The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-17
A SENATOR'S PLANT.
Mr.. Stanford Tells Of the Work Imposed on
Him by His Constituents.

Mr.. Stanford Tells Of the Work Imposed on
Him by His Constituents.
special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The announcement
of Senator Stanford, of California that he in
tends resigning his position in the Senate if the
Governor elected in his State this fall is Repub-
lican, so that Republican may be chosen to
succeed him, reminds the public men here of the
character and amount of work for their constitu-
ents they are called upon to do. Senator Stan
ford says he has kept three clerks busy and has
himself been running about the departments do
ing the work of an attorney for his constituents,
and yet he is away behind with it.
"Why," said he to friend to- day. 'people write
me for favors now who would not dare address
me in private life-people who have no possible
claim upon me-and they command me, too
am simply pack horse, and would not fill the
place for any amount Of money or honor. tits
the place of slave. It costs more ip money and
work than it can come to- People have no con-
science, it seems, when they approach Senator,
to answer more than hundred letters day,
and tramp through the departments like lack
ey-boy. came here at the solicitation of friends,
but had not been here a month before de.
termined to be relieved"
The experience of Mr.. Stanford is that of all
Senators who look carefully after their constitu-
ents. The outside work Of faithful servant is
enough to employ at least three men, and most
of them have that many assistants Senator
Sherman's constituents keep three men going
Senator Logan's two Senator Allisous two,
xyh 10 Her
others work at their desks ten hours out of every
twenty-four, and keep at least one secretary or
clerk at work. Any of these Senators will
average from fifty to hundred letters in
their daily incoming and outgoing mails.
This constant draft upon their time and
strength gives Senators little time Of their own.
An efficient Senator has all he can do in his
committee work and on the floor of the Senate
outside of this labor in departments. and with
correspondence. 1t takes good deal of time to
open and read say seventy-f five letters day, not
to mention the dictation of the answers to them
Nearly all letters. too, require two answers. II
letter asks for information about pension
claim, or document, the Senator must write q
letter to the department where the information
or matter is to be secuted, and when
an answer is received, write again
in transmitting it to the constituent. With
the ordinary Senator there are three divisions of
work requiring the attention of as many men:
one for department. work. another to attend to
the correspondence. and another (the Senator) to
do the work in committee and on the floor of the
Senate, where he must be during the session.
There is. too, great deal of correspondence and
other work in the line of clerical duty. which
must be performed by the Senator's own hand.
Many men do not want an answer from the hand
of an amanuensis but an autograph letter.
The visitor to the galleries Of the Senate and
House of Representatives will see members sit