they cost you? "$175 {
week." was the reply. Great God" ex
claimed C, Il don't want to buy tn
hotel" but of course man can't pay ST.
a week for board unless he has something
besides his congressional salary of 800
week Ito five on. Plenty of men in con
gre5s have fortunes that make salarie
comparatively unimportant. On the othe
hand there are senators and representa-
tives who are here without families AM
who don't pay more than $50 or $50
month for board and lodging and other
bring their wives and board very comfort
able for 500 month, more or less, bu
they don't get quite so much advertising
or booming as itch men who pay twic
that Oer weeEy