The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-16
WORDS BY MEN OF NOTE.
l';z-siSnator INGALLS, Discusses the
szeaith OF Public Men.
President Finncy Gtvvs Ills idea about n
Hi;: '.Ai,road Scheme and Geor-, x,
NendLng Writes EloqucntIy
About tho Jews.
lcoPYaiuur, 1891

lCCPYISi,iHr, 1892
tne la'nontct end un;irnely death OF Senator
fiNrlh in tho meridian OF his years. his powers
ana usefulness TO Kansas ana tho country has
AGAIN called attention to the always interesting
subject OF tho health OF public men us affected
ny the necessary conditions OF congressional
ana onclal lie The frequency OF similar
elt2StropHcS In the last decade has nppoarc,i
more startling because the victims OF oyerworlS
were men OF whom longevity might have con.
hdcnty been predicted. Manning Window.
RAINFALL, Beck, Burnes, and many Others who
have fallen possessed extraordinary vigor, vital.
ity ana endurance. BY the horoscope they were
entitled to length OF days and should have died
hereafter.
No doubt the demands upon the time and
strength OF public men arc excessive and ma
cohsutuencles grow and interests multiply
must inevitably increase rather than diminish.
IL concerns the people. therefore, to consider
whether they arc imposing burdens heavier
than can be borne, or whether these alarming
fatalities arc partly due to disregard OF obvious
laws, to irregular habits and causes that miaht
DO nvolced-in other words whether premature
deaths arc murder or suicide
with population of ten millions and access
10 the capital by stage coach steamboat or
private conveyance, the public service was
iesureiy' Isolated and dignihed. But with
sixty-nvc millions, o railroad system making
the journey from the Pacific to Washington u
pastime, telegraphs to every hamlet, fast
mails, the daily press, telephones and special
deliveries, the post OF an ambitious and Sue
cessful politician Is no sinecure.
Stenography and the typewriter have LIGHT
cncd the toll of Official correspondence. but this
labor at best is immense and imperative Not
to reply promptly to n letter Is the unpardon-
able sin, and many that arc private and conf
dental must be answered in autograph. Appli-
cantS for pension often address every member
OF their own delegation simultaneously about
their claims, and sometimes those OF other
states as well, thus entailing an enormous az
gregatc OF needless work upon the bureau us
each must be separately answered. FREQUENT
errands at the department upon matters OF pat
ronage, favor and business arc Indispensable
Committees meet regularly Bills must be ex-
amined for report public questions studied
preparation made for debate, the daily sessions
attended, newspapers read, guests entertained,
social obligations discharged, and time found
for recreation, food an6 rest
Add to this the necessity for constant vigil
lance at home, OF long and nrduous campaigns
forreelection, the control OF primaries and con-
ventions, weeks OF stump speaking, hand shak-
ing and seeing the boys, and it is evident that
tho eight hour law will not apply to legislators
and statesmen They roll the stone OF Sisyphus
and turn tho wheel Of Ixion, finding in endless
toll uncensing fascination.
But numerous and unending as these func-
tons arc, with system, order, abstinence and
prudent outstanding Of hours they can be per-
formed without exhaustion. 1t is not "oyer-
work. alone that kills
Tho temptations TO irrcgularity are strong.
The simplest axioms OF health are occasionally
disregarded and nature is q relentless creditor
Time which should he given TO sleep Is some
times lent to convlviality. Tho pleasures of a
luxurious table and a voluptuous couch are
spcndthrlfts OF the nerves and brain. The hu
man body is an engine with storage battery
capable OF SO many pulsations, and when its en-
crSy is expended, whether by work or waste,
that Is the end.
Death is not an accident II is apDoihted IN
every man to die, and when his time comes he
goes. Tho maniac who fires bullet through
mis- disordercd bzain dies subject to the same In
cxorable law ls the peaceful patriarch who pain
lcssiy yields up the ghost at fourscorc his LIES
going out like q candle that has burned to it
socket Tho DEGREES OF fato cannot be que s-
toned nor fathomed but 1t often occurs that in
the inefectual effort there is an irreconcilable
discrepancy between the autopsy and the ep!-
,aph. JOHN JAMES INGALLS,