The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27
4 CONGRESSMAN'S WORK.
He Must Chase From Pillar to Post
to Please His Constit-
uents.
He ID Not Carried Through on q
Flowery Bod Of
Ease.
Hustlfn~ for Jobs for Apxious Constlt-
uents-The Work Of One Day
Collecting 44.75.


Collecting 44.s5.
The average day laborer does not do more
work in twenty-four hours than does the
member OF congress who performs his
duties conscientiously. The man who drops
the plough handle to come to the hous VIII
get a new idea of what work is it he at
tempts to do all that is required OF him'
Those members who are not run hall to
death arc very fortunate i'll having "A pscu-
liarly contented and intelligent constitu-
ency or else they do not undertake the wofk
that is demanded of them. Theoretically,
il is the duty of q membe. OF congress to
make a study of craftsmanship: to examine
with care and deliberation all those ques-
tons oil state which come before them.
They are lawmakers, and ghould be familiar
with the laws that are and the necessity Tor
laws TO be made. They should study the
great economic questions which agitats the
country and should be masters of all there
il of economics. The science of govern
ment should be to them rs the primer OF
tho educational system. They should no
be disturbed in their philosophical moods;
they should have time to devote to the
study of the most profound works. They
should filter all questions through minds
full of profound learning and should pass
apon nothing in haste and without due con-
sideration; that is, theoretically.
In actual experience the new congressman
learns this after he has been in Washington
for awhile: That he is ri attorney, a claim
agent, an Office broker, q bureau of general
information and an srrand boy. with occa-
sionaIly the addition of public entertainer
and capitol guide. Even the speaker of the
house NAV be seen at times pointing out
things OF interest to visitors or calling up
the echoes in s~tatuary hall for their enter
tainment.
The conereasman's day starts as early as
the day of any man, is full of activity and
ends a. late. Some there are who take their
ease. Some attend to the duties of state
only. But these are . happy few who oc-
cupy q position of godllke Independence.
There are many who get up at six O'Clock
in the morning and work ON their cores
popdencs until nine. Then they go to the
depaYtmeuts, from ons to another. until
shortly before the hour for the meeting OF
the house or their committees. They then
80 through the rest OF the day with the Or
dinary committee and house work and are
n correspondence again at night. There
are several who keep two stenographers at
work all the time, and some use phono-
graphs. which they talk full of letters.
morning and night, for a copyist to take of
during the day,
hard-vorked 1uember to the st. Louis Re
pubiic c~orespondsnt the other day. In the
moruino. after an early breakfast, | have
from thirty to fifty letters to read, besides
pIancing hastily over my home paper.
Many OF the letters l can answer at once.
Such as / can l do. Others are requests for
information l must look up or have looked
M. or are commands sending me to tEis
department or to that to attend to private
business for constituents. Armed with
these letters and with . list OF things l
have to see to, ] 90, say. to the treasury de-
partment first. l rush through there as
fast ar I can, always being delayed more or
less by the presence Of many others of my
kind who are there on business similar 70
my own. From secretary to subordinate,
have lone mp that department for that day.
Sometimes there is waiting and pleading
and,urcina, commanding and kicking, per-
spirstion ank loss of temper. To the next
department / 90 as q woman goes from
store to store on a shopping tour at Christ
mas time, There the same kicking and
scuf1ing and hustling has 10 be done over
again, and from there to the next and the
next until all the departments are cleared
up for the day.
"By that tine / have material for answers
to q very large number OF letters. But l
have no time then for writing. / must
hurry to attend q committee meeting, at
which l am supposed to make a report as q
subcommittee on one or two bills which
have been referred to me to examine into,
formulate and advise the COMMITTEES upon.
have forgotten just what time l have de
voted to this duty. / must have done it in
my sleep, for all the rest of the time up to
that hour has been accounted for. But
that is public business. and could not be
expected to be given right OF way over pri-
vate matters which must be attended to for
considerable constituents.
81 90 to the committee to discuss matters
! have had no time to look into. and l must
study the question and discuss il at the
same time. / am given other bills to exam
inc, and am instructed to draw up reports
on certain measures l am supposed to thor
ouahly understand. The house has met
meanwhile. Ihaye a biIi-just a little bill
of interest TO my folks at home, upon the
passage of which great local political con-
sequences depend. must try TO get the
speakers ear to make an engagement with
his eye. | must try to get unanimous con-
sent, and to do SO must plead with certain
habItual DIRECTORS to keep still just this
once. / wait, with my nerves at high ten
sion, shouting and pressing myself forward
and getting red in the face, and In the end
the regular order 10 demanded before / can
get either the ear, the eye or the UNANIMOUS
consent. The regular order is a measure
which l am supposed to take an interest in,
TO have examined and TO understand and to
be ready to discuss, propose amendnentsf to
and all that sort of thing. On that bill ]
am making my record as a statesman.
Meanwhile all that information 1 have got
or have failed to get at the departments, all
the things 1 have done there or have failed
to do which has to be written about to my
various distant correspondents, is running
through my head and l try TO steal a mo
ment now and then to write a letter, to les
sen the pile that must be written after the
house adjourns.
Many times during the day / am made
aware. by a bit of cardboard, that my pres
ence wouid be appreciated in the corridor
sometimes 1T is merely someone from N.
home who wants to shake hands with Int
and ask how | am going ON and talk shout
the folks and the things at home. Some
times 1t IS q gentleman who has come t6
hear from my own mouth for the %Lundredtf
time that II is not IN my power to suspend
the civil service law in his interest. AqaiI
it is q lady, who requires q great many min
ntes OF my time in which to convince m,
that / should subscribe to this or to tina
scheme; should pay to have my pictus,
printed in some country sheet whose reys
nues depend upon payments for pictures
should help some benevolent movement b.
the influence OF my name and the surplu
of my salary: should express, for the benef