The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-23

battle OF Fort Donelson. Since ms un,
bes ia sets OF children. and Is now q
widow but she says she has always ones
tsbed the memory Of her first lover ana nas
worm constantly the loeket he gave neV
vhen he marched TO the defense or ms
countrv she askes me imploringiy II
Dan not sec President Mckinley and get
him ~ send her pension OF $50 month
M seems to me that every man that ever
drove an army wagon or hearu d oruln
In my district Is clamoring for pen
sion.
an order 70 secure my reconciliation
have written to each voter of my party IN
nv district. DO not think the oppose
ton to me is formidable. large num-
Der OF those TO whom have written have
answered. however. and they all assure me
Of their support, but say the fight is to
be a difficult one, that know their great
influence. that they are willing to help
ma all they can and that all they want Is
EXPENSE money. To comply with their re-
quests would cost me 100000
Il knbw there are many ambitious anu
aspiring young men in my district ana
that soon I Will be turned down, and in my
old age / will return home to begin he
anew without an office, without Client
without hope and without dollar The
American people seem to like variety IN
office holding as we'll as in other things
had an amusing conversation last WIZ
ter with George D. Tillman Of South caro-
! lima, a brother OF Senator Iliirnsn'
| and who made all efficient, faithful
and intelligent representative, He said TO
me: John, / do swear that there is more
natural cussedness about the American
people than any other and they do delight
| 10 drop man I thought l was s2lidly
! intrenched in the good opinion Of my peo-
/ pie. My principal business was farming,
/ though I practieed law little on the
| side. sent off and bought at great ex-
I pense a Berkshire boar, Jersey bull. a
/ Morgan stallion and several breeds Of hne
/ chickens and I rendered their services
/ to nv entire constituency l thought tina,
my people were very grateful, as they
availed themselves OF my kim Ter. one
/ hot day in July / sat upon the gallery OF
/ nv house In my shirt sleeves in big
arm chair and was enjoying cigar.
looked up the road and here came. IN a
wagon. the Jupiter OF the Spartanburg
grange and the president of the Pickens'
| Farmers alliance They stopped and
looked at me and then turned and drove
off. l heard them say; Well, we viii
/ look after him; we will see that he gets
M out of that cheer and goes to work.
They brought out a candidate against me
and beat ME outrageously. Defeat comes
finally and very thoroughly and I need
not tell you John, that it is never well
I come hut | am done. "
NY friend told me that his experience
was that Of nine-teuths of the representa-
tiyes in congress. He said that he mourned
in bitterness and in sorrow the day that
ever he was tempted to enter into politl-
cal life.
Washington is filled with ex-senator
and ex-representatlves who are trying tC
exc out miserable existence by prosecut-
ing claims against the government ant
promoting schemes of doubtful legislation
It is sad to see them lettering along the
corridors of the capitol pursuing theil
former associates and begging their as
sistance. Ex-senators and ex-represenra:
tives have right 70 enter unchallenget
the houses OF which they were once mem
bers When you see them they are there
In pursuit of a Job and they are nearly al
ways eyed askance by the members q
either house when they are seen TO enter
This picture is not exaggerated. There ar
today In Washington scores OF men VIII
once had a potent hand in shaping tn
destinles OF the country. and now man,
Of them are so miserable that there ar
none so low as to do them reverence.
tn that a hn W ~,
aspiring young men who now look forwar,
to public careers could see the long AM
dreary road which they will have to travel
and the sorrow and despair which will
finally overtake them they would pray t.
God to deliver them from the fate tina
almost certainly awaits them
1t is true now as was said nv Ioh
Randolph nearly 100 wears ago: "There i
no place like the floor Of the house OF rep
resentatives to eXtinguish a provincial
reputation"