The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular CorrespondentJ
Washington, Jan, q, 1903.

Washington, Jan. 81, 1903.
To be Member Of Congress, rep
resentative of the people Is, perhaps,
a worthy ambition, but II Is an expen-
sive one True, the salary IL SO, 900 a
year, mileage to and from each session
and some incidental perquisites, but
the demands made upon Congress
men are 80 great that twice that sal
airy would hardly suffice to enable one
to meet them and lay by something
for rainy day
A Representative whose term ex-
pires in March tells "A tale Of woe in
this connection that may point NOR
al Five years ago this gentleman
was a prosperous lawyer in a small
town, his income Melted him abe at
$4,000 a year and on this he lived com
fortably with his family in one Of the
incest houses in the place and had
saved quite tidy sum Of money. AZ
n leading attorney in the county he
naturally took quite an interest in
politics and as a reward for servises to
his party he was nominated and cleo
ed to Congress
He and his wife thought their fort
une made, for with ~, 900 year they
estimate they would be able to save
at least 50, 100 and still live in excel
ent style, besides there was the op.
portuuity for him to blossom out into
position of political note If not into
fame az a statesman, while for his wife
then arose the dream Of becoming one
Of the queens OF society. There was
also young daughter to be launched
upon Il career of social success in the
Capital OF the Nation and the parents
had unexpressed hopes of catching n
millionaire, n foreign diplomat or an
army officer for a 7Ou-in-law
Vain dreams Not one OF these
happened When they first arrived
In Washington they took apartments
at n fashionnble hotel, but in less than
a month discovered that n Congress.
mans salary would not be enough to
pay even the hotel bills. They decid
ed to take a house for the season, ana
while looking for suitable one, took
up their abode in smaller and less
pretentious hostclcry
They wished TO Ont crtain, they
thought their dignity required hand
some residence in the fashionable
quarter Of the city and they had 10
trouble in finding a suitable house,
but the rental alone was $4,000 year
BY this time they had learned that
clother, household expenses, servants
and the like could not be paid far out
the 1000 which would be- lrir to them
md they wisely determined to remain
~ their little hul,l
Farewell to the social ambitions Of
the wife, farewell to the hospitabla
incinationa of the Congressman, they
must settle down to receive such soc
lai faVOrs as come To Representatives
by virture of his Office without hope
of ever being ab le to return the same
This particular Representative has
now served two terms. During all
this time he and his family have lived
IN economically ~ possible in THEN
and SO far from saving munel
out of his salary he has actually been
obliged to draw upon the little fund
he had saved up in the bank at home
The home people, bless them, never
'alled to call upon him to contribute
to every charity, for was he not in
receipt of the prlncoly salary of -, 900
to which they had elected him?
And in the same way ne saw his
hopes of the political preferment
gradually melt into thin air, He could
not get recognition from the Speaker
to deliver his thought, upon any mea-
sure unless he first explained his posi-
ton, and even In that case the chances
were that one of the leaders of the
House had announced his int9nsion
to speak upon the same slbJect and
his time must be limited even if ne
could get the floor In tie end ne
drfted into the condition OF the vast
majority of Congressman, mere ma
| chimes TO carry ont the policy of the
party leaders, men with vote but
with almost no voice in national al
| fairs
This gentleman has refused fur
Their tenn and feels certain pity tor
| his successor