The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-02-03
WASHINGTON.
From Our Regular Correpondent.)
WASHINGTON, D. c.,

the week, thus far, has been mark.
ed by eulogies Of the late Vice.
President Hendricks, by debates
over the admission of Dakota
to the Union, and by a lecture from
a Republican Senator administered
to that august body for culpable
addiction to adjournments. The
Senate, being far ahead of the
House in the work Of the session,
has been in the habit of adj0urning
from Thursday Of each week until
Monday. The feeling among Sena-
tors was that they could well afford
this indulgence, inasmuch, as they
work when in session, and mas.
much as the Senate is always in
advance of the House by several
hundred bills at the expiration Of
each Congress. An aggrieved Sem
ator from Massachusetts,, Mr.,
Hoar, thought these facts were in
sufficient excuses for Senatorial
dilatoriness. He offered res0lu-
ton requiring that the yeas and
nays be called hereafter on all mo-
tions to adjourn over legislative
day, so that the country can know
which Senators favor constant
work, and which are willing to take
the world easy.
In the House Of Representatives
more new bills, undignified attacks
of a personal character, routine
business, and general idleness have
been the order of the week. As
usual, upon the formal announce
ment Of the death of u member,
the body adjourned Immediately
after converting, through respect to
the memory of the deceased Rep
resentative from Wisconsin, Mr..
Rankin.
Thus two more days have been
lost by Congress, the other being
the day devoted to the Hendricks
eulOgies in the Senate. It would
not have been appropriate for eth.
er body to have done differently in
the absence of any rule requiring
different action. But each of these
occasions again emphasized the
fact that announcements of death
should be made just before the
time for the daily adjournment,
and memorial services and eulO-
CYSTIC sessions should he held on
Sunday or ut night. Due respect
could be shown deceased Senators
and Representatives in this way
without interrupting business.
Public opinion is not ready to
sanction the proposition to furnish
each member of Congress with a
clerk, although a very strong case
can be made out for such policy,
Nearly all members who can afford
it employ clerks now at their own
expense. The public would be sur.
prised to learn how many Congress.
men hire assistance to help them
meet the requirements of their con.
stituents. As understood by most
constituencies, the duties of a mem.
Der of Congress are not confined to
speech making and voting. Scarce
ly day passes that each member
does not receive dozens of letters
from citizens of his district asking
the most absurd and unanswera.
BILE questions, or making the most
impossible demands. And then
"our member" is expected to act as
guide to all visitors from bis dis.
trict who come to Washington. He
is expected to be their counsel in
all troubles before the depart.
ments, their agent In prosecuting
all claims, their authority on all
political subjects, their source Of
supply for public documents, and
their friend in every effort to get
Office. A member who tries to at
tend to his daily mail and the du.
ties that flow out of it, is q very
busy man, independently of his
legislative functions proper.
The contest between the Admin.