Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-29
BY JAMES HAY, JR.
I'm the Sunday Magazine }

I'm the Sunday Magazine.)
Once upon a time-this begins IKE
q fairy story; but It isn't one-there
was a young man who earned a scant.
not to say sparse, living by working
in a packing house in a large city.
The duties OF the hero compelled him
to arrive promptly at half past three
o'clock in the morning in the cold
and dreary packing house. where he
had TO indulge in the diversion of
fiinging halves OF butchered beeves
in.a wagons for distribution at butch
or C1ops.
Owing to his conscientiousness, the
yCSng man had always been on time.
Whenever the clock in the old church
tower struck the three-thirty alarm,
young hero bounced TO his job. But,
because of the smaiiness OF his salary,
he had to live On the outskirts of the
city, and 10 save carfare ne formed
the habit OF riding downtown each
morning On a mix wagon Then came
the tragedy. The milk wagon was
late, and the hero showed up at three
forty-five instead OF three-thirty.
The boss turned upon him saw
agely. Wits the meaning of this?
Where do you think you're working, in
a bank?"
This greatly peeved the youth, who
was developing his chest and should
ers at the expense of slaughtered
cattle. He informed a friend at the
TINA thai fndferpo4fO Voc CHROME mi. n.
in him. But he has changed his mind.
The hostility he felt toward that sar-
castle boss has faded away. For
since then the hero has become a new
member OF congress.
And all OF this leads up to the state
ment that a member Of congress, par
ticu.arly a new member, is one of the
hardestworked men in the country
The most delightful water pastl.ne
in such small communities as Pump
kin Crossroads or Squeedunk Gap is
for all the voters TO assemble, fee
foremost. around the stove in the store
and. while cursing their own poverty
and obscurity, envy their representa-
tive in congress for his fame anC
bcrate him for having an easy job, {
gigantic salary, and tremendous dis
regard for his constituents after cleo
ton day.
This is the diversion. tut the rae
IS that the youth who had to go u
work a. three-thirty in the morning
was pretty well fixed when compared
TO the conscientious congressman o
today. In the first place, there are
MAN. congressman who, when thej
work is pressing. don't &c; TO BET
before half past three in the morS:-:iis g
In the second place, the man VIII,
goes 10 Washington as a result of tn,
votes Of the people has about thirty
nine different kinds of work to do.
And there is a shining example o
this in the ccnvening of the Sixty
third congress for revising the tart
and doing any other odd jobs tina
may come along. The city is full G
new congressman. There are now j
the house. under the new apportio.
ment. four hundred and thirty-fv
members instead of three hundred an
ninety-four as was the case in the las
congress. AIDED 10 these are u
ninety-six senators.
The best way to sum up an
describe the wear and tear on ne
because of the work they have 20 d
in the house and senate is 10 say tn.
in the last congress twenty-five
them died-sixteen representative
and nine senators. 1t would be haI
10 find such high mortality rate
any other calling or business.
Here are some of the things wit
which congressman are confronted:
1. To get government jobs for {
many of their constituents as possibl
.. TO keep the disappointed i
seekers from swearing vengeant