The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-04
WAsHIHGTOH's CHARM.
IT, Grip on Our Statesmen and
its Eneryating Effects.
How a Man Who spends Year or
Sc at the National Capital Feels
Lost when He Leaves IL
Washington Letter.

There Is SOME -hIAAtEE anu rlEL4f
Asscination about public life in the cap
itaI which is not easy TO discover and
define. Many public men win say.
when you talk TO them on the subject.
tbat they wish they had remained at
home and given their attention
10 their business or profes-
siou. and vet very few senators or rep
resentatives fail to seek reelection.
M rs members OF this congress all
hat about IS come back 20 the next.
and Of the - who failed OF reelection
uearIy all died a-trying." either in
the nominating convention OF theit
nartjes or at the polls. Probably il i
ambition which at first prompts a man
In nahIic life to use every effort to ex-
TEN his career, and after his prompt
ing OF ambition become less and les
strong as they do u a large majority
az men in public HE, habit steps
chauneI in which fate has
mi them They become less
and less interested in the yocatious
which they were following when
called to public service, their business
Nffttt HI WIN }tlEff interests.
their law practice has drifted away
from them, and the spending OF the
greater part OF every year In Wash
ingfoB becomes more and more a part
Of their lives, and q requisite Of con.
tentment. There are plenty OF con-
gressmen who feel as Sunset Cox feels
lie has now been in congress more
than 30 years, and as sat BY the
.,.h ~ n.
New Hampshire avenue, one recent
night Mr. Cox declared that in his
case ambition had long since ceased to
play part in his public career
II am like the man friend Of mine
from Delaware used to tell about. y
said the congressman. This man
committed crime OF some sort and
was condemned to the treadmill for a
long term OF years. Day after day,
for III long and weary years, he trod
the mill, and when at last his term ex-
pired and he came home, he was so
miserable and DISCONTINUED that he
went and bought a treadmiH of his
own and continued 10 walk ii day after
day till he died. | have been in con-
gress 40 long that II | were now 10 be
taken out I'm afraid I'd have 10 20
anu 1A9 u iAiAtt t1f4EltIH vi NY Nv u
and continue 10 tread the mill till
death should come ~ my relief"
Ambition and vanity are usually
strong in men who are Just getting
nicely started on public careers, bur
both gradually disappear as the years
roll by. With most men who have
been long in pubic life-and there are
plenty Of senators and representatives
who have been here all the way from n
dozen TO IS years-yanity plays a more
important part at home than here at
the capital. Here their round of life
becomes more or less tTeadmill
They are outshone in most eases by
more favored sons of fortune. Am
biiion has almost ceased to tickle
them with its pleasant dreams and
phantasies. Many of them are not
much looked up TO or sought after,
and they go their rounds in the duh
spiritless manner of old horses or
government clerks. But at home the
scene changes. There they are
pointed out ON the streets. Society is
eager TO honor them. Prominent citi-
zens are anxious TO gain their good
will In all this. the congressman
amour propre is gratiiied, and ii is
thi. very thing that consoles many of
them for the disappointments and
vexations OF a public ca eer and
stimulates them into making the
constantly recurring struggles for re-
election
And yet for the majority there is
some charm in Washington life. 1t is
blessing that the capitol is not stu
ated in very large city, where its
social world would he swallowed up
and lost in a vast community, having
not much in common with IL. Wash
ington is SO entirely given up TO gov
eminent, and the best residence quar-.
ter is confined within such narrow
limits, that public men can and do get
much together. Thus il is that one Of
the great charms Of public life here is
its conlpaniOnship- In the house or
senate representative and senators
are thrown constantly in the society
OF their equals II is not with them
all work and no play by any means.
They tell stories, talk politics. gossip
about their fellows in the cloak rooms,
the Cummittee-roOms. on the comfort
able sofas in the rear of the halls and
even in their seats Representatives
q
too, though the former make most of
the calls, senators rarely visiting
the hall of the house. After
the day 'swork is over, these opportu-
mites for social converse are by no
means at an end. Within district
threo-quarters of a mile square. in the
west end, reside four-hfths of the pub
lie men. Not more than one-jenth of
them keep house. The remainder are
in the hotels and large boarding
houses Frequently a large number
board in one house. In this way they
are thrown together evenings and
SUNDAYS. They naturally and easily
resolve themselves into little lotteries,
with whist. poker, billiards, the thea
tire, story telling and great variety OF
oiquiet social pleasures at their com
mand. This sort of thing grows on
most men; they are 10th TO give il up,
aud il the fates send them to their
less congenial social circles at home,
they suffer discomfort and improve
every opportunity that may bring
them back 10 the charmed circle.
So far as society is concerned
speaking of society in its fashionable
aspect the average congressman Is
not much troubled by il. He is not
TN. This may be a revelation sur
priSing to some people. but probably
not as many Is fifty representative
make any prctgnSions 70 social enjoy
meuts OF a fashionable sort The so
eiety OF the capital is steadily grow
ing away from the popular branch Of
congress ami becoming an aristocracN
Of The cabinet, the senate. the ior'igu
legations and the wealthy unofficial
residents Just as it Is said OF more
Than one Congre smau, that he i too
poor to 20 into the cabinet 80 Il Is
SAID OF congress men as a class that
they are too poor 10 So into society,
The three-sCore and iliteen senators
have more wealth than three hundred
ami odd representatives,. 4 larl~ ma
lority of the members from the south,
and many ot those from the north,
are poor men They hnd IL matter
o. diihcuity, matter requiring the
exercise ui some >cli-drnial, - live
within their incomes Not lew OF
them are constantly in debt 70 their
landlords For such men fashionable
society Is as much OUT of the question
as u /, for the government clerk. But
The society which they really like. and
~ which they find genuine pleasure,
.Withtn the reach OF the poorest of
them
Another charm oi public life j. IL
70 "a "a a