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Show A IIAAS STKKII. Notwithstanding the patriotic prefix to his patronymic, William Hakuishn Mauiin, coiigiessinan from the second diinct of Texas, is not republican in politics. Nor is ho a man of great worldly experience. Indeed when ho lirst came to Washington ho camo very uear making it his last visit by blowing out the gas in his boarding house and narrowly escaping asphyxiation. Vet the Texan has made, a record for himself him-self which, liourhon and ignorant though he be, many of his colleagues might well imitale. Elected to the fiftieth fif-tieth congress he succeeded in saving duriiii; the lour years expiring with the tifty-liist congress $17,iiiMI out of his salary, sal-ary, with which he returned to his Texas ranch. All tho lima he w as livings liv-ings littlo better than at home but still, he declares, he kept his expenses within J.10 a month. That is $'.M0() in thefouryears of his servieo which deducted de-ducted from his salary of $','0,000 gives tho amount of his saving. Wo do not know what good Mr. Mahtis accomplished during his two lei ins in congress for his constituents. Probably not much, but in giving this example of modesty and frugality to his colleagues he may have given the start to a needed reform. Not that parsimony is to be commended, bul that the extravagance of the average congressman to keep up false appearances appear-ances is becoming proverbial and indeed in-deed dangerous. Most congressmen spend more than their salary whether they can alTord it or not and the desire to keep up tho deception leads them into temptation. Mr. Maktiv with all his shortcomings is at least honest, honest hon-est enough not to mako a show of himself him-self when he is not able to sustain it. Representatives aro elected to represent their constituents in congress and there is no other reason than false pride why they should change their nnulo of life when they reach the capital. Mahtin may blow out the gas, but for all that he is not half tho fool that some members mem-bers are who know all about modern illumination. |