The Portland daily press., 1892-01-22

to ten pages of newspaper reprint. In
a number of instances the 'sbrief
biographical data" called for has been
furnished in the shape OF four or i've
columns clipped from newspapers and
enlivened by wood cuts.
BY the way, it has been one OF Col.
Michael's pet ideas for the past two or
three years to have made small steel
plate engravings of the senators and
representatives, to be inserted with
their photographed sketches. This
would entail considerable extra ex-
pense every two years, but it would
furnish for all time not only the his
tories of these statesmen, but their
counterfeit presentments. For instance,
Congressional Directory of 1920. con-
tanning biographical sketches and
splendid engravings of the gentlemen
who were at that time prominent in the
senate and house, in the discussions
over the Missouri compromise, would be
worth great deal of money, particu-
larly to the families of the statesmen.
and to the states and districts which
they represented.
The exaltation of a congressional
election usually affects budding ge-
MUS with desire to go to the seashore,
Europe, Asia, Africa, the mountains,
the hot springs, or somewhere else
where it is difficult to discover him. In
asnuch as the directory must be com
piled and printed when congress meets
in December, it is necessary for the
G tn
follow these fieeting fellowswith letters
and kilograms until the required data
are Forthcoming. It not infrequently
happens, however, that a score OF more
of these men fail to furnish the neces-
sary information concerning themselves
until they arrive in the national capital
One thing of especial Importance to
every man who was in the union or con-
federate army is the publication of
their military records. They will insist
upon this even if they are obliged to
leave out some important events in
their public careers. M
It is desired by the compiler of the
directory to give the full name of every
member; and he is not satisfied with
their initials It is singular fact that
a majority of these people have de-
| cided objection to giving any more than
the initial of their middle name, if they
have one.
Another popularity concerning states
men who grant their autobiographies,
is that they do not like to give their
age for publication. One of the most
notable instances of this kind was in
the case of the distinguished volunteer
soldier, Gen John A. Logan. His age
never appeared in the directory, and
when he was suddenly stricken with a
fatal illness at his home upon Kalorama
Heights, there was not a single soul
here who could assert in print that he
knew the age of the soldier statesman.
All newspapers contained statements to
the effect that he was ''about sixty
years of age"
The chief clerk of the government
printing office says that this important
book containing two hundred and fifty
to two hundred and seventy-ive pages
of type can be set up and printed, and
from ten to fifteen thousand copies
bound and delivered, within four days
after the manuscript is handed in by
the clerk of the committee on printing.
Nearly all of these directories are in
stiff paper covers, although at least five
hundred are bound in cloth for the
members of congress and representa-
tives of the press. Upon these cloth
bound books the names of those fav-
ored individuals are branded and gilded.
SMITH D. Fry.