The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-01-15
WHY STATESMEN GROW OLD.
A Correspondent Tells How 1t 10 In the
Case of Impecunious Congressman.

criticism. 1t doesn't pay. Many have
found this to be true-at the close of
the session. There are 1911 new mem
bers in the present congress. They are
guiltless of any real, experimental
knowledge of what being congressman
means. Can these untried gentry live
on $1,000 year? That is the question
which will meet them at the depot, go
with them to their hotel, face them
thereafter at every corner, invade their
solitude, and haunt them to the last
day of their terms
The tariff by comparison will be the
idle wind, the silver question trivial as
children's laughter. This question win
whiten the congressman's hair and fur
row his thoughtful brow in its solution.
OF course those who are to live on their
salaries are the ones alluded to; those
wealthy ones who are present for fun
and who expect to invest ten times
their stipend have nothing to fear.
To be congressman is to be promi-
nent To be a mallard drake within
forty yards of a 1o-guage gun is also to
be prominent This last is intended to
suggest to the student that to be prom
inent is not always a condition of joy.
In the case of our congressman krn
suits to his real disaster. It.ltak53 hin
spend money and forces his feet into
paths which take hold on bankruptcy.
Five thousand a year is not much at
some robbers roost of hotel. IL melts
1t exhales. Many member finds his
salary gone and is not able to recall
having done anything with it but pay
board bills. They certainly don't all
buy clothes with it Many of them,
when the matter of raiment is consid-
cred, is as badly off as Miss Flora Nc
Flimsey, concerning whom poem set
forth that she did not possess apparel
enough wherewith to flag hand-car
The more prominent the congress-
man the greater the drafts upon his
pocketbool1. Those of this sort, who
must live within their $1,000, will not
| find a fiower-strewn path. So well is
this shortage between income and out
come recognized that many employ
themselves in other directions to make
both ends come together. Some con-
! gressmen, like Gen. jackson. when he
was president, have certain, absolute,
iron-bound rules which, lived up to,
will pull him through. Jackson declined
| positively to sign any subscription or
charity paper for even the smallest sum.
1t was well he did: if he had not he
would have been swallowed by benevo-
lence, for no man is called on so often
for largesse as the chief executive.
But Jackson would not have it. Pm
not going to leave the white house a
id pauper like old Jim Monroe" he
said
| Speaking of those who go to other
things for aid, and extend in various
ways their earning capacity, the three
most prominent men in the last house
might be named. Mills Reed, and
Mckinley all found their salaries too
small Reed as speaker drew $1,000,
too. Each one of them did all the mag
azine work he could, to help make out
Reed received $1,000 for the twelve
red Tffasag hbaid tsrfd Of ( his fi., 90.
penses of last session with his pen.
Mills took the same method. His prom
incence in the tariff discussion aud his
clear, vigorous style as writer made
his articles very much to the taste of
magazine makers They paid him well,
| too; while his speeches also brought
him some returns. Mckinley was finau-
cially decidedly loser by being con-
gresham. He did not have SO much
time as the others. What, between the
leadership of his side and the sickness
of his wife, he had little time and per
haps, less taste for work of literary
sort illustrating the drain attendance
on session makes on the congressional
purse, it is told that when a colleague
of Mckinley, who was with him on the
ways and means committee and to
whom money was no object, wanted to
lend the new governor some money,
Mckinley consented to take it only on
the understanding that it was to be re-
paid three months after adjournme Mt
For, Tom" said Mckinley, while
congress lasts I'll have SO little money
III have to walk to save car fare Bnt
l can square myself with the world if |
can once get out of the house..
senators find just as hard Shedding as
members of the house. 1t was the driv-
ing need of cash which dipped Ingalls,
pen in ink for the periodicals Ed
munds always kent up big practice in
the supreme court So, for that matter.
did bold Ben Butler when he was in
congress Edmands is credited with
making 100000 year at the law. Car
lisle, also of the senate, and Stewart.
since he lost his millions, also find the
supreme court and its practice pleas
ant way of reinforcing their too small
salaries Sometimes even big law
business added to ones salary will not
suffice for the wolf. Ben Butterworth
OF Ohio although he, too, had a strong
legal business came very near being
bankrupted by his terms in congress. |
personally talked with one Ohio menu
Der of long time ago. He is not a mem
Der now. He came three terms and de-
cllned fourth. There is no use in il. g"
he said. I've got enough. When / first
ran for congress / was worth about
s., 900 in a hoGse and lot had a law
business. too Now the lot and the
law business are beth gone, and an
over $780, in debt l haven't got a
cent, either i shall have to C 9mIaence
life over again and it will take me the