The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-22


One Of the ablest members of the
house, Judge Reed, efIoE8, was talking
to me shout this the other day. This
Is my first term in congress" said he,
land it will BE- Che last don't caro- for
any more Gift Not that it u unpleasant
work, for il isn't; on the contrary IT is
rather agreeable. When I first came
down here Ehad the usralGotions of a
new Congressman asso what I was going
to do. OF course / quickly discovered
that I was mere boy, an apprentice
among lot Of Journeynen. l have
learned that If q man is going to make a
success m shisPEo6eafonrhe-na devote
his life TO it. am TOO old to take up a
new line Of business, Audience I shall
retire from congress at the expiration of
my term. For young man this part of
the public services offers great opportuni-
tles, and If l were younger and had a
seat here weRid strive 10 hold it and to
make something Of myself"
Though Judge Reed Is to retire from
congress, he has remained long enough
TO do one act which mast have given him
much satisfaction As chief Justice of the
supreme court of Iowa some years ago
he delivered the first original package"
decision, which the supreme court OF the
United States reversed. As member Of
the judiciary committee Judge Reed has
just written q report in favor of the act,
designed TO change the whole law relat-
ing to that part of interstate commerce
covered by what is known as original
packages.
This Is the season of the year in which
congressman become nervous. They are
afraid their constituents viii not renom-
mate them, or, if nominated for another
term, there is always before their eyes
the unpleasant possibility of defeat at
the polls. Every year seVenty-fve or
hundred aspiring statesmen are thus cut
of in the flower of youth, and the reas-
sembfing Of congress in the fall Will
probably find the usual number of vic
tins. At the same time we hear the
very congressman who struggle hardest
to be reelected saying they are disgusted
with congressional life. Why should I
give up my profitable business or my
great law practice" they say, ito come
down here and be an errand boy for
every Tom, Dick and Harry in my dis
trict? Why should l, who love independ-
ence as well as any man, be forced con-
tinuaIly TO get down on my knees and
crawl before the oInnipotent voter"
That is the way they talk, with many
an expletive expressive Of their disgust,
but they lie awake nights just the same
davising schemes which will make their
calling aud election as sure as anything
can be in politics.
Viewed from the gallery on hot day
the house Of representatives is not an
imposing body. Greatness is here in
perspiration, dignity suffers in neglige,
and vanity is sacrificed to all manner of
seersuckers, fannels and linens Cabot
Lodge, the aristocrat, has shown US that
it is possible for an orator to be i'm
pressive without white shirt and waist
coat. To the average observer it seems
a very dull and commonplace legislative
body, often boyish and trivial But |
have little sympathy with that fad
which Is well nigh universal in Wash
ingtOn Of decTying congress as a sympo-
SUM Of small potatoes. Some Of the
speeches are dull to listen TO, it is true,
but the great majority of them seen in
The Congressional Record are better
speeches than the 5Iase Washington
newspaper man IS willing to admit.
And this poor Congressional Record is
in my opinion a much Inaigned publ
cation. It is sized up in the average
mind as the incarnation Of dizziness, as
the ne plus ultra Of verbose stupidity
But it is real Y very useful, and at times
a very entertaining journal As rule
it Is worth reading from one end TO the
other. read il more or less thoroughly
every morning, as | do the news jour
nails, and as reflector of the opinions of
studious, often earnest aud sometimes
very able men l am astenished at the
mass Of Information and evidences Of
learning which il contains. It is a journal
which has four hundred writers, draw
ing salaries of s., 600 each per year, and
these men are always at work IN one way
or Notwithstanding planning, investi-
eating. writing. talking-for its columns.
1t is absurd to suppose a record or jour
nal thus equipped can always be stupid
or valueless.
Journalists as q rule affect to despise
The Congressional Record, but it Is
worth mentioning that q speech which,
printed IN The Record, would attract
no attention whatever from the news
papers, would, if given out 40 All inter
view ii advance of The Record, be print
ed in full and with display headlines in
d dozen or more prominent journals.
Notwithstanding its faults and fail
ures, ard the many unfavorsble condi-
tons under which it exists. believe the
legislative service of the United States
is on a higher plane than that Of any
other nation: that our legislators eclipse
in brains. character and industry those
of any other country.
WALTER WELLMAN.