The Winslow mail., 1899-07-13
BEARS 4 HEAVY LOAD
Duties of the Speaker Interfere with
u EsI5lE1 4s
His Time Is Constantly Taken Up
with National Affairs and Do
meStic Relations Are EeceS-
sariIy Neglected.
rsnecial washington Letter.I


sT feel proud, of course. that the
r.,o...neI has won the contest. but L also
feel sorry.
Those were the words uttered by the
wife of Congressman Henderson, OF
Iowa. when she heard that her husband
had been triumphant in the contest for
the speakership of the national house
of representatives. Mrs henderson
also said:
1.-The wives of popular pubic men
have to endure a great deal OF loneh-
ness and homesickness that the world
never knows anything about. L mean,
of course. the women of domestic hab-
its and inclinations. Those who live
.,ltooether or partially for society are
sometimes glad to be rid OF their hus-
hands for DAYS at time, but domestic
x,-,-,en want their husbands much by
their side
There is a great deal of truth thus
condensed, and it seems to be proper
I'm elaborate the facts in order that our
Dcople may know the public lives of
fheir representatives. Inasmuch as
Col. Henderson, of Iowa, seems to be
the coming man for the high position
mentioned, a description OF his pubic
life and mode of living may stand for
n type of the lives of popular public
men when they are in the national
capital.
Col. Henderson has no home here.
Many public men, when assured OF con-
tinued place in congress, buy homes
here for themselves Those who are
economical can afford to do so, out OF
their salaries. Thus it happens that
this city has in its common population
to-day not less than a thousand men
who were once members of congress.
or who once held lucrative positions
in the executive departments. More
over, it thus happens that many rep
resentatives like living in Washington
50 well that they do not go home as
often as they should, and their people
retire them to private life on that ac-
count.
Eyer since he came to congress, in
1882. Col. Henderson has kept closely
In touch with his people in Iowa. and
he has wasted no time in this city after
the congressional adjournments.
But let US return to talk about the
daily life of this public servant, while
congress is in session.
He takes breakfast at the hotel with
his wife and daughter at eight o'clock
every morning. By half-past eight
o'clock he is opening his daily mail,
which usually consists of from GO to
100 letters. He has splendid private
secretary, young man who began his
career at the age of 10 years as a
stenographer to the writer of this let
ter His name is Leroy j. McNeely,
and he tells public men that his four
years experience about the depart
sments and at the capitol. as a news
gatherer and as stenographer and type
writer, constituted an education of
which he is very proud.
y majority of the letters received
can be answered without delay. and Col
Henderson dictates his replies very rap
idly. He knows just what to say in
.e;.ch case, and says it without delay.
Then, taking batch of letters which
require personal effort on his part, he
calls carriage and drives to the treas
ury, the interior, agricultural and post
Office departments, also to the pension
office, and to other places where he is
obliged to go in order to serve his con-
stituents. The reader must under
stand that Col. Henderson lost leg