Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-17
THE CONGRESSMAN.
who and what They Are as shown
by the New Congressional Direc-
Washington Telegram.

an interesting study. OF the 400
members of the new Congress, count
mo the House and Senate, nearly 200
are new men, Naturally there is a
curiosity to see what they have to
saw ofthemselves. The compiler of
the directory sends out notices to the
members of each new Congress ask
inc them to send him sketches of their
lives, their age, business, the offices
they have held, etc. These autobiog-
raphies, analysed, compared with
each other, and the statements which
they furnish aggrea ated, furnish some
interesting data. Perhaps the feature
most likely to strike the average OBJ
server In looking over the long list is
the very large proportion of lawyers.
OF the 401 members of the House and
Senate 260 are lawyers. Perhaps it is
quite proper that the lawmakers of
the Nation should be students of the
law. That is the general impression,
and probably the correct one. Next
to the law the manufacturers seem to
be the most available Congressional
material. There are about 40 manu-
tacturers in Congress. Some make
pottery, some iron, and some wood
nulp; journalism comes next in popu-
lar favor, though the journalists in
both branches of Congress only reach
es about bakers dozen, or three per
cent of the whole There are half a
dozen farmers, a couple of doctors,
three or four railroad men and one
druggist. There are no preachers in
this Congress, though the preacher
element of last Congress seemed to
size up about as well as the average.
In the South the lawyers seem to be
more popular as law makers than in
the North, if possible, scarcely any
members from that section represent
ing any other calling.
1T is rather curious, and fact not
especially pleasing to record, that but
one-third of the members enjoy that
requisite for accomplished law max
ers, a collegiate education. Out of
the 401 members less than $50 are
graduates of any college. a larger
proportion of the Southern members
are graduates than of the Northern
men. OF the Southern members near
ly 40 per cent. are graduates, while in
the North, as an aggregate, the pro-
portion is little over 80 per cent
Even boosted New England only
sends 60 per cent. Of graduates, and
Massachusetts but So per cent, while
New York has 40 per cent. In the
Senate little over 40 per cent. are
graduates.
While there are nearly 200 new
members, the aggregated legislative
experience of even this Congress is
something quite wonderful when
taken in such form. There are many
members who have seen as high as ten
years III Congress, in one branch or
the other, and few who have more
than double that. Randall is entering
upon his twenty-frst year in the
House; Cox has had twenty-one years
there already, and Kelly twenty two
In the Senate Anthony, Dawes and
Sherman boast twenty-six years in
Congress apiece, part OF each having
been III the House before going into
the Senate, while Morrill, leads with
twenty eight years service. The ag-
gregate number of years in Congress
of members of the Senate is 57l, while
the aggregate service Of the House
members is ever 800 years, making a
total of Congressional experience in
House and Senate of nearly 1, 400
years. Besides this fully half of the
members have served in State Legis-
latures before coming to Congress,
and their aggregate experience there
has been nearly 900 years, making a
grand total of legislative experience
in both branches of Congress of 2. 900
years. And yet we talk of this as a
new Congress" and one with little
legislative experience TO guide it.
1t IS very easy and sounds very nice,
too, TO talk about the North remem-
boring her soldiers, but the fact is
that, SO far as Congress goes, the
North does not remember her heroes
with anything like the affection that
the South does. OF the Southern
members of the House, over 40 per
cent were in the Confederate army,
while among the Northern members
only % per cent. were in the Union
army. In the Senate the difference is
still more notable, the percentage of
Southern Senators who were in the
Confederate army being over 60, and
OF the Northern members o.ly SO per
cent. were in the Union army. Five
members will have reason to refrain
from voting if the bill to pension the
Mexican veterans comes up, fer. that
number were in the Mexican war
Williams of kentucky, Logan of Il
linois, Maxey of Texas, George of Mis-
sissippl, and Forney of Alabama.
One Northern man, by birth, is in the
list of ex-Confederates- Eaton,
of Mississippi He was born in Ohio,
and lived there, it appears, until after
he became of age; was educated there,
went to Mississippi at the age of %,
and when the war broke out, thirteen
years later, went into the Confederate
army, serving through the war on
that side, " as he puts it.
There are twenty-five men in the
House who are over so years old, and
three who are past 20, though Waite,
of Connecticut. who is "a, is still the
Oldest man. IN the Senate. Morrill, is