Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-30
One Desperate Lawmaker SUD-
geStS Rattle to Satisfy His
Persistent Constituents.

The Honorable Hoke Smith. Junior
senator from Georgia, will leave soon,
ana the Honorable William Schley
! howard, congressman from the Atlanta
olstIlcI already is speeding Washing
tohWard to-day thankful that it costs
money to ride on the Southern Linn
tied and everybody hasn't got the price.
! For the day on the train is the only
vacation from office seekers they have
mad since the glad tidings of a Demo-
cratic victory flashed over the wires
| toward midnight last November.
The senator and the congressman
came home few days ago between
sessions of congress. Usually a sena-
! tor or a congressman comes home to
shake hands with the boys, kiss d few
| babies who arrived since last election
day, and spend a month or so in the
pastime known to politics as keeping
up ones fences" 1t is looked upon as a
| season Of rest, Tumination and rollick-
! ing. But not this time. The senator
and the congressman have been kept
busy seeing their friends. And oh, how
many friends they have gained since
| last November,
Il went out to see Hoke Smith about
a little matter the other day." confded
one more or less well known Albanian
| to reporter to-day. "No, not on poll
! tics. There isn't a government job I'd
| hl EsA--1FplaGg inc
good, and I've had the assurance of
| support in inhuential-well. anyway,
went out to see Hoke Smith, just to
| say howdy and congratulate him.
Office Seekers Crowd Porch.
! There on the broad veranda of his
! West Peachtree home were two dozen
| Georgia Democrats, all lined up wait
ing to ask him for a job. Crowd? Why,
it looked like home funeral just be-
| fore they're ready to bring out the
| corpse. There were Democrats from
Atlanta and Griffin. Savannah and Ra-
bun Gap, Brunswick and Smileys Cross
| Roads. and I'll bet every one was the
original Hoke Smith Wilson man in his
| bailiwick. / passed right on by. ]
knew it wasn't time for friendly chat
Il came back to town and hunted up
| William Schley Howard or Bill, as
always call him. just as he calls me
| Tom. The telephone number OF his
country home had disappeared from the
book. and Information told me he
wasn't among the subscribers. So 1
went up to his office in the Atlanta
National. and there 1 met another
crowd all lined up in the hall like
! small boys the day after the Boy
Wanted ad appears in the evening pa
pers. only il was Job Wanted this
time.
NO, didn't get to see Bill. The
stenogra pier said he probably would be
around later in the day and suggested
that I wait. But when | looked upon
the hungry eyed Democrats lined up IN
the hall I quietly went away.
soIons Up Against It Now.
Sometimes I'm glad I'm not a mem
her of congress. It wasn't so bad IN the
old days, but now
SAY. do you know this Democratic
victory was the wost hard luck that
possibly could happen to Democratic
congressman and senators. just think
what they're up against.
"In the old Republican days all Con-
gresham Jones or Senator Robinson
needed 10 do was to come home, prove
IN the bows that they'd voted straight
Democratic on every bill that came up,
introduced a bill for new pOstohices and
better rural routes in Georgia, taken
ava,.v visitor from home through the
capitoI I'D the Washington Monument
and ont to lunch. and spend the time
between sessions shaking hands and
getting med up for next election day.
.oTbev didn't have an Office to give
away and nobody expected anything Of
them They we're as happy and care
free as paupers when the subscription
rsnAr is passed round. Being in con-
gress vas one roseate dream. BIT
now!
81 did have a talk with one member
from another district, but naturally I'm
NOT going TO tell you which one and
stir IN trouble for him among the
voters But he certainly had hard
luck story.
shudders at Phone Calls.
81 was out on a little trip 800 miles
au-av from his district when met him
in a country hotel. debating letters 70
,is secretary and shuddering every time
the telephone bel rang.
".Dnu'- tell anybody you saw me or
where am he pleaded. This is the
s,..,. ,7s,..s rest I've had since fall. and I