Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-04-03
The Storu Teller.
THE LIFE OF A CONGRESSMAN.

Hon. Thomas B. Reed, in Youths Companion
In the constitution of the United
States the senate and house of repre-
sentatives together are called "Th'
Congress" Hence, in strictness, sen
ators and representatives are alik'
members of congress but in every
day language the name is given tt
representatives only, and they alon'
write M. C. after their names. 1t i
the life of the representative onl!
which I shall try to sketch, and oftha
life I can hope to give but the meres
outline.
It is a fact of almost universal ap
plication that we see the bright side o
every other mans occupation, and sci
dom the dark side. The dark side o
our own lives we clearly know, ant
we are quite as apt to exaggerate it
blackness as we are to magnify tn
good another enjoys.
Probably great many young peo
ple think that the life of a member o
congress, with $4,000 a year, is a lif'
of pleasure, comfort and luxury, full
of power and dignity. If they do not
they have changed very much from th'
young people of my day. Of cours.
they have changed in other ways, ant
much for the better, but probably no
in this estimate of things.
Of course, the young people art
right in a measure. 1t is an honora
BILE duty to perform-that of repre-
senting 100000 or 100000 people il
their relations with the 10000, 900 o
other people of a great nation, thu
prosperity of which may be affected
by the representatives. wisdom, eithe
in giving good advice or following
good advice given by others, either il
acting or refusing to act.
PERSONAL DUTIES.
But the picture has some shadow
as we'll as lights. A congressman ha'
labors to perform as we'll as position
to enjoy, and as man gets older h'
sets less and less value on place ant
position.
The duties he has to perform are mo-
by any means uniform. They depend
upon the wants and needs, real or i'm
aeined, of his district. All districts
are not equally interested in things a
Washington. Some districts, especial
ly those in the east and on the Allan
tic coast outside of the great cities
have very little to do with the bureaus
at Washington. 49,.
In the west, and especially in th'
newly settled states, the relations with
the interior department, and particu
larly with the land Office, are very
close and very important to the indi
vidual constituent. To have 100 let
ters day, all relating to business be
fore the departments, is not an uncom
mon experience for member from
Kansas or Nebraska, for in those state
all land titles come, or are to come
from the government; and many o
them have to be finally adjudicated a
Washington in case of dispute.
All the members have much to d.
with pensions. They bring specia
cases to the notice of the bureau, ant
hasten decisions. Here, again, th'
western member is much more harasset
than we of the east, because so man!
of our soldiers, broadened by contac
with brother soldiers from all over tn
United States, were emboldened to tr!
their fortunes in the frontier commu
mites.
So all the distribution of revenu
raised by taxes along the rivers an!
harbors, the Indians, the navy, agricul
ture, public buildings, and all othe
items of government expenditure max
much correspondence and business TO
members.
In addition to these labors, it ma.
be mentioned that any one of the $50,
900 constituents is at perfect liberty t
write his views on religion or financ
to his member, and expects at least al
acknowledgment. Luckily nowadays
thanks to reform in the civil service
considerable time is saved which uset
to 90 to the service of those who wishe'
to assist their country by holding it
offices.
NEW MEMBERS.
The official duties may be more o
less, according to the prominence o
the member. Every new member, lik
a young lawyer or merchant neWl.
come to town, has to show what ther
is in him and win his own way.
Distinction won in other fields o
endeavor will gain a man a hearing
for the time but not afterward. If b.
wishes to talk and be listened to, b.
had better have something to say ant
know how to say it.
Most men are not listened to. Mos
of the long speeches sent to constit
uents have no effect on the house, ant
might as we'll have been delivered il
an attic or poured out into a flaming
machine. That they are delivered a
all is largely owing to the strange mis-
take which our country has not 60
over-that a good member must be al
orator. Now every man wants to b.
thought a good member, hence h'
speechifes in "The Congressional Re
oorI -