The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-08
sIDELIGHTs ON STATESMEN.
How They Treat Their Constituents
who Come to Cali on Them.

"A man sees some curious and interest
ing phases of life in my position said
one of the doorkeepers and ushers on the
House side of the Capitol, as he leaned
back in his chair for a few moments dur
ing a brief lull in the flow of callers that
usually comes in a constant stream dur
ing the time that the House is in session,
for 1t Is here that the great American
citizen calls on his representatives. In
my position l come into contact with all
OF the many varieties of this citizen that
this great country produces. l have taken
in the cards of the representatives of al
most every nation and of every race OH
the earth and from the citizens of every
State and Territory in the United States.
Most of these people are total strang-
ers IN the city, and many of them are
visiting Washington for the first time.
But 1t does not matter how far a man
at home, when he visits Washington he
has at least one man in the capital city
upon whom he has the right and privilege
to call-that one is his representative IN
Congress. And when he comes up to take
a look at the Capitol, especially if he is
from distance, he generally avails him
self of this privilege and sends in his card
to his representative.
THE reception that he meets with-well,
that depends. AS rule, though, it is cor
dial enough. the representative is often
heartily glad to meet one of his constituents
and to have a talk about home news and
home politics. In case like that the
worthy constituent goes home well pleased,
tells his neighbors about the way in which
he was treated by his representative, and
extra votes in his precinct do not go amiSS
in tight squeeze for reelection
Sometimes, though, l am sorry to say,
the representative seems not exactly to
know, or to want to know, the people who
call on him, and it is rather pitiful to see
the crestfallen and abashed look that fol-
lows the formal handShake and the cool
greeting that the visitor receives. A little
cordiality in manner and little kindness
would have served to relieve the visitor of
an embarrassment that is almost always
attendant upon his first call on a man whom
he is accustomed to look upon in his own
district as a great politician and statesman.
This is sometimes refused, and / have seen
many man go away from here the enemy
for life of a representative who refused
these little courtesies.
This form of reception is often given to
office-seekers, and l do not wonder at 1t
sometimes, either feel sorry for those
fellows. though. for | have been one of
them myself There is one thing about it,
however, the constituent gets in his innings
when election day comes around, and the
class of congressman of which we have just
been speaking often lasts but one term.
When they do come back they generally are
a little more polite in their actions.
Yes, the members do have to put up
with a good deal Of annoyance. We come
in for our share of IL, too. People are so
often unreasonable in making requests and
in insisting on doing contrary things. For
instance, you see that old fellow sitting
there in one of our chairs Now, / have
walked him up twice this morning and
brought him out here; he was inside the
House and sitting asleep in the chair of
one of the members. l brought him out
and told him to go up in the gallery and
wait until the House should be called to
order. and then / would take his card in
and he could see his Representative. But
he slipped back and l found him again
asleep in the same chair ] brought him
out and he has been sitting there ever since
and will not go up in the gallery. One of
US will have to stand up until his man comes
in. Tie old fellow has probably come up
here to look for work of some kind, and
has either got sharked out of his money
or has been drunk and spent it all. He will
pour long tale of woe into the ear of his
representative and will then strike him for
a loan, and two to one. if the old fellow has
seen better days and If he has known the
Congressman ever so slightly, he will get a
good meal and his ticket home / know
his ki1d: we see lots of them here. When
a man gets stranded in this city he almost
invariably calls on his Congressman, and
it is not often that he gets turned down II
he is an old acquaintance.
THE most of them are good-hearted,
liberal and kind but ii gets to fellow
when he sees some Of them forgetting
who put them here and turning their backs
on the people for whom they could not do
enough before election