The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-16

subcommittee OF Ezra ID.
Taylor, of Ohio, and Mr.. Willitts, of Mich
igan-was appointed to prepare the bill.
Both Mr.. wiliitts and Mr.. Taylor were un-
able to give much attention to the matter,
and Mr.. Payson did the work, winning
thereby the praise of Senators Edmunds
and Thurman. Excepting his colleagues
on the subcommittee and these two SEN
ators no one has ever known of the great
services rendered by the Illinois member
on that occasion.
Another instance the manner in which
public men perform great services and get
no credit therefor is found in the last ses-
sion of congress. Mr.. Springer, of Illinois,
was asked by the chairman OF the COM
mittee on territories 10 prepare the bill for
organization of the territory of Oklahoma.
1t was job which kept DIR. Springer busy
night and day for six or eight weeks-a
task which. if performed professionally,
would have earned him a fee equal 20 a
congressman's salary for five or six wears.
So far as l have heard Mr. Springer's
services in this connection never received
recognition excepting such as was in
vOlved in having one THE counties ofthe
new territory named after him.
Scores of such cases could be cited. 1t is
a fact, with which the new men who are
ele /. ed to congress will sooner or later
become painfully familiar, that in congress
one naturally becomes slave to the pub
lie, a mere servant of his constituents, and
that the rewards are in nowise common
surate with the services rendered Still
men fight like wildcats to stay in con-
gress. There is no other people in the
Il + IL .y..1
have such fascination as it has for Ameri-
cans. The honor of IA seat in congress
seems TO be enough in the estimation of
most men to compensate for the drudgery
and for the lost opportunities to win fame
and fortune in other walks of life.
Woe TO the man who comes TO congress
for twelve or fifteen years, spends his ener-
gies and his money in the public service
and then fails of reelection. He becomes
the most miserable Of men. About all he
ever knew outside the walls Of the Capitol
was long ago forgotten. The rut has been
travelled so long that when he is finally
forced ont of it he leaves his contentment
behind him. There is for him no more
happiness in this world, no cheerful and
self satisfying devotion TO other duties.
As long as he lives he yearns for the activ-
ity, the companionship of the legislative
halls. He becomes sour and mOrose and
perhaps poverty stricken. When it is too
late he finds that a political career has
changed his disposition, his views of life
and untitled him for anything else. Yet
there is no redress, no pension, no compen-
sation. Occasionally the back number
statesman comes down to Washington.
walks in upon the floor where he formerly
sat a peer, and Is a stranger to all there
save few of the older members. During
the past summer and winter a number Of
such visitors appeared on the floor of the
house, some of them pitiful old wrecks,
and there is nothing more pitiful in the
world than a congressional has-been re-
visiting the scene of his former triumphs.
Here and there is a man who manages TO
do pretty well financially in congress.
Nearly all of the men who save money out
of their salaries are from the south, and
every one of them practices the most rigid
economy. Roger Q. Mills tells me that
his salary just supports himself and fam
lily, and if it were not for farm and other
productive property in Texas he would be
every bit as poor now as he was ten years
ago. For economy's sake Mr.. Mills lives
III Out-UtlA Ol q ubUSc, the occupant OF
the other half being Judge Payson Mr..
Barnes of Georgia, the well known fat
man of the present congress, is another
southern member W 40 saves little out of
his salary. Ny Barnes, oddly enough, is
to be succeeded in the next congress by a
man who Will attract attention with his
diminutiye .ure. Mai Watson, who is
to take big -ir Barnes seat. weighs only
eighty-iive pounds. and without doubt will
be the slnalles- man IN the next congress.
Blount, Of G,orgia,-,s the only man
know who has grown moderately rich out
of congress. He has been here eighteen
years, and through all that time has lived
on less than one-half his salary He has
been so fortunate as to have little or no
trouble in securing denomination and re-
election, and hence has been able to invest
his savings in real estate and good stocks
BlOunt is worth every cent of 100000, all
directly or indirectly from his salary. He
lives near enough to the Capitol so he can
walk to and fro and save car fare He
never hires "A carriage. His clothing costs
him only So a year, and he has no ex-
pensive habits If he had an expensive
habit he would get rid of it at once because
il was expensive Notwithstanding his
well known parsimoniousness he is one Of
the ablest and strongest men in the house
of representatives.
ROBERT GRAVES