The Nome daily nugget., 1936-02-07
Fruits of Victory
By James J. Montague

h f FRIEND BlOdge had aS- NY pired so long to become one | of the nations lawgivers. and had been so delighted with his cleo tion, that l supposed 1 should find him in state of exaltation when called on him in his office in Washington. From early youth he had been enthu- siastic about politics, had been active in debating societies and later in prl- maries and local campaigns. To me he seemed to be foreordained to the career of statesman.
 So sure was l that even after two months in the service of the people he would be already so busted with their affairs, that expected. when sent my card to him on the floor of the house, that 1 would be asked to wait for half an hour or so. Instead he answered my request for an in. terview himself, and instead of stow ing me away in the gallery till the weighty matters in which he was talk ing part had been settled, he took me by the shoulder and steered me to the elevator.
 Come aiong," ne said, II want to talk to you. I've simply got to talk to somebody beside my secretary. How's everybody in the old home town? Building any new houses? Is Denny McMorrow getting ready to start up the old place again if beer comes back? What do the boys at home think about the beer business, any way? Will there be a modification, do you suppose?"
 Why. Blodge." 1 said. you're right down here where that's being settled Ton don't mean to tell me you don't know"
 What does anybody know here! What do know about anything What do you suppose anybody tells a congressman about what is going on?"
 As soon as we arrived at his office he motioned me to seat, told lone ly looking secretary that she could have the afternoon out and proceeded {:
 Gosh. I'm glad to see you. I'm glad to see anybody can talk to. could have talked to the horses on the street when 1 first got here if there had been any horses that had the time on their hands to listen to me. Horses at least look sympathetic. But some- how can't talk to automobiles They're no more responsive than the congressman I've been trying to talk to. But there's been one bright spot in my life. There's little dog that belongs to the family next door to my boarding house, and sometimes he walks clear up to the Capitol with me, unless he happens to meet some other dog"
 But listen," said, you ought not to feel that way. You've achieved the ambition of your life. You're a big man now. with voice in the settling of big measures. You're the first man in our party that ever got elected from our district What's gone wrong with you?"
 Say, don't joke about voice in the settling of big measures. Do you suppose anybody lets me in on what's happening? Today is the first day the doorkeerers haven't stopped me when l started to go into the house and asked me who l wanted to see and what was the nature of my busi- ness with him.
 "The first day was here l put in eleven bills, and now can't find out what committee has got them if any. l think I'd have gone back home be- fore this if one of the page boys didn't feel sorry for me now and then and talk to me in the corridor about the hockey team he's playing on and his hopes to grow up and be lightweight prize fighter The first day, before 1 knew much about congress, said that with his opportunities to learn about law-making l should think his ambi- tion would be to go to congress. He