Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-01-17

tions- Many or them resign as soon ~
they have taken their degrees and begin
their professional careers elsewhere.
Others resign and remain in Washington,
but good many cling to their positions
as long as possible and hold their profess
sional education in reserve until they are
compelled to seek living elsewhere.
A large proportion of the examiners
in the patent Office intend at some time or
another to become patent lawyers, and
no school furnishes better practical ed
ucation in patent law than can be OBJ
tanned by such experience In the med
ical divisions of the pension Office are
many young physicians. Some of them
obtained their diplomas before they came
here; others nave studied medicine in the
Washington schools while holding their
positions. You will also find young doe
tors in the land Office, Indian office, the
war and navy departments and the treas
urS and many of them enjoy quite lu-
crative practice after Office hours. Some
make as much as $1,000 and $1,500;
others $500 and 5000. They charge the
same fees as the regular physicians, and
with one or two patients u day they can
add to their salary quite welcome lit
tie revenue.
The regular practitioners have made
II fuss about this for long time. They
have refused TO admit to the medical
association of the district any man who
does not devote his entire time to the prac-
tice OF his profession. They have re-
peatedly appealed to the president and
10 the heads of departments to prohibit
this "sundown" business, and at one time
they got bill through the senate max
ing 1t unlawful for an cmploye of the gov
crnment to engage in any other business,
but 1t failed in the house.
Now they have induced the commits
sioner Of pensions to issue an order pro-
hibiting the employees of his bureau from
practicing medicine. The ostensible
reason for this is the danger of communi-
eating contagious diseases to their fellow
clerks. but it is really the result of the
efforts Of the regular local physicians
To limit competition.
Trials of a Congressman.
| found a millionaire member of Con
gress sitting in his hotel the other day
surrounded by gloom so dense that il
could have been shoveled away like snow
from the sidewalk, and asked him what
had happened. II was just thinking" he
said. what Il fool l was TO come to Con-
gress. 1t cost me So. 900 cash to pay my
campaign expenses, in addition TO two
months neglect of my business. When
am Mt home about two-thirds of my time
is taken up by people who come to ask for
offices. have had candidates for foreign
missions, consulatcs, department bureaus,
United States marshalships, United
States attorneys, pension agents, about
forty postoflices and no end of Indian
agents and land offices. and all I've sue
ceeded in getting is one assistant keeper
of a lighthouse. a place for which there
was no candidate, and they asked me to
hunt up man. | scarcely dare to go
home. L am being cursed all over my
district by people who think I'm indiffer-
ent 10 their interests and ungrateful To
my friends. 1t will take six weeks steady
talking TO explain why | haven't been
able to get all the ofiiceholdcrs in the dis
trict turned out and new ones put in. and
not half the people who hear the explana
ton will believe me. Until now l have
never sought anything that couldn't be
bought but I've spent $4,000 worth OF
my time trying to get IA 81 200 consular
appointment for the son of one of my
constituents, and can't make ii. Ny bust
ness is going TO ruin for want of attention,
and there is basket of letters on my
desk at home that have never had time
TO read.