The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-24

and relief bills. which his predecessor sowed
In the last congressional garden without
reaping a harvest. AS il is only necessary
TO scratch the last congressman's name OFF
each of them, write his own in it's stead
and drop the bills in a box at the clerks
DESK these need not give him much con-
Germ. de finds before he has been in Wash
ington long that modest merit is not being
sought for committee appointments, and
mat II he does not hurry he will be set
way back on the committee TO investigate
the spread of malaria by mosquitoes in
stead or representing his farmer consti-
tuency on the agriculture committee or
getting a desirable position near the pork
barrel Of the river and harbor committee
or the committee on public buildings. When
ne begins TO realize how necessary push
ana egotism are TO progress In public af-
iairs' he will find that so far as he is con-
cerned the speaker of the House is the
whole Congress. If he wants to be a mem
Der of an influential committee. he must
bring all possible pressure to bear on the
speaker. And the hours before the COM
mittee lists are published are anxious hours
for the new congressman.
As member of the foreign relations COM
mittee, If by some extraordinary chance
ne was chosen for that position, he would
find himself a social possibility. Members
or the diplomatic corps would invite him TO
dinner, officials OF the State Department
would show him distinguished considera-
ton. As a member of the agricultural com
mittee, he would find the door Of the secre-
tary Of agriculture always on the latch
and the supply Of seeds and books on dis
eases of the horse practically unlimited. On
the rivers and harbors committee he would
discover himself a sudden object of solicit
tude by all the shipping interests and by
the War Department.
Usually, committees are announced just
before the House adjourns for Christmas.
Meantime the new congressman has dis
covered that the House meets at noon and
that it passes most Of its time listening to
dry speeches or obstructive motions. He
studies the rules and reads the Hon.
Thomas B. Reeds Guide to Parliamentary
Law" assiduously preparing for his own
plunge into the congressional pool. His
mornings he devotes to a round of the
departments. looking up claims and pen
sions, postmasterships and miscellaneous
matters for the people of his district.
VISITS THE WHITE HOUSE.
At the White House he is ushered into
the Presidents room without undue cere-
mony, but there he sits on a leather-cov-
cred chair and sees senator's and members
OF the Cabinet take precedence OF him.
After a time the President. passing from
one to another of his visitors, reaches the
new congressman and grasps his hand.
On the first meeting the congressman says
he has just come to pay his respects and
the President gives him an enthusiastic
greeting. signifying that he is glad to see
some one who does not want a favor. On
his second visit he will not find himself so
cordially greeted. Not that the President
will be anything but agreeable and cour-
teous, but it is not safe for even a Presi-
dent to be too civil with a congressman.
His attitude might be interpreted as con-
veying encoura cement.
When the new congressman gets his COM
mittee appointments he is sure to be dis
appointed. IT is only in extraordinary
cases that new members get committee as
signments of any Importance Even party
influence is not OF much avail, because 1t Is
pretty generally recognized that a man
must have had experience TO serve salts
f%actorily on an important committee. Most
OF the work of Congress is done in COM
mittee. Whatever his assignments. the
new member will find that his
duties occupy more time than the sessions
of the House. The committees meet at
10 in the morning and sit in the afternoon
and on holidays. Individual members are
assigned to look into special matters as
subcommittee, and these sometimes re-
quire visits TO the departments, consulta-
tions with authorities and so on. The best
lawmakers have always been lawyers, and,
in fact, lawyers have always p~redominated
in the House of Representatives.
The thing next in Importance 10 his COM
mittee duties the congressman finds is his
mail. 1t is really extraordinary what a
quantity of useless letters is written to a
defenseless congressman, not only by his
constituents, but by strangers all over the
country. There are tens Of thousands Of
people throughout the United States who
think they have only to write to a con-
gresham whose name has been made ia
miliar to them by some newspaper para
graph to get anything they want in Wash
ington. They ask for books and seeds,
and even request assistance in getting
pensions, claims against the government
and appointments. A congressman with
an eye to the future-that is. a good poll
tician-answers all these letters in a spe-
cious way and leads his voluntary CORE
spondents to be fattered by his reply. But
he does not go after claims. pensions and
appointments for any but his constituents.
He has quite enough to occupy his time
in meeting their demands.
HIS FIRST IMPRESSION.
What first impresses a new Congressman
at the meeting of Congress is the publicity
of his position. He sits in a large and
beautifully decorated hall in the full glare
of light from the glazed ceiling and a
thousand eyes in the gallery are looking
in his direction. 1t takes him some little
time to appreciate the fact that few, if
any. are looking at him. The eyes are
seeking Speaker Henderson, Joe" Can
non. Robert R.. Hit and Serene Payne
and the other notable members OF the
House. The new member is quite as much
lost to his senses as the individuals among
them are TO his.
In the midst of the buzz of business and
conversation in the old days he used 10
rise in his place and address the chair for
the purpose of introducing a bill or offering
a resolution. In these days he has not
that opportunity 10 invite attention, and
to gain the floor for even the least sig