Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-09-21
coMoREssMEN's VACATIONS
Some Hunt or Fish, But Many Prac-
tice Law or Mend Their Po-
Htical Fences.

The summer vacations of senator's
and representatives are not what some
people think they are. To the aver
age individual the senator and
representative works" six or seven
months one year and three months tho
next. They are prone to doubt wheth-
err he works" at all, as they have
visions Of him being tardy IN his at
tendance on morning prayers at high
noon and then spending the balance OF
the day swapping stories in the cloak
rooms and eating extravagant lunches
with more or less mystery as to the
contents of his tea cup. And they are
convinced that when congress ad-
journs the national legislators rush OF
to the mountains, to the seashore and
to every variety of vacation resort,
there to loll about in luxurious ease or
in strenuous sport.
The fact Is, says the Washington
Star, the man who holds seat In the
senate or in the house Of representa-
tives has many things to think about
in the summer time that do not smack
of vacation ease. There are only
few of the men who hold these posi-
tons who have very secure tenure
on their places, and the good old sum-
mer time Is largely devoted to the
mending Of fences by many Of them.
Nearly every man Of them has to con-
=, &c hof
terly impossible to get that public
building or that river or harbor I'M
provement. They have to explain to
a thousand men and women the diff
culties of securing public office under
the civil service system, and to per-
suade them that they have done all
that mortal man could do In order TO
promote their ambitions to serve their
country In some Job little better than
they ever occupied previously. There
are local faction fights, too, that have
to be discussed, and interests mat have
to be harmonized In order TO avoid
disruption of the political machine on
the next election day. Two years is
an awfully short time between political
drinks, as every representative In
congress can testify. In these ways
the vacation months of many states
man are whiled away.
There is still another and quite as.
exacting a task to be considered by
many OF these men who figure in the
public eye. Not a few Of them are
hard pressed for money all the time.
Every two years their campaign ex-
penses have to be met, and 1t is not
unusual for that drain on their In
comes to consume half of what they
receive from the government IN a
year. For that reason the lawyers, es-
pecially, expect to keep some sort Of
connection with an Office at home and
to make good in it during the vacation
months. They have partners who
keep the business running, aud they
come into especially important cases
and lend their prestige to the entire
undertaking.
Other men have private interests
that are neglected during the time they
are In congress. They are bankers,
read estate men, professional men Of
all classes, and men of large interests
of every kind. They have generally
been accustomed 10 keeping in touch
with their business affairs, and they
feel uneasy when they leave them for
six months legislative duty In Wash
ington. When congress adjourns they
have to take up the thread Of their
affairs and to straighten out all sorts
of tangles. Some Of them find that
other men are gradually absorbing
their interests, and that their pres
ence at the capital was costly honor.
But there are also large class Of
men who are enabled by the employ
ment Of high-priced secretaries and
other assistants to attend to their con-
stituents' wants and to keep in touch
with all their affairs without great
personal labor or inconvenience. These
men frequently drift away from their
legislative duties. and into the al
lurements Of vacation days, without a
care worth considering.