The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-07-05
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Mr.. Lssx Writes ~ sAs Cssrse ~
Lifs - Mis Rellsv ConGTossznen-
Hon. John d. Long. Of Massarhu-
sefss. one Of those politicians Who
have been often dubbed Literary fel-
Iers," thus writes to . country -eiitor
constituent, indicating the simplicity
OF life Of leading American law
maksrs:
WAsHrxGrvx. June A. Mr. DEAR
JOKES: write to correct what infer
from your editorials 10 be mistaken
notion with regard to the manner in
which congressman generally live in
Washington. So far from being to
them q .sbabiyonr fun Of ..wasteful
wantonx'' and lavish luxuries, il Is
very much what Abingdon OF Hing
ham IS to your neighbors or mine.
There are few persons Of great riches
who now and then give entertainments,
and live in an extraxagaut and profuse
way. rs some rich people do in every
community. But the great baik OF
the representatives. intending notice
ably nearly all the men Of controlling
influence, are men of limited means,
who live in the most modest and sim
pie manner
On the whole, l should say that the
instance OF Henry Wilson, which you
cite, is type of the present majority
Of members. Our Massachusetts, SEN
ators Dawes and Hoar, live quite as
simply, one in little tenement and
not better than an ordinary New Eng
land parsonage, and the other in a
boarding house, which YOU will not
think extravagant when | tell you that.
with the exception Of myself, the rest
OF the bozrders are government en-
ployes, whose annual salaries range
from perhaps 5000 rapidly downward.
Walking out with Mrs. Leng ut sun
down last evening We passed modest
doorstep on which, with his young
children playing about him, sat .
member. who pointed 70 plain suit OF
rooms rs his lodging, and whose dress
and manner Of living are simple and
unostentatious as those of Plymouth
country farmer, and yet he was mil
lionaire, the richest man, think, in
the house, western lumberman, wise
and hardheaded. and not ashamed but
proud of the goad-stick which he
welded in his youth and with which
he pricked his way TO fortune.
Among the leaders. Reed lives in the
| fifth story of small hotel, Randall in
a house that would perhaps yield a
| rent of $500 or 500; Mckinley in two
| or three chambers; Mills in q quiet
boarding house, and so on through the
list. The house is full OF poor men
| who make no show, who are just As
plain, well-behaved. temperate. church
going people as you and | meet NJ
home, who 60 afcot and drive no fine
| teams, who ape no fashions, some oi
whom 60 to the few public receptions
that occur in the winter, but few OF
whom are able or care to hold recep-
tions or give entertainments them
selves.
Fine raiment is so rare among the M
that an old suit which am now wear
ing for the third summer has actually
been exploited by the newspaper re-
porters. in the absence of any other
sen sation, as subjecting me to the
charge OF being "well dressed" and il
Tom Reed should cover his shining
head with silk hat he would loose the
Republican leadership. The number
who live luxuriously is the exception.
What is undoubtedly true of a few
officials. especially SO of some out
side persons of great wealth, who re-
side and entertain in Washington in
the winter and are advertised in the
society columns of the press, is not al
all true of the great majority of the
peoples servants. Truly yours.
| holm d. Lone