The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-27
ccnsressmen Have More 10 do Than
See That the Folks at Home q
Get Packages Every
Year.
THERE rs WORK TO DO.
With Salary Of $500 There is no
Chance Of Becoming Rich While
Holding Down the
Job.

UNITED Press Special Service.l
WASHINGTON, May 27.-The folks
back home, who get packets of seeds,
marked agricultural bulletins, and
general ranked stuff, that comes with
the name of their sterling congress-
man scrolled in a flowing fac-simile
signature, in the place where the
stamp usually is generally cogitate
on the rose lined paths that the said
representative travels.
To them, his course is one of pleas
/ ing, soul satisfying success. They see
him, an heroic figure, addressing an
3attentive band of national lawmakers,
while flunkeys stand GREATNESS,
awaiting his mere word and crowd
| ed gallery of spectators tremble with
emotion. When the congressman
comes home for the summer vacation
Che hasn't had that chance for several
sessions. with tariff and other legisla-
July, at the old settlers picnic, and
/ the Sunday school gatherings, stand.
ing on the flag-draped eminence, ex-
hortfng his hearers to live the higher
| life, answer the call of their better
natures, and adjure the evils of sell
/ fishness that the present age is de-
veloping to a pernicious degree. Incl
dentally they are informed modestly,
but effectively, how valuable to their
/ interest and the interests of the world
at large. their representatives serv,
ices have been during the last con-
gressional session.
i And pa and ma-riding home, or
walking home that night, via buggy,
auto or street car-look fondly at
| little Willie and pray that he too. may
SOME day, come home on the night of
November fourth and proudly am
nounce that he has been elected to
number one of those green backed
chairs that congressman get in the
house of representatives.
| It's a pressing picture of success
that man in public life, who reaches
congress presents ON the surface.
But ,ow different it is underneath!
The ordinary congressman probably
works harder for his salary than any
other person in the country-if he
goes at the Job in a sincere manner.
He has aboOt one thousand things to
do outside OF attending to his duties
! during the house session, and unless
he does them, his requiem is sung
mighty quickly. For all of this he gets
$500 year, about $1,000 for a secre-
/ tary, and few franking perluisites
land some railroad mileage. Out of this
I $500 he must make donations where
| it will bring the most votes. must
save up little to do the campaign ev-
cry two years for reelection, and
must support himself and family with
I a due regard to his position.
Each congressman has an office
and secretary. He must answer
the hundreds OF letters that daily
come to him from constituents, who
want every sort of favor, from a
double allowance of seeds, to some
government bulletin on new fertiliz-
er. He must make trips to depart
ments to see that his districts get the
proper Representations in the matter
of exhibits, that are sent about, and
i to arrange for government demonstra.
! tors at fairs, corn shows and the
like.
And he must take care Of his pat
ronage. Each congressman has his
postoffice patronage, like an old man
1 OF the sea- clinsing to his shoulders.
Then he has the hundred and one
other odd Jobs that the government
iispenses--the rural carriers--and he
must see that he has finger In the
i ME OF new routes-the deputy inter.
4 nal revenue collectors-the deputy
United States marshals- federal build
ings superintendents--i inspectors. For
all OF these places he has probably
ten applicants 70 reach job, and all OF
the applicants have probably helped
I him more or less in getting elected.
When he has shortened his life by
about ten years and made a few dozen
I enemies. the congressman finally re-
lieves the oppression of the appoint
4 ment part Of his Job, and turns his at
tention to the doings of the house
chamber.
RI he comes from the middle west
probably there is bill. introduced BY
an earnest young legislator from the
south that strikes directly at the in
terests of his constituents, Then mus,
he rise and snite verbally and polit.
ically against this burning outrage, =
all the while getting indignant letters
! from back home. inquirng Just why
he stood for this bill ever getting In
the house. Why didn't he kill it?->
! What kind of a guy is he anyhow p
i Does he know what he's there for?
II the bill is defeated, he retires
with honors, but If it goes through the
! Ilotse hA LnnWs that night after ipb,