People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-05-13
HONEY AND BRAINS.
THE COMBINATION REQUIRED FOR
SUCCESS IN CONGRESS.
Good Stories Told in the Smoking
Room.

WASHINGTON, April 29.-The gossip OF
the smoking room is the attraction which
keeps many man in congress. The pro-
ceedings and debates on the floor OF the
house are, for the most part, dull and
uninteresting. One quickly tires OF them
unless he be lea3er in the thick OF the
fight, and only the few can be leaders.
But the smoking rooms and the sofas
and easy chairs in the rear OF the hall
never lose their charm.
Say what you please about the medi-
ocrity Of congressman, [ know from per
.sonal contact with the statesmen of a
number of congresses that while the art
Of oratory is gradully being lost in this
country, the art Of talking we'll IN Il
conversational way is continually grow
ing. Sit down in these smoking rooms
and you will hear all the latest stories, al
the freshest mots, all the newest gossip
Of men, women and politics. Here the
leaders are pulled to pieces, humbug ex
posed, demagogy confessed or rldlculed,
the future of parties predicted and the
fortunes of presidential candidates set
tied about fifty times day.
Men like these daily symposiums, this
meeting together Of kindred spirits, and
the pleasure here obtained is about all
the satisfaction a majority Of the mem
bers get out Of congressional service. [
think my friend General Newbury, Of
Chicago. voiced a prevalent sentiment
when he said the other day that but for
the gossip and stories Of the smoking
seats he would have resigned his mem
bcrship long ago. 81 am at the same
time paying pretty dearly for my whls-
tlp," added NewbUry. "My board bill
for myself and family, five persons, four
rooms, is 5000 month. pay $3.50 a
month for a carriage, that being cheaper
than bringing my own carriage on from
Chicago. Ny other expenses foot up
about $3.50 month, and so find that
my salary Of $416 66 q month falls long
way short of keeping me going. It costs
me about 1926 week to sit in tine
smoking room and listen to John Aliens
stories"
There are plenty Of other congressman
who spend as much money for the honor
Of sitting in the house as Mr.. Newberry
The great majority, however, are hard
up all the time. because they are poor
men and SIS, 200 year salary does not
hold out very we'll in this town. [ have
it on good authority that the stories told
in the smoking rooms are of better quail
ty as rule than the cigars there con-
sumed. Nine cut of ten of our friends
from the west ard southwes; are con-
tent with a five center, but when you
see Bourke Cochran, Speaker Crisp and
Mr.. Gatherings putting their heads to-
gether, you may be sure that none but
five fora dollar cigars are in their mouths.
Mr.. Cochran furnishes them.
This young Tammany lawyer, a yeri-
table giant in frame is coming to the
front as one Of the strongest men of the
house. He is immensely popular. He
ana Tom Reed, who sit opposite each
other with only an aisle between them,
are about the most noticeable pair in the
house. Both are big physically and in
brain power. Each of them is a great
debater. Both are wits and good fellows.
They wear the two largest hats in the
house, Reeds being, a seven and a-half
and Cockran's d seven and three-quar-
terS. Reed and Cochran are immensely
fond OF each Other, too, and the ex
speaker often dimes at the fine house
which the young T4mmany man main
tains hefe. Probably Cochran is living
in Washington at the rate of 81, 900
month, but he can afford it, for his law
practice in New York yields him hand
some income.
Reed is still the leader on the repub-
lican side, and when he assemblies his
lieutenants and tells them what he wants
done his dictum generally settles it.
The above letter gives a demo
cratic account Of the way congress
men attend to their duties.
Read it carefully. After doing SO
you will not wonder why the inter
ests OF the people are neglected.
MIR Cochran, the democrat and
one of the Tammany chiefs, is said
to have an income of $4,000 per
year from his law business. He is
rarely in his seat in congress. His
name is not on the tax books Of
New York City. He pays no tax.
But he is very liberal in spending
the taxes of the people, and votes
always for big appropriations.
Liquor will be, sold on the grounds of
the worlds fair.