Evening journal., 1892-07-27

ef0ge congressman, 'tnu can't see NhtN IL
will help me in my approaching campaign.
lt won't popularize me. because McGawa-
han has no friends in my district" IL was
Just such views as this that defeated the
bill time and again ia the past; it is pre-
c.sely This narrow, selfish stand that defeats
hundreds of worthy measures and perpet-
uates hundreds of monstrous injustices
done IN the name Of the public
There are plenty of demagogues in con-
gress. II dared would use some names /
Take as an illustration certain measure |
which attracted great deal Of attention |
during the last month il Itpassed the house |
by majority OF 100 and the senate by |
vote proportionately large. l personally |
have heard n score or more Of members Of |
the house and at least n dozen senators |
who voted for 10 denounce IL as improper,
dangerous foolish legislation. And yet
| have got TO vote for it." they added,
because the people in my district or state
want it, and il voted against IL they
would wreak vengeance upon me.n This
Is only one case of many / could name.
The truth is. public service is becoming
/ In large measure a sort of actors profes-
sion. 1t is a bid for popularity all the
| time IL is an effort, not TO do the right
/ thing. not 20 carry out ones convictions as
/ to what should be done. but to do that
/ which will bring the most votes and please
/ the largest number of interested and inilu-
ental persons. ] know one senator who
/ Is as able and eloquent as any other man
/ in that body But be makes IL rule
whenever he goes out TO his state 20 make
speeches to inquire what the sentiments OF
the people Of that particular locality are be-
fore commencing his address, and cuts his
cloth accordingly. To me he has admit
] . a. 4. a. A.. .l4talI In, nd
joining counties, he has made two speeches
on the silver queston-one for free silver
and the other against. "The smaeeest men
differ on that question" he explained, $50
why should / quarrel with my constitu-
ents? IL Is my duty 20 give them what
they want And lac gave them what they
wanted, just az an actor might have played
comedy at one theator where comedy was
in favor and tragedy at another where the
audiences were given to passion.
know several members Of congress who
have organized regular systematic plaa
for ascertaining the sentiments of the peo-
pie OF their districts ON questions which
may arise. One member has about 800
friends in his district to whom he sends an
inquiry, when occasion requires, something
ike this: "See dozen representative citi-
zens and ascertain what their views are ON
] lllt hllNtI tlufNAlNNs IANlN ANh N'N ~ lAA''
he tabulates the expressions and votes
with the majority. II there is not pro
nounced majority one way or the other he
lodges In this manner he has held his
seat in the house for a good many years,
and for all know will succeed In holding
il a good many more.
OF course the encouraging side OF this
matter is that IL shows the power OF public
opinion Perhaps there never was time
in this country when public opinion had
greater force with public men than it has
at the present time The passage Of the
, antioption bill through one and perhaps
, both houses Of congress was due 70 moth
! ing in the world but the power of p0blic
opinion The Sunday closing proviso pat
! on the Worlds fair sections Of the sundry
civil bill was due to nothing but the force
Of public opinion expressed through petit
4 tions. As these petitions rolled in by the
, thousand and the hundreds Of thousands,
: many senators ridiculed them in private
. and one or two did in public; but when
\ the vote was taken / noticed that each OF
/, these senators voted precisely as the petit
;ioEers had asked him to do. On the
, theory that the people know what they
l, want and are wiser than any legislative
y body could possibly be, the growth of the
/, power of public opinion IN legislative mat
, ters and the increased consciousness among
n the masses of their possession Of the ability
= to make themselves feltin the federal cap
! ital are encouraging signs. They tend "a
q destroy individual statesmanship, TO make
n great leaders impossible, but they contain
h 40 threat against the public welfare.
i The lazy congressman Is a nuisance, and
II cared 10 use some names and give some
i. instances dare say number Of able gen
a.. !. g. q
!, their calling and reelection sure would b,
i ingloriously turned down by their con
stituents. I have no patience with tn,
IN man who will not study public questions
a who will not attend 10 the business which
y citizens intrust 20 his care; who Is too in
. dolent TO make speech or to make ar
- honest effort to impress himself In one way
or another upon the affairs Of the times
10 There are scores of such men In congress
The requests Of their constituents for hell
- in matters pending before the government
~ bureaus they evade by downright lying
III Even applications for public document
ii they rid themselves Of by having their sec
" retaries reply that the books or pamphlet
~ named are out Of print. These men idl
"a their time away. In committee room
n they are ciphers; on the floor they are un
known.
81 Inc uilBul eluc OF lula picture ~ u Dlltu
Ie one indeed. It is the portrait Of a con
n gresham who endeavors to do his Who'll
or duty He rises early, visits the depart
ID ments on business for his constituents, a
half past 10 is in his committee room, o
is noon in his seat on the floor and all after
sp noon is watching public business, aler
and intelligent, accomplishing something
NJ when opportunity offers, making friends
a Tho evening he spends with his mail, writ
IN ing reports, studying pending questions
Nv This congress came into life as 'the cy
,v clone congress-" "the farmer congress.
. Il was much joked about. The prediction
Id was freely made that il would be a cram
,c- congress. Il may have done some foolis
.is things, but on the whole 1t has been wis
n. and patriotic. Both Democrats and re
Iis pubicans are deserving Of credit The bi
M Democratic majority has been considerat
nt of the rights OF the minority, while th
An Republicans have not pursued any narro'
a policy Of goading and harassing the opps
he sition. The new men, the green members
ed the farmers who came up from the cour
try, many Of them with callouses on thei
ho hands have served with credit IL has nc