The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-21
ghs aa1eita nalu Eagle: Saturday orimg ame H. 1890

Of representatives. 4 very able man,
you might say one Of the leaders Of the
housa, and ut any rate the leader Of his
delegation, has tls lying habit in a
chronic and dangerous form. He Is 8
member OF Al important COMMITTEES, and
dis colleagues therein say he Is amisble
and able, industrious and useful-a thor
oughly admirable mani he wouldn't
lie so much Newspaper men who
know hira never depend upon anything
he tells taaga without investigation BE
tells hes about the most trivial things,
where there i no earthly excuse for it.
He has been beaten once or twice for
congress by the msn in his district to
whom ne has lied ABOUT Offices. /. is in
this way that tbs chronic and reckless
liar IN public life Is SIRE to come to grief.
He makes promises which be has no in
tention of keeping, hs inveats excuses
which are IN time discovered, he leads
Eve or SIX msn to think they are going
to have a certain ofice, and somehow
they sooner or later become acquainted
with this over issue Of collateral and
turn against him. The man have in
mind could probably be senator from his
state, speaker Of the national house OF
representative, OF even president, If it
were not for kiS weakness in this direc-
ton Another conspicuous statesman, q
senator and 81 aspirsnt for the presi-
dency, Is similarly afflicted He is not
30 much given to unnecessary lying as
he Is to making promises which he does
net mean to Keep Il u sid his state is
plastered over with unredeemed pledges,
and peopaed with men who are justwait-
ing for an eppxrtunity 70 take revenge
for broken pzomisez- There are many
such men in public Life
Your average congressman Is very
fond of play h this, as in every other
big school, We have workers and shirk-
ers- Industry and lazineSs arc charao-
teristies here seen IN striking contrast.
There are men too lazy even to dictate
letters to their constituents, much less
to write them with shsir own hands.
The laziess congressman know Of wants
an electric railway bniit from the senate
to the house, SO that when he goes over
to the senate restzuraut for his oysters
and beer he need not walk. Some of
theea able ststesnsu are never to be
found in their seatS- have liz mind
one who viii DO as a type for large
class. He appears IN bis seat about five
minutes each day, and then only to get
his mail This Gone, he disappears and
is no more to be found IN the Capitol.
Constituents and friends send In cards
by the score. knock at the doors of his
committee rooms, watch tho restaurants
and the corridors, and arc lucky if they
find him once IN q week. Where he
spends his time Is one Of the mysteriesof
congress which not few people have
IN quiet way endeavored to solve.
One theory is that he is engaged upon
some great literary work in seclnded
and secret nook Of the congressional IL
brary. Others do not think him literary
enough for that A number Of men are
always in their seats, and make it point
of pride to be constantly at their posts.
The most conspicuous example of this
sort of industry is Dir. Ezra B. Taylor,
of Ohio, the SUCCESSOR Of Ga-a cid IN the
house. Ar. Taylor boasts that he has
not missed q roll call in ten years, and
without Doubt he Is the only man that
ever served N congress who can wear that
feather IN his cap. There ara four Tay-
lors IN the house. two from Ohio, one
from Illinois and ono from Tennessee,
and 1t happens thst they are all men who
believe in attending to business. The
result is that ON nearly every roll call
the clerk sings out, Taylor of Illinois,"
Taylor Of Tennessee, Ezra B Tay-
lor" and, finally, Joseph D. Taylor"
and as all are Republicans the four
names are followed by four lusty ''yeas"
or mays" according as the majority side
Of the house is voting.
A few members of congress refuse to
publish their city addresses in the con-
gTaastonal directory. Obviously they do
not want to be bothered by the bores
which tnfest the capital city and which
seem to be fond of bothering members
of congress. For the came reason anum-
Der OF statesmen rent houses In the out
skirts Of the city, where after nightfan
they are not likely to be disturbed. Some
years ago member Of the house from
New York state lost his election by fail
ing to print his address In the directory.
A prominent and influential citizen Of
his district came to town late one after !
noon on pressing and important bust |
ness, and soaght his representative No |
one knew where the congressman lived. |
His address was not in the directory Of |
congress, nor IN the city directory. The
officials refused, under instruc- |
lions from the gentleman himself, they /
Said, to give any infornstion. The |
rasalt was a very indignant |
prominent aud influential citizen. Next /
lay he finished up his business without !
The help Of the leisure loving statesman.
md then went back home and began
setting up the pins for this worthyis de-
eat at the ensuing election.
Story telling Is distinctively congress
ionsl weakness. 1t Is ons of the fads Of |
tatesnen. OF focr hundred and odd /
men IN the present congress, l verify be-
leve three hundred and City imagine
themselves born story tellera The worst
): 1t is that only Ave or six Of them are.
Hum old chaps who never bad the faint
st conception of hunsSr lay IN stock OF
tories, generally stale ones, and tell
hem over and over Whenever oppor-
unity offers Their colleagues know
hem from hitter experience and are able
o avoid them, but the poor stranger 10
kelly TO DO sadly bored
WALTER WEILMAH.