Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-03
DUTIES OF A
CONGRESSMAN.
SECRETARY SHAW GIVES HIS
VIEW IN A POLITICAL ADDRESS
AT cLARlNDA
WHAT A STATESMAN is

Conception That Man Does Any
thing Except With an Eye to PoIiti-
cal Preferment-Not the Standard.
Clarinda, Nov. lin an address de-
livered here last evening, Secretary
Shaw spoke particularly of the duty Of
a congressman and paid high tribute
to Representative William Peters Hep
burn, in whose home city he was talk
ing.
TO be a congressman and represent
two hundred thousand American citi-
zens in the legislative councils Of the
nation is a great calling" said the sec
rotary. "It should not be termed a
profession, and it must not be consid-
cred a trade. The fathers builded wise
wisely than they knew They planned
a representative government and not
democracy.
In harmony with the thought Of the
founders of our government the cleo
tors Of a given precinct meet and Sc
lect limited number, presumably
from the better informed of the pre-.
cinct. to represent all of the same poll
tical faith at county convention Here
similarly selected men from all the pre-.
cincts of the county gather, and from
this body of the better informed Of
their representative precincts select
presumably the best informed to repre-
sent all of that faith at congressional
convention. Here representatives
and well-informed men similarly Sc
lected from all the various counties of
the district meet and canvass the stu
alton and after due deliberation select,
by ballot, a candidate to represent the
district. The party he represents is
successful at the polls, and he Is elect
ed. By this election hitherto private
citizen is invited to step out from his
law Office, his store, his bank, or his
farm, and to give himself to the study
of statecraft.
Goes to Washington.
"I+ is a great thing to be thus COM
missioned. Our friend now goes to
Washington and there meets approx
mately two hundred others similarly
selected and holding like commissions,
who agree with him politically, and
about the same number, sometimes
more and sometimes less, who disagree
with him politically. Here government
al questions are presented, discussed
views exchanged, and votes recorded.
How should our friend vote? He
represents primarily district and sec
ondly the whole country. 1t is mani
testify his duty to listen to the advice
of every well-balanced, intelligent man
Of his district, and also to every un'
balanced ignorant man of his district
if such there be. The expressions OF
opinion from these sources are to be
considered and given due weight But
how shall our friend vote? Shall he
hold himself responsive to every wave
Of popular sentiment which may affect
his immediate constituents or shall he
rise in his manhood and intelligence
and SO speak and SO vote as, In his
judgment, will best conserve the in
terests of the people he primarily re
presents by best conserving the whole
country? If analyze the situation
correctly. it is his duty to act always
in harmony with his party on funda
mental political principles, and to dis
sent from the policy Of majority o.
his political associates only when com
PEELED so to do by an abiding convic
ton. In helping to shape the course
1 Of his party he must voice his owl
Judgment even though it runs contrary
| to temporary local sentiment.
| May Cross Constituents.
| Having been commissioned to study
public questions, and having been 6
a student Of statecraft, he has a right
to assume that he understands what
is involved in pending measures some
what better than the average man o.
his district, however much time he
may have given thereto, and much
better than the man of his district who
has been admittedly intensely en-
crossed with his own individual affairs
| II he rises to this plane he will some
| times record his vote otherwise thar
| the majority of his constituents will
desire. This he will regret, but will
be controlled not thereby but by hi!
enlightened judgment.
! But our friends commission is no
yet fulfilled. Having been called t.
the study of statecraft he is likewise
called to be teacher of statecraft
/ His constituents have sent him to ,
great political normal school, and it il
now his duty to return to those VIII.
sent him and instruct them in matter
1 political and to teach the relation be
tween public questions and the nor
NAL, the commercial and the indus
!, trial interests of his district and of tn,
country at large.
Produces Statesmen.
"Some years ago was at Lexing
ton, KY, and heard the older citizen
tell with commendable pride Of tn,
days when they used to meet Henri.
Clay at the Ohio river and bear hin
home amid an escort of admirini
friends. They showed me the balloon
!, Of the old hotel from which the grea
statesman of his time used to instruc
the people of the hour. Such cours
!, continued through term of years vii
| tot