Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-08
WHAT is A CONGRESSMAN
By Frederic j. Haskin.

and from now many dluerent points Oh view is
he supposed to be able to consider and UNDER
stand them?
These are questions that a good many con-
gressmen are asking themselves. The number of
things that a congressman is nowadays called
upon to do, besides attending to legislation, is
enough to appall any strong man. Besides that,
consider the number of laws to which he is ex-
pected to devote his attention. Inc popular
theory of government in this country is that II
there is anything the matter with anything or
anybody, the remedy is to pass a law about IT.
We have piled up a mountain of laws. and each
year the mountain az grows u more grow una fbe less COM one
sideration does each of the laws get. The iegls-
iators who are supposed to be carefully consid-
ering these laws never heard of most or them.
Whittier does this process lead?
In devising the American government, 1t Is
highly probable that the fathers of the country
had no idea of the way in which the functions
OF some of the officers of the government woulo
be expanded and degraded. They had the idea
in their innocent bewigged heads that congress
would meet once every year, each second ses-
sion beins a short one, and that each congress-
man and senator would devote himself to max
ing laws. Some cynical present-day members OF
congress suggest that these wise old statesmen
intended that congress should meet to prevent
laws from being enacted-at least TOO many Oh
them. II this was their purpose, their success
os in the halls of the national legislature nave
failed miserably.
A senator OF a representative was intended In
the original plan to be a dignlfled gentleman WHO
would come to Washington to deliberate over
the state of the union, and after sage consuta-
ton with his colleagues, enact a rev mastery
statutes which would lay the foundauon ll c y
tinuing the peace, progress and prosperity OF tns
nation. Naturally, the Halls of Congress woulo
be the outlet for more or less oratory py gentie-
men who felt an irrepressible urge in TINS oirec.
lion. This was expected, tolerated, and, II ~
was really good, applauded and widely quoted
throughout the narrow confines or the new ma
ton. H.,
From the very beginning the scope or the ou-
ties falling upon the shoulders OF those mdkins
M the American congress, particularly the lower
branch, has increased steadily. Inc Gonstnto
ents making up many districts nave tallen mt
the habit of using their representatVes IN S SH
ington for every errand and favor they can thlhk
nm to ask him. The volume of law enactment
takes so much time and has grown to sucn pro
portions, too, that rarely indeed can a melnoer
And time to devote to any private business or en-
terprise. The long adjournment OF cohsress
from March 4 until the first Monday IN Deceins
her is an almost forgotten thing. In the rush OF
present day affairs and for many years Pdst ~
has been necessary for the president 10 aaseIi
BILE the congress in extraordinafy Session = IN the
up urgent matters which would not wait IN .he
midst of this rush, the members OF the House
have to keep in touch with AFFAIRS IN theIr no mhs
districts in order that they may keep thelr JOBS
as election day for them comes every TWO years
Particularly at this time, with the lnausuaas
ton of a Republican regime atter elsht riff
amount of additional pressure on every meniper
of congress. Constituents, usually aiWays the
long Republicans" are seeking to dislodse tne
Democrats holding governmental oftices ana
take the position themselves. Inc Jops iol 1ne
most part are in the hands or the eAeEueise ~ ~
ma rt ments. there are usually many applicants lor
each one, and thus the congressman IS causnl
in the lam between the job and the appncaht.
with little patience exhibited by the eaIhese
seeker for a place on the federal payroll II there
is any delay or failure on the part OIL III ooA-
gresham in landing him there.
The UNFORTUNATE Constituent.
The county congressman usually has a haraer
time than the man representing a Guy u. uar
In many instances II Is sale - 81 idea of the
name of the man they sent to Washihs'om ~
represent their district in congress. a s tbev
many do not know the district - wnlca sm aoft
live. A man gets a package of gapden seeds sem
to him from Washington and IN rare oaSeS % 4he
note the name of the eohgIessa araa in in len Of
a stamp. This man often is loud In denounclng
congress for wasting time and money ana
the nations business, but he doesn't .ahe
enough real interest in the matter TO Kho" VINO
he voted for, il he did vote. o,+s
IL II should happen that this man wants
something, though, he makes haste to ind out
his congressman's name, and writes TO ni nm a.
one of his ardent supporters, demanding TINS o.
that favor as a return for his support. lie may
want a lob as consul, at some remote point, ne
has heard OF. he may want 10 BE a pon't to lend
his expert hand to the direction OF the AFFAIRS OF
state. s.uio+ which
Is not lust a section of a large city gets a contin-
nal bombardment, however. The people IN MS
district know who he is, and use tneip nnop
edge to the utmost. They make demanus upon
him by mail for everything. under the sun
seeking political preferment' flower seeus, pi
ness advantages, passports, almost eNeiS'nA"e
else that can be imagined. su+ &C.
The mail deluge is sufficiently trying, put OIL
ten these constituents come TO WashinSton.
ing entirely strange to the CITY IL 10
thew do not scruple to depend upon cohstess.
man as a guide, There have been cases Where
visiting constituents have come to Washlnsson
with mans consisting only of knowing what DAY
thev must leave, and calling upon the Hiah theS
elected as their representative 10 slt cow rinit
map out an entertaining ana INSTRUCTIVE '"
for them while in the nations capltai.
A state of mind of the nation has come 70 auu
still further burdens to the bending shoulders %
the average member of congress. me heeu ~
rapidly enacted legislation of all kinds aurihs
the war resulted in building up the conVlctI<
in MANY sections of the country that there ID q
legislative cure for every real or lahcleo eVL
that exists. In hard times, the naive sussesttoh
| that a law be passed to print more paper hoies
is not unknown. Fanatics OF all Sorts pour IN.
cessant pleas upon congress for TINS OF ma
drastic law enactment, doletuliy toretenlms -;
ruin of the nation If their demands are MOI
needed forthwith. ~.
This wear all of this is taking place IN tne
midst of the important Legislation Whicn llNaiI
lably follows a change in the poiitlcai NJ pnsn
ion of the party in power. The tarlH Is peins
/ changed, and the tax bill is being revised Inn
means that every kind OF business being carried
| situation placed before congress-, elther Win my
plea that the raw materials essential 10 II shal
be admitted to the country free OF import uuty
or that the finished product from Iorelsh III
| shall be excluded by a tar1ff wall. IN ~ ma.
fer of taxes, it is but natural that every hiho ~
! business should seek legislation favorable TO 1t
self and this year has been no exception. Whei
~ ;s considered that Congress will be held re
Isponsible in large part for any degree OIL ialiur'
in the governments economy EFFORTS, ana ina
, urinary elections are impending III MANY states
1t becomes difficult to belleVe that lne peith U