Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-05

Yet public life has its drawback There
are men who stay here 30 long they become
enervated, rusty, unfit for anything elsa
Not few of them drift into tho departments
when they lose their political grip. In the
employ Of the sanate and house are three ex-
| congressman There arc dozen ex-con-
gressmen In tho departments and ono ex-sen-
ator that know Of. He was pointed out to
me on the street the other day. His name is
Frederick A. Sawyer. and though he was
once . senator Of the United States and sub
sequently assistant secretary Of the treasury,
he now holds q second class clerkship In the
war department There are seedy old men
hanging around the capitol and tho hotels,
unfortunate old nobodies who need the ser
vices Of both cook and barber When they
are not doing In the chairs which, by suffer-
ance they are permitted TO occupy, they may
be seen trying to look wise and important.
Ask who they arc and the clerk Of the hotel
will tell you: 80, he is one Of our regular
sitters. / believe be used to be a member Of
congress- Some Of these men imagine they
are lobbyists, for they know right well there
who are lobbyists, and who appear to gain
Illus QuuOf duO pIOut Al LuaU SOO8tx0As
Another bane of public life in Washington
is letter writing. Senators and representa-
tives get bushels of letters. Inquiries by the
thousand reach them about pensions, claims,
land patents, private bills. patents, every
thing under the SIN. These must be an
swered. Many of them require visit to the
departments for information. To the de-
no ho tfnO
the rounds from one to the other, or he must
write large number of letters to the bureau
chiefs. Usually congress does not sit on
Saturday, and this day Is improved by mem
bers for department. work. The senator's
have private secretaries, paid by the govern
ment, to attend to this business, but repre-
sentatives have not dared provide them
selves with this luxury. Congressman who
can afford it hire secretV'ies to attend to
their letters, send out documents, speeches
and seeds, but the majority are too poor. A
new concern in Washington might be called
a wholesale private secretary. For stipu-
lated sum, usually $50 month, it takes
charge of all the letters and public business
which congressman may wish to turn over
to it, makes inquiries at the departments, In
each Of which it keeps skilled man, and
after obtaining the necessary information
writes letter of reply which the congress
nan has merely to sign and send out to his
constituent
Senator Cullom's experience in this letter
writing matter may be taken as fairly repre-
sentative. I called on the senator one even
ing and found him hard ut work debating
letters to q stenographer. A huge pile Of un-
answered letters lay before him.
"This," said be, dis one of the greatest bur-
dens Of public life. My secretary and have
been unable to keep up with our mail, and
have been compelled to employ stem
ographer We dare not let our mail get
day ahead of us, for then it would be almost
impossible to catch up. When Sena =
Logan died my mail more than doubled
Logan, you know. had more friends and adj
mirers than any man in congress. His Grand
Army connections were SO extensive that he
received mail much greater in volume than
that of any other senator. After his death
many Of his correspondents turned to me,
and I have done my best to serve them. But
it is hard work, and in my case largely pre-
cludes social pleasures and often prevents me
making that careful study Of public Ques-
lions which l should like to make"
There will, of course, be the usual rush to
secure Office under the incoming administra-
ton, but il the place seekers could talk with
few OF the men who were successful in get
ting offices under Cleveland l doubt if their
erdor would be able to hold its warmth.
Nearly all of the men who took Office under
Cleveland four years ago are poorer in pocket
than they were when they came here, and
now they have to face the rather serious
question Of what to do after Harrison comes
In. OF course reference Is here had only to
the class Of officials who are changed with
every change Of administration, not the
clerks under s., 600 year, who are all pro-
tected by the civil service laws. Even in these
higher posts salaries are not great enough
to allow Of much saved out Of them, and
former business or professional connections
have been so broken that it Is not the easiest
matter in the world to resume them. / was
talking the other day with Second Auditor
Day of the treasury. Mr.. Day is one Of the
brightest and most popular young men who
came here to enter public life with the Cleve-
land administration His post is a good one.
II have enjoyed my four years in Wash
ington very much" said Mr.. Day. SIT is
delightful city to live in, with a charming
society and round Of pleasures TO which no
one can be altogether Indifferent. But
would not take Office If had it to do over
again, though four years ago thought my
self very lucky. l have simply lost four
years out of my life, and must now return to.
my home in Illinois, build up my practice
again, and struggle hard for several years to
get it in as good shape as it was when l left
1t. have enjoyed my life here and my work
during the last four years, but they bear no
TO that which is to be my future
life and work, and have not at all strength
ened or equipped me therefor. Public Office
is private mistake
And yet, dare say that Mr.. Day will i'm
prove the first opportunity to get back into
the easy going, somewhat luxurious official
life Of the capital, probably as a congress
man from his district. The subtle charm Of
Washington once in the ascendancy is not
easily shaken OFF. ROBERT GRAVES.
Snubbing the Prince Of Wales.
A letter written about q month prior to
the publication Of the affair by New York
belle who was in Paris at the time, and who
knew all about the occurrence, and whose
name would carry additional interest, said
"All the talk is about Mrs Wetmores sauct-
ness to the Prince of Wales. We all think
she did just right The Prince Of Wales has
been In the habit Of treating American wo-
men outrageously. I don't mean that his de-
ueanor toward them il otherwise than gal