Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-26

in his answer.
Very WE'LL he said; Il agree with
you and will be prepared Z .s5
1t was the direct self-sacrificing
spirit of the Spartan, or of some of our
own Americans in our heroic periods.
And yet happened personally to
know that he himself was carrying the
burden of one of the great legislative
tasks of the session; that for many
nights he had been working until far
into the morning hours on the duties
Immediately before him; and finally
that the critical moment in the affairs
of which he had charge was almost at
hand. But he assumed the additional
labor which kept him in his library
nearly all that night in obedience to
his sense of duty to the welfare of the
American people whose faithful ser
want he was and is.
This grand old man has not been to
the theater or any other place of en-
tertainment for the last two sessions.
He seldom attends the endless round
of dinners which so distract the atten-
ton, consume the time, and impair
the health Of the peoples servants
Washington. In short, he is giving his
life and consecrating his large abili-
ties to his country. Yet, it was and il
all that this admirable type of Ameri-
can statesman could do to make both
ends meet. .s
There is another senator well known
to the whole country who lives in two
small rooms on the top floor Of an
apartment house, These two little.
rooms cost him nearly a thousand dol
liars a year unfinished. So this sen
ator must spend one-ffth of his salary
| each year before he has place IT,
!, lay his head. Like Senator Hoar and
/ the other notable example just given,
! this senator never gives dinners, never
.entertains, seldom goes to the theater,
/ and lives in self-denial that would
not be believed by the people of his
own state. He has no family what
ever and there are no extraordinary
drains on his pocket Yet am cred
fibly informed that it costs him at least
| 81, 900 a year more than his salary to
pay the absolutely necessary expenses
fof existence and travel. And / could
give several other Illustrations as
Istriking as this. For example, one Of
i the oldest, most useful, and most hon
.ifored men in the senate lives in a
simple single room in one of the
cheapest hotels.
1t would be quite out Of the question
for any of these men to live at any OF
i the great Washington hotels. Here
are some of the prices of the best OF
the nations capitals carayansaries:
] Willard hotel, one room without board
! $3.50 per day and upward-no reduc
a ton made for renting by the month
8 The prices at the Arlington hotel are
4 substantially the same as the Willard
j for rooms. Meals are not quite SO eX-
l5pensive. Raleigh hotel, So per day and
upward for one room without board.
And mind you, too, these prices are
i for the room itself without meals
and these the cheapest, least comfort
d able and seryiceable rooms in the no
tel. The meals are more expensive
than the rooms because friends are
constantly dropping in, and the pub
n lie man cannot be niggardly with his
Il constituents visiting Washington. And
this is but the actual bed and board
y expenses-the outlay at the loves
possible estimate for merely keeping
\. alive 81 s
I None of these things is known to thu
American people. All of them shoult
ibe known by the American people
They are causes which are working al
.t infinitely important change in our gov
eminent. doubt whether any prac
J, tical situation exists more seriou:
j, than this or fraught with more pro
& found consequences to the American
people. The government is passins
into the hands of the rich; the poo
man or man of mod erate means is be
/ ing crowded out Of the peoples ser
i vice.
J, You will say at once that such
scale Of living is absurd. and ! say s.
! too; that it is fagrantly wrong, and
say so too. And it is to call the at
Z tention of the nation to this concrete
IS Immediate, growing, and critical eyi
i that j am writing these words. Le
me repeat again that it is becoming
every day more difficult for any b fu
{ a rich man, and a very rich man
] that, to live in comparative decency i
; Washington.
What is the reason for this alarm
! ingIy extravagant rate Of living at tn
! nations capital, which is rapidly max
J ing it Impossible for poor men TO hav
4 any part In this government # y
B that a constantly increasing humble