The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-27
CONGRESSMAN
GETTING FESTIVE
Dent Like to Stay in Washing
ton While Things Are
Moving.
THEY WANT TO GET HOME
AND MANAGE CONVENTIONS
The Salary Question Is Always
One to Attract Keen
Interest.
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.

Washington May 26 1895.
Many Senator'S and Representatives feel thai
thcy have been badly treated by the fates
which have elected that they should remain
here in Washington rather than be oway
where they can attend 10 their own ahairs
and particularly this year their political of-
fairs are most engaging. For "fatcs" read
railway rate bill" for II Is that measure
that has kept them hero so long. Two years
ago tho appropriation bills were passed and
Congress was away by April II. A great deal
of legislation was left hung up but II was
Presidential year. and politics was of more
interest than legislation. This year members
who have lights on their hands would hke
10 be home, where they can attend To their
interests. They do not like To be away whcn
Congress Ia in session, although mony do go
away. and tho slim attendance In the House
is accounted for by tho fact that political
fences ara out OF repair. recent vote IN the
House showed that 155 members were recorded
1s not voting" That meant that they were
absent These abscntees paired, OF courses
Some are III and others are away because OF
illness in their families. but the long list of
nbssntees is made up principally OF men VINO VINO
looking after their re-eloctions. OFTEN
times the point of no quorum" is made In
tho House and the Speaker has some Difficult
ty In counting half the membership, which
constitutes quorum TO do business
Like to Get Away.
The average member roollzes that In going
home 10 look after his political aftolrs, he is
euh1ect TO criticism. and that his enemies say
that be ought TO be ut Washington attending
10 his duties. II Congress would adjourn and
leave him free 20 attend to his business ar
fairs without being accused OF neglecting
public business, he would be better pleased.
1t con be seen that the average Congressman
has a real grievance against tho "fates' which
have compelled him to either sacrihc his po-
,litical interests duty The Senators do not
caro- much although most OF them have
picked out few pleasnnt-like places that
would bo much more agreeable to them than
the daily duty In the Senate Now, all Sen
ntors and Representatives arc by no means
included In this class az people who would
like 10 ndJourn Congress early. There arc
come who would be willing to remain hero for
several months longer but they arc not In tho
majority.
Whenever there is a big day in the Senate
there are sure 10 be crowds In the galleries for
day or two following, IL seems TO be tho
idea Of the general public that outburst
: one day VIII be continued for several days.
And invariably there Is disappointment. II
IS doubtful II one exciting day In the Senate
is repeated. Ono day OF debate any great
question or lively topic seems to exhaust the
Senate. Perhaps 1t would be mors accurate
TO cay that wiser coungels prevail after one
OF the violent exhibitions OF temper md out
bursts Of feeling. and that those who hnvc
been conspicuous in wrangles day do not
caro- 10 continue them the next In fact, SEN
ate wranglcs are not continuous performances
by any means. Crowded galleries. therefore
often look down on tame proceedings.
Interest in Salaries
Either branch of Congress can become
aroused over n question Of salaries Discus
s.
sions. Cabinet officers any OF tho Govern
ment officials viii arouse intense interest and
generally winds up with tho comparison with
salaries paid Senators and Representatives.
with the result that increases arc not often
made At least. increases not general for
those whose salaries average about the samo
as paid 10 Congressman. There Representa-
tiyes OF the States and people do not seem TO
think that many other people arc entitled 10
moro pay than they are Yet they do not
voice their convictions to the extent Of voting
an increase for themselves. Tho truth "a ably
n Tha Jzrt1n
asked why they did not vote themselves bet
2 ter pay: and he replied; Because wo want to
graves
Cooper's Forecast.
Henry a. Cooper OF Wisconsin known to
those who like him we'll as Hal Cooper, and
ers OF the House as ''Kicker' Cooper va,
new man In the Fifty-third Congress BUT
after he had been elected nc came TO Wash
ington and looked over the last davS of the
Fifty second Congress. In that Congress- were
& Two men, both connparatIycIy youne wbo
. attracted the attention OF the Wisconsin man
and he wrote home about them. He had con-
siderable to say FIRST OF the giants OF that
Lme-Rced. Crisp. Turner. Culberson. w L.
Wilson and some othcrs-and then predicted
that the country would hear from Joseph w
Bailey OF Te&ns and William j Bryan OF
Nebraska. IL WAS a very good prediction
bryan was twice tho nominee OF his party for
President, and Bailey was leader Of his party
Ia the House for two terms. and is the virtual
leader OF his party in the Senate now. OF
1ouIhes hotn OF phesc young had ed
considerable attention during the nrst session.
Ihcy wero men who made places for them
selvc5 regardless OF circumstances or sur
no wrote back TO- Wisconsin in lSs5 10 show
that he knew something anout men
Chandler's Opportunity.
Il knew Bill Chandler would have 10 muss
into this rate bin legislation remafrkcd a
Senator who had served some years in tho
senate with the versatile and eyer-actIve man
from New Hampshire Why. he Gould not
~ fgh xtlfh
inc subject lie wanted 10 have a hand In 1t
70 be doing something. 1t II pity from a
had Chandler with as during the rulIroad ratio
night. we may never have passed a bin, bat
day by day"
And that thought recalls the fact that II
Chandler had been retained IN the Senate he
would have been chairman OF the Interstate
Commerce committee instead of EIlIins. 1t was
the defeat OF Chandler and tho death OF G X
DaNis oil Minnesota that gave Eeins his boost.
CIllom went to the head OF Foreign Relations
n nnd nsnne ana wn3 wa, was Rest would not give
Here Is another fact in the same connection
When Tom Garter came 10 the Senate he got
place on 1nterstnte Commerce. He did not
like IL particularly we'll and Elkins wanted tho
psase, $50 SO i,,o SWAP wa was made Eiklns giving
S~~ Territories for Interstate Commerce
Senatorial Forbearance.c
1t ia said that the Senate showed great for
bearance when II refused TO insrease the num-
Der OF Interstate Commerce commissioners In
nino instead OF Ave. at present What was
the Senate thinking about asked ono man.
What a place II would be Tor Senatorial
dead ducks Every campaign a number
OF this kind OF fowl about tho Senate and tho
Interstate Commerce commission would be n
good place for them" OF course there IS all
ways desire the part of Senators TO take
care of their comrades who have missed con-
nectops with their people and are the point
OF retiring to private life. In 1901 President
Mckinley took caro- OF flvc from the SEN
ate who had been decorated with tho pre0x
"ex." by giving them places on commissions
where they continued tho payroll Mr..
Roosevelt IL kindly disposed TO the dead
ducks" but he has not had many places that
exactly fitted them, although some have been
given places
Sacramento for Irrigation.
'fi7r long and Interesting fight law hos
nnaliy passed which provides for the diversion
- 10 waters of the Sacramento river, Cali
f"r,a for irrigation purposes. Tho contest
t7e Involved the navigation OF the Sacramento
Iiycr. something that is not very important
traffic by steamer that stream above a
certain point Is not OF any consequence A,
oil events the army engineers. who have
ohnrre Of rivers and harbors and navisablc