Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-04-21
A CoNGRESSMAN's TIME.



The Register correspondent called
TO see Mr.. Wilson at his rooms, at 1910
n street, the other afternoon, fortu-
nstely securing few moments when
he was alone. A glance at his office
disclosed better than words can de-
scribe the immense pressure TO which
he has been subjected since the new
came in. And what Is
said of Mr.. Wilson represents faith
fully the situation of all the West
Virginia delegation. On large table
in front of him were fifteen assorted
piles Of letters relating to the post
offices in the fifteen counties OF ms
district. Upon the floor and In the
corners of the room and under the
table were immense piles OF other let.
tiers, part of which had been opened
and briefed, but MANY of which were
still unexamined. In answer to
questions propounded from time TO
time. he said in substance
Il have remained in Washington
almost constantly since the Inaugural
ton. knew there would be large
number Of nv own constituents ana
others visiting this city who would
desire and who had right TO see me.
| have accordingly remained here,
and for most of that time L have
been closely imprisoned in my Once.
When | get up from the breakiast
table. find my Office nearly full OF
visitors. Oftener than otherwise
the stream is continued until late
bed time. AS consequence, | nave
been utterly unable to look after my
and, although nave
had all the time the active assistance
of one clerk and part of the time OF
two, | have been unable to answer or
even to sort and distribute the letters
that have been piling in upon me. !
have no doubt there are hundreds OF
friends in West Virginia and else
where who are angry at not recelV-
ing prompt replies TO their letters
but am obliged occasionally to al
nit to one Of these callers that nave
not seen the communication he sent
Inc several weeks ago. The contests
over the fourth-cla postotiices are
far more numerous than they were
eight wears ago. | AIN constantly
asking myself, what right have l., as
a member OF Congress, chosen TO leg
isls te in the direction OF certain INES
of public policy, TO dictate who shall
be fourth class postmasters in my dis
trict And on the other hand by
what right am | made to take on me
the invidious burden of deciding
among applicants, al! Of whom are
my political and nearly all OF whom
my personal friends, these Voluml-
nous and ofttimes bitter postoflice
As to general applica
tions for offices, my docket, which is
as vet very incomplete, will show
nearly two thousand. Many OF these
are for high positions, from chlets OF
divisions to assistant secretaries, ana
| verify believe the doctors at home
are prescribing foreign consulates Tor
all OF the diseases they cannot cure.
Here, for instance, is the record OF
a single county, which l will not
name, but it is typical OF almost all
There are over fifty applicants for
places in Washington, and more than
half of them for important and well
positions. Almost al OF
them are men and women who have
right TO apply for public
and a reasonable right to
expect my hearty support in securing
them places. Now, if l were able TO
take up this list and by extraordinary
efforts to secure for each applicant
upon it the place he seeks, | would
more than consume the entire quota
of West Virginia under this admins
tration, and every other county III
the State would be excluded from
federal positions at Washington or
in the consular service. Our friends
at home will evidently learn that
there are but few places outside OF
those covered by the civil service. Jaw,
that can be obtained. A few hun
dred OF these, possibly two or three,
are for reasonable salaries. The re-
are what are called laborers
and skilled laborers, for which the
nav generally, while sounding large,
with the pay OF country
school teachers and country clerks,
is not large for a city like this. l
ought to say that my correspondence
and my callers are by no means con
fined to West Virginia. | have spo-
ken in various parts OF the country,
In the States and Terri
tories of the Northwest which have
no Democratic representative In
Congress. | have received the cour-
tesies of Democrats in almost all sec
tions of the Union, and il is natural
for them, when they come or write TO
Washington, to invoke my assistance
in their candidates., and it would be
O. very ungracious thing in me to com
plain of their doing so. Nevertheless,
as matter of physical necessity, |
have been compelled TO decline many
hundreds of earnest requests to make
personal appeals TO the President
and to the cabinet officers in behalf
of friends whom | should like TO
serve. Had | undertaken this, the
White House and the departments
might long since have been barred
against my opportunities. | have no
doubt my own experiences have been,
in a measure, experiences of my col
leagues, also, and | assure you that
none of us are complaining although
all of us are anxious for our friends
in West Virginia TO understand that
we shall be unusually successful If we
can secure satisfactory places for one
o. two in the hundred who expect to
get them.
Il feel confident that in the long
run the Democrats of West Virginia
will receive ample recognition from
this administration and my own de-
sire, and | am grstified to add the de-
sire of my colleagues generally, is to
have this recognition fairly distrib-
uted over the State in the interests
of the entire party Wheeling Reg
lister.
Little Judith, the eight year old
daughter of Mr.. Mullineaux, of the
Inland Christian AduOc1tl. Des Moines.