The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-28
SALARIES OF C0NGRESSMEN.
WHY THEY ARE SELDOM LARGE
ENOUGH TO COVER EX-
PENSES.
FELIX
M'CLOsKEY's
HUMOR.
Texans Who Hanged the Wrong Man
Try to ExpIain-Quay Once
Talked Too Much.

w YIN, Leu. Ei.-SSudCOT
Cockrell, of Missouri, has been in pub
lie life continuously for more than
twenty years. He is scrupulously hon.
est and conspicuously poor man. The
senator believes in the integrity of
others in official life and often narrates
a conversation which he once had with
Associate Justice Miller, of the supreme
court, during the course Of which JUS
tice Miller said:
1T is singular what shrewd plans
are resorted to to ascertain the way
the court is inclined to decide cases.
Some years ago we had the silver mine
case before US for decision. At that
time we had not our own marshal.
The district marshal was the marshal
of the court. An immense amount was
involved in the case, and there was
naturally a good deal of anxiety to
know how the court would decide it.
The marshal went up to Brother -,
now dead-as pure and honorable and
unsuspicious a man as ever lived-and
said: well, judge, 1 presume We will
have a decision soon in the silver mine
caseT Yes said Brother -, very
soon. suppose Judge Clifford will
write the opinion?' oh, yes said
Brother -, Brother Clifford will be
the organ of the court This was all
the marshal wanted to know, for Jus
tice Clifford's habit was to break in
upon an argument with queries which
clearly indicated the drift of his mind
on the questions under discussion. and
when the marshal heard that Justice
CHnord was to write the opinion he
knew as we'll as If he had been told in
so many words that the decision would
be in favor of the mining company. so
he went to work and bought up all of
the stock he could on a margin. And
made pile Of money, I suppose?" Sen
ator Cockrell asked. Well, no. he
didn't replied Judge Miller with a
hearty laugh. The resources of the
mine had been so exaggerated in the
course Of the argument that the stock
mad risen on the market beyond it's
real value, and after the decision OF the
court 1t fell instead of advancing. and
the marshal lost all he had put I'm.
upon the whole added the Judge. Il
am inclined to think very highly of the
purity of the American bench. There
are cases we decided last year which
would have enabled any member of
the court, by simply taking advantage
OF the knowledge he had of the views
OF the majority Or limiting them to
MS vile or some confidential friend. ,
Interrupted Senator Cockrell. Yes. in
that or any other way continued
Judge Miller, he could have put a
million dollars in his pocket, but here
we are just as we were last year. and
no whisper of anything Of that kind
has ever been heard"
Frank Lawler was a poor man when
ne died" says Congressman Joe Can
non' OF Illinois. ''Lawler served for
SIX years in congress- but he never
saved a cent, although he was painfully
economical. AS matter fact, strange
as II may appear to people who have
never been here, the salary of S. 600 a
year is not enough for a member of
congress. And yet many a man who
mas $o,OOO not enough to hive on in
Wdshlngton as congressman could go
nome and live well on $1,000 per an
mum, or even less. There is a, great
deal Of truth in the statement that
Wlthout personal popularity, prestige
ana influence a congressman is not ONLY
an object Of pity to his friends, but
practically useless to his district. And
to obtain and maintain influence LET
me tell you, requires a man to keep ur
his end. And to keep up his end. per
INIT me to add, costs money. It's all
We'll enough for a member of congress
to go to Washington with the firm re-
solve to transact his public business
as he would dispatch the duties Of a
Sunday school; but it won't work A
congressman has to stand in with his
fellows has got fO rI1h h
them, has got to partake of their hos
pltaIlty when they invite him. and has
got to return their hospitality prompt
! ly and equitably. If he doesn't, he isn't
known; and when the time comes for
him to engineer through congress a bill
strictly local in it's application, and OF
no possible interest to members from
other districts, that member goes among
his fellows in the house and seeks their
support with the same feelings and
same chances of success he would have
in seeking favors from total strangers
And such a member is of no use to his
constituents. He must keep his end
up if he would accomplish all that lies
in his power, and to do that costs fully
as much as he getS-unless his genius
| be respondent and awe-inspiring And
my observation tells me that such q
genius doesn't seem to take the atmos-
phere of Washington"
Col. Wintersmith, of Kentucky. tells
| story about party Of newly elected
! congressman who were on train
bound for Washington some years ago
! Senator Joe Blackburn, who was then
member of the house of representa-
| tives, was in the car. The conversation
| turned on the majoritieS given in the
| recent elections, and somebody asked
| the gentleman from Kentucky as to the
size of his vote. He didn't remember
| the exact figures, but said he could tel
| in minute by referring to his election
certificate, which he handed over to the
! gentleman inQuiring.
A look of establishment crept over the
| latter's face as he read the document
which certified that Joseph Blackburn
| had been duly elected. 1t was signed
by Luke Blackburn, governor, and at
tested by James Blackburn, secretary
of state. "All I want to know isl he
whispered, bending near the senator
what chance the other fellow would
have in a race like this?'' The trio
was fraternai.
Felix McCloskey is seldom seen about
the capitol corridors by day or by hotel
corridors by night. He is a handsome
man, between rs and $50 years old
smooth shaver, and always popular
The most authentic information in re-
! gard to his age appears to be that he
was an old man when he went to Cal
| iforna in 49, and that he several times
renewed his youth, so that at present
he does not look older than man OF
| fifty.
Felix used to be everywhere about
Washington. He was always telling
stories, or the boys were always tell
ing stories about him. He used to be
an intimate friend. of Gen. Spinola, OF
New York, the picturesque statesman
| WIN nut Hitting naner mad ON his