River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-06-29
BEARS A HEAVY load
Duties of the Speaker Interfere with
His Family Life.
His Time Is Constantly Taken Up
with National Affairs and Do
nestle Relations Are Neces-
sariIy Neglected.
rsnecial Washington Letter.


az feel proud, of course, that the
colonel 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:
''The wives Of popular public men
have to endure great deal of loneli-
ness and inconsistencies that the world
never knows anything about. | mean
of course, the women of domestic hab-
its and inclinations. Those who live
altogether or partially for society are
sometimes glad to be rid of their hus-
bands for days at time, but domestic
women want their husbands much by
their side"
There is a great deal of truth thus
condensed, and it seems to be proper
to elaborate the facts in order that our
people may know the public lives of
their representatives. lnasmuch as
Col. Henderson, of Iowa, seems to be
the coming man for the high position
mentioned, description Of his public
life and mode OF living nay stand for
a 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
har lxrac fHhnca who
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, il thus happens that many rep
resentatives like living in Washington
so well that they do not go home as
often as they should, and their people
retire them TO private life on that ac-
count.
Ever 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 a 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 60 to
100 letters. He has a splendid private
secretary, young man who began his
career at the age of Is years as a
stenographer to the writer of this let
ter. His name is Leroy j. AlcNeely,
and he tells public men that his four
years experience about the depart
ments and at the capitol, as a news
gatherer and as stenographer and type
writer, constituted an education of
which he is very proud.
a 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
each case, and says it without delay.
Then, taking a 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-
stand that Col. Henderson lost leg