The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-11
HOT AIR BY MAIL
Thousands of Tons of Mental Matter Ready For Shipment
 to the Dear "Peepul."
By United PreSs.)

Washington, June H.
 Anybody who walks through the corridors of the House Office Build ing these days doesn't need any fur ther reminder of the fact that this is campaign year.
 Plies of mail bags clutter the halls of the building and extra clerks are pressed into service to assist in the mailing of literature to the folks back home all of which literature is design ed to draw attention to the fact that their representative in Congress is on the job.
 It has been more than usually "talky'' in the House this session. Members feel inclined to voice their views on pretty nearly everything un- der the sun. Leave to print" has been granted oftener than usual. And all this adds to the weight of litera- ture being prepared for home con- sumption.
 To the desire of members to get into print on all topics is attributable in part at least, the length of the pres ent session of Congress. It is cam paign year and no representative in tends to let an opportunity go by to deliver his views.
 These same speeches of course are printed in the Congressional Record. But the Record only gives them a linl- ited circulation. When the represen- tative decides that folks back home shall know of that bit of oratory, he has the Government Printing Office print the speech in leaflet form, and sends the tracts broadcast through his district, under his frank. It only costs his "clerk hire' to address envelopes.
 There have been other evidences of the love which members bear the dear folks at home during the present ses- sion. An attempt was made to print a million copies of a very interesting publication recently issued by the De- partment of Agriculture, it was pop ularly called "Uncle Sam's Cook Book the million to be for use of Sena- tors and Representatives. Another CO., terie of members tried to secure an increased appropriation for farmers bulletins. During the winter the Agri- cultural Department was kept busy sending out seeds in response to mem- ber's requests.
 The most convincing evidence of all that this is campaign year, however, comes in the anxiety with which members regard the votes, as chron- icled in the Record. The member knows that the newspapers and the Record tell his constituents just how he votes on such and such a proposi- tion. He knows that his folk will want to know how he votes and if his name isn't recorded either as an aye or a no, just why he wasn't on hand to vote. It, therefore, has become not at all unusual to have a member arise in the vote to show that he was un- able to be present on account of ill., ness. Congressmen are fnfcky about pairs" too.
 These are individual efforts. Of course, the congressional campaign committees cull through the Record and take extracts from various speeches which they think make good campaign reading and incorporate them into a Handbook for the infor- nation of the voter. Usually a good fat bill providing for nice public build ings in various cities where things don't look promising is also pulled through. If a. member is Repub- lican and a Regular, he can usually count on the powers that be, giving him a little boost of this sort-a new postoffice for Squeedunk, which really doesn't need a building, but whose townspeople are tfckled to think how much "pulI,'' their honorable repre- sentative must have.
 When the campaign is actually on in full force, the congressional cam paign committees apportion speakers. This campaign will probably be par ticularly hard on the committees, both Democratic and Republican, since con- tributions aren't coming in as fast as they might. It costs money to run the campaigns and the assessment on each member has grown into a pretty sum.
 But the visitors to the House these days can hear more soothing talk about the 'toilers'' and the Com mon People" and the rights of man. and all that than at any other sea-