Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-31
Star Bureau,
Metropolitan National Bank Bldg.
WASHINGTON, MAR. 81.

| star. BUREAU
Metropolitan National Bank Bldg.
WASHINGTON, MAR. 81.
/ With Congress getting back to be-
gin work next week, interest in legis-
lation will divide time with the
patronage hunt that has been
monopolizing attention since March
4. With a member on the Sena-
ate finance committee, New Jer-
.sey will take a more prominent
place in consideration of the tariff,
which is to be the first question given
consideration, than that State has oc-
cupied in national legislation for
many years.
1t is pretty generally taken for
granted that Congress will be in ses-
sion nearly all summer, and new
members are very busy just now with
heuse-hunting and settling. The new
congressman in Washington, hunting
place to live, is a rather pathetic
tsight. too. He is fair prey for real
estate agents, and houses that would
rent to sophisticated persons at fifty
dollars a month are made to him to
appear great bargains at a hundred
dollars.
There is an ancient tradition that
members of Congress, and men hold
ing official positions, must maintain a
social standing in Washington that
costs very much money and makes it
| almost impossible for poor man to
take the job. This tradition lives
mainly, so far as | have been able to
discover, for the benefit of the real
1 In nd
Western Members Live Cheapiy.
There really isn't any reason why g
Congressman should live any differ
emily or spend any more money II
| washington than he does at home
| Members from the rural districts OF
the West, here to work, and with ne
| false and foolish notions about thell
/ place in Society" OF their main
| tenance of social standing, do live
here as cheaply as anywhere else, ant
as we'll for the money, and there are
numerous congressman of this typ'
who save a good part of their salaries
every year.
| But there are many men who com'
to Congress who have no particular
| interest in the job, are rather hazy al
to what they are here for, and ge
| into trouble at once. job Jones, fol
instance, may have been small con
tractor back home. in some htti'
Eastern town. Through an accident
he was elected to Congress. The rep
resentative in the next district Il
Ebenezer Smallclothes, a wealthy law
yer or manufacturer At home Jone:
had only bowling acquaintance will
Smallclothes. Their wives had nevel
met. Jones lived in little six-roon
/ house in q modest suburb, and Small
clothes owned a big mansion IN
fashionable part of town. Jones woult
no more have thought of belonging II
/ the exclusive clubs to which Small
clothes belong than he would hav'
| thought of keeping the same kind O
an automobile, or than his wife wouls
have thought of wearing the SAM
kind of clothes.
In Congress, though, Jones and
| Smallclothes became acquainted
Jones was new Smallclothes Offered
him advice as to. where to live. Onc'
Jones and his wife had visited Wash
| ington and spent two or three day!
at a comfortable old hotel, where tns
rate was SO a day, American plan
and they liked it. Smallclothes never
heard of the old hotel and recon-
mended either the Willard or Shore
ham, where the Joneses went, took