Oakes Republican. (Oakes, N.D.) 1898-1906, 1902-04-25
TOM MARSHALL
"A Congressmans Busy Life
Told by a Newspaper
Correspondent
Yom is Doing Good Work
for Our Own State at
Washington.
How a Congressman Works.

How a Congressman Works.
A correspondent of the McHenry
County Journal in writing from
Washington, after giving a slight
outline of the work of the newspaper
correspondents for the large dailies,
gives some information regarding the
work of congressman while in
Washington and speaks of the work
oul present representative in the low
er house is doing for the state, which
may be interesting to our readers:
There is nothing for the congress-
man if faithful to his trust (Which
most of them are,) from the moment
that he reaches Washington before
the opening of congress in the fall
until the adjournment the following
spring or summer but the hardest
kind of work. 1t is true that the
daily sessions as rule are only from
TO 5 p. N. but, in fact, unless engag-
ed in the delivery of an address, this
is the most restful period allotted to
the member during his waking hours.
At all other times he is engaged upon
some active branch of his official du-
ties, either upon committee or with
other equally important matter.
Possibly he is traversing the city
among the numerous departments in
the interest OF constituents or he may
be at his room looking over his long
list of daily correspondence and die,
tating replies to his stenographer,
which must be done in a very tho
rough and gentlemanly way, requiring
time for thought both as to matter
and phraseology. Or he may be at
Cne congressional library pouring over
an almost endless array Of books or
public documents, gathering his data
preparatory to the preparation of a
speech upon some important subject
or measure. There is no let up to
his duties and responsibilities and
they are as endless as the SUMS orbit,
often struggling with some knotty
problem until the rays of the rising
sun gives him notice that he must
desist and give his weary body and
brain little rest if he hopes to be
able to weather the ordeals Of the
coming day. But he must be up
again and prepared to Start out at
the tap of the nine o'clock bell to re-
sumo his labor on committee or in
department. Thus it goes day after
day and week after week without de-
murring, no let up but coming thick
er and faster as he progresses until
as the end of the SESSION approaches
there is fitting before him day and
night regular panorama of unfnish-
ed business that must by some
means be pushed to a finish or go
over to the next session or the next
congress Why, it is enough to
drive an ordinary individual wild.
and more than true are these con-
ditions of endless work where one or
two men are shouldering the duties
of whole state like North Dakota
with its immense area, 100000 people
and all it's varied interests with but
single representative. Imagine if
you can where his rest and recreation
is coming in.I And in this connec,
tion permit me to say that it is very
doubtful if any district in the union
has got in congress new beginner
in congressional life who is more
thoroughly equipped or more deter
mined in his purpose to look after
the welfare ! of his people than
Thomas f. Marshall, your present
representative. A thorough man of
business in the prime of life with a
trained mind and steady nerve
thoroughly familiar with every foot
OF his immense territory and with
the needs of his people. He knows
just what is demanded and is ready
for action upon any and every prop
osition in any way relating to his
state and as resourceful as the state
he represents. Although this is his
first term and he has been but three
months in the harness, yet he is well
known in the; departments and has
the confidence and respect of his fel.
low members.
Just at present he is directing
special efforts in the interests of
opening the old Fort Totten, or as
some call it, Devils Lake reservation
to settlement. This is proposition
that has been agitated for many years