The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-22
UNITED STATES SENATORS
HAVE NO BEDS OF EASE

| The latter duty is usually the first OF the
day No man not familiar with condl-
| lions in Washington can have concep-
ton OF the amount of this department
work which each senator is called upon
| to perform. In cases where the two sena-
tors from a state work together in har-
mony it is possible to divide the burden
to some extent, but even then each man S
share is heavy where the full burden
! falls upon one senator as it does in
| some instances, or where there exists a
| rivalry or feud, the burden is a heavy one
| for each who assumes 1t. There are a
| few men in the senate-very few-who
are either excused by their constitu-
| encies from attending to the claims and
| interests of individual citizens of their
states or who are able to ignore such
| calls; the old-time senator who now
| figures in history a statesman was
| able to do this. but the senator of today
| has a multitude of such demands a con-
stantly increasing, never diminishing pile
of them.
| This is largely duo to the way In which
| the influence Of the sena torial Office has
| been built up In Washington. The prece-
| dence given to senators in all the depart
ments of the government may have its
| compensations. but it carries with 1t re-
sponsibilties and burdens Not only is
| Incfe multitude or QlTeCL appears lioIIi
| constituents, but when a representative
! is anxious for prompt action upon cases
submitted to him he more often than
s., otherwise enlists the assistance of one
of the senators from his state. All doors
| in Washington open to the senator. He
is regarded by department heads and di-
vision chiefs a person to cultivate The
| representative, with his two-year term. is
| looked upon for at least two terms as a
| bird of passage; after that. especially
| if he is of the dominant party or if he
| is a member Of the standing committee
| having to do with that particular de-
| partment. he begins to have influence
| The whole system in Washington has
tended to building up senatorial influence,
| however; and while the senator's I'M
doubtedly enjoy ths-bcing human--they
do not rejoice over the consequent bur
dens.
AS | have said, the demands are not
| confined to one district as is the case
| with the representatives. but they come
| from every corner of the state The num-
Der of these, and their varied character,
would surprise you. 1t is good business
on the part of a senator to attend to
each of these, no matter how trivial It
may seem, promptly. Every man believes
his particular case of supreme impor-
lance, and it is-to him. none can be ig
nored; delays are dangerous here as else
where. The wise senator knows that
personal call from him is worth any num-
Der of letters, so he goes from depart
ment to department as the needs of con-
stituents demand. Washington Is a city
of magnificent distances, the department
buildings are quite widely scattered. and
to get about kills lot of time There Is
scarcely a day when a senator does not
have to visit one or more of the depart
ments One would think that Senator
Tom Plat, whose control of the repubN-
can party of New York is absolute. would
feel able TO ignore this department work;
but though very feeble almost tottering,
he attends to these duties religiously.
AT Il o'clock the senate sessions begin.
The standing committee meet at 10 OF II
not all of them, of course. but there
isn't day that each senator hasn't some
committee meeting to attend In the
busiest times, the big committees meet
morning and afternoon. From Il until 2
Is what is known as the senate's morn
ing hour" During this the routine bust
ness IS attended to-bills introduced,
memorials presented, resolutions of
rious kinds considered, and some pend
ing measures of Importance discussed.
At . o'clock, the regular order" some
measure which the senate has decided
must hold the boards until disposed Of,
bate of the day begins.
Not until now have senator's had a
breathing spell. Those not engaged In
the debate take hasty luncheon-usually
a very simple one-and then, unless they
have important committee work on hand,
find opportunity to devote some time
to their correspondence. No matter how
capable secetary a man may have, he
must devote much personal attention to
his correspondence. always heavy
II the debate is important, he must put
off his correspondence until after ad-
journment, which usually comes about
$50 or 6. Then an hour or more with his
secretary, and then dinner
| 1t is probably true that more often than
otherwise a senator's secretary is with
him for some time at night Not always
but certainly at such times as he is pre-
| pairing a set speech upon some subject
| in which he Is Interested. 1t is only at
! night that senators can find time for
reading and the study of the big sub
| jects up for consideration. The preIar-
| ing for debates, the study of the live is
sues-this might properly be called the
real business for which a senator is
sent to Washington; and yet, as l have
| endeaVored to show, the only time he can
! find for this is time which ought to be
! devoted to rest. There is scarcely one of
! the real, live working senators who does
| not burn the midnight oil over his work
A senator's Job is one carrying with It
much honor. and almost any of us would
submit to having it forced upon him.
| But It's no soft snap.