The Portland daily press., 1888-01-12
What Social Position in Washington
Costs a Congressman.

Washington Despatch to the Boston Post.]
The distorted views of the social life here
which some people get who have never been
here are very amusing to Westinghouse.
A young lady recently married Western
Congressman because she was determined to
spend winter in Washington. She is only
% years old, and her father, who is bitter
political opponent of the Congressman, tried
hard to dissuade her from the marriage. 1t
is even limited that the Congressman began
paying attention to the young lady to irri-
tate her father. But the lady was not to be
dissuaded. She knew what she wanted. or
thought she did. Il am going to spend one
winter in Washington if he beats me-" was
her dictum. she was evidently looking for
ward to continuous round OF festivities,
and imagined that the position of Congress
mans wife would entitle her to all the cour-
tesies there were to be had. But unless her
husband is a society man himself-and it
happens that he is not-she is doomed to Bit
ter disappointment. She will be locked up
in the back parlor of some West Side board
an occasional call from the other ladies of
her delegation. There win be callers enough
upon her husband. but they will not be ex-
actly of the society sort. crowd of PEN
cited over some 5000 office, representatives
of various interests before Congress and a
few other seedy and impecuniOus individ-
uals will drop in from time to time to urge
their claims upon her husband, but the bril-
liant pageant of society will be very likely to
pass her by without looking at her
The position of Congressman means very
little here, socially. Genuine political pow
er, of course, attracts attention, but most of
that is found in the Cabinet officers and those
senators and representatives who have
wealth and social prestige to add to mere po-
litical position. One is taken socially for
what he really is in that direction. Being
Congressman neither makes nor unmakes
him. Some Congressman get deal of recog
milton socially, but they are almost always
those who get it at home. Many members
lead the lives of Woodworking clerks for
their constituents, and they have to do it
unless they can turn the work over to a
clerk: Some members neglect their business,
but they soon drop out Of the House. I'm
less one has wealth of his own, he can make
no social spread with the $4,000 salary of
Congressman. 1t takes nearly all of it to
live comfortably If one has a family, he
either has to maintain it at home or to sup
port it in Washington at the same high prices
he has to pay himself. Board at the hotels
cannot be got for less than 500 per month,
and for two rooms, which most members alb
solutely require, and for incidental expenses
the figures are easily doubled for one person.
Prices are lower at the boarding houses, but
one has to put up without the cOnyeniences
which the hotels furnish. Members who
live here with their wives without presenta-
ton easily spend more than their salaries.
Mr.. Russell pays much more than his sal
airy for his two pleasant rooms at the Airing
ton. Mr.. Lowering, who lived as economi-
cally as Representative comfortably could,
told me once that he saved only $1,000 out of
his first terms salary, and he had to put
that into his 1884 campaign. Mr.. Lodge. his
successor, probably pays more than $50 per
month for the rent of his moderate-size
house on Nineteenth street