Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-15

FREE OF
'Put those in the members boxes" said an
old man staggering up to the window of the
House post office the other day with an immense
bundle of pamphlets. Put book in every
box. Be sure You don't miss any,"
"What are they?" asked the young man at
the window. 1--WE can't take it unless it is
something that the members are likely to
want"
"Want? Why, man alive, they must have it,
OF course they want it. 1t is worth millions to
them. Want it! Well, that's good. Young
man. do you know what this book is2 No; l
should say not or you would not be asking if
the members want it. Why what am giving
them here for nothing they would give all the
United States treasury for if they knew of it
and could not get 1t any other way. Just let
me tell you what it is" He leaned forward and
whispered something in the young mans ear
and then stepped back to give him room to ex-
pand his establishment eyes sir, the brain!
1t Is treatise on the development
of the brain-the expansion of the
intellectual powers, the cultivation and en-
largement of the brain. When the members
read that this Congress will be transformed
from-well an ordinary Congress to one of the
most brilliant bodies of statesmen that ever
assembled, even Mr.. Will become a
statesman of high rank. Want it9 Why, man,
having it at oncer'
The old mans eyes were bright as he walked
away. The clerk tapped his forehead with his
finger and laid the bundle aside for distribu-
ton.
DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT COST.
"Do you have many of that sort?" THE STAR
| reporter asked.
"Well, yes; think sou was the reply. "You
see they do not have to pay postage if they
hrIn 10 thaI ks md 10 he
uted In the building, and that encourages them.
The members have their lives fairly bothered
out of them by cranks who insist on sending
them all sorts OF tracts. books and pamphlets.
We try to curtail it as much as we can by re-
fuslng TO put papers and packages in the boxes
which we know the members do not want. but
OF course that discretion can be practiced only
IN very limited way, and the members have
| great mass Of matter to lug out of their
| boxes which they throw away as soon
who has hobby and knows how to
write about it sends his circulars to Congress
Nearly every day some sort of crank circular or
book Is put IN every box. Some of them come
| through the post office with postage paid and
some are brought here in bulk by their authors
| and put IN the boxes free of charge. The re-
| ilglous enthusiast and temperance worker leave
| their tracts; the man who wants Congress to
| make an appropriation to enable him to square
circle or 10 prove that the moon Is inhabited
| leaves his wise discourse in pamphlet form
The reformers of every shade of sanity leave
| their essays for the instruction of the members
| In the philosophy of righteousness. There is a
perfect deluge of crank newspapers with arti-
| cies marked in them. The boxes are filled to
the top two or three times day and large
part of the matter is thrown away as soon as
| received. Advertisements are often sent to all
the members N various forms to attract their
attention. But large mass of the matter that is
sent to all the members at one time relates to
some crank affair, scientific or sentimental
Men who have discovered new theories. or men
who have suggestions to make concerning the
topics that are uppermost in congressional dis
cussion. women who wond elevate the human
race, all sorts of hobby-riders help to swell the
members mail.
BOOKS SENT FOR REVIEW.
zone thing know will surprise you. Reputa-
BILE authors often send copy of a new book
| they have just issued 20 each of the Represen-
tatives and Senators for criticism. Sometimes
these books are accompanied with a letter asking
that the recipient write to the author what he
| thinks of the work. number of political
works have been received in this way. but
| probably more novels. When well-bound books
| are received the members generally accept
| them and often they write an Acknowledgements
| OF complimentary sort after reading the book
! The book In answer To Looking Backward en-
| titled Looking Forward was sent to all the
| members by the author or the publisher, with
| a circular letter asking for criticism. great
| many members responded after reading the
| book
| "A great many of the standard magazines
are sent to all the members free of charge regu-
| larry. The Popular Science Monthly the North
| American Review, Belford's and MANY others Of
that class are sent to all the members whenever
they have in them any political discussion or
articles by prominent public men. Bancroft's
| new history Of U tab was sent to all the men,
| bers. Most OF the great metropolitan papers
| all OF those from the large western cities-are
sent to members regularly free of charge. They
| get also a large number Of weekly papers
and little periodicals, and all sorts OF trade
| journals and agricultural papers and papers
| published in behalf Of certain interests"