The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-11-15

], Several of our contemporaries are calculating
the cost Of congress, OF rather the amount 81
i money it takes to feed and maintain the honor
BILE gentlemen composing the senate and house
Representatives According to the statistics,
it appears that in 1889 the pay was fixed at $50
: per day, and Sc for every twenty miles travel
) This rate was to be continued until the 4th Of
March, 1895, after which it was to be 81 pei
f day and ST for every 90 miles travel. This
act was limited to the 4th of March, 1896. On
!, the 10th Of March, 1895. the compensation was
! fixed at S. per day and Sc for every 20 miles
, travel. By the act Of the 18th March, 1916,
the pay was changed from daily to an annu
al compensation; the president pro lem. of the
senate and speaker of the house OF representa-
tiyes each $4,000 per annum, and each member
$500 per annum. The mileage was not
changed. This act created great excitement
throughout the country, and arrayed much OPP
position to Mr.. Clay, who had supported it,
Many members were defeated. especially in the
western States at the next election, in conse-
quence ofits passage TWAS repealed on the
9th of February, 1917, to take effect after the
close Of the then session of congress. By the
act Of the esd of January, 1918, the pay was
fixed at So per day, and SIS for every go miles
travel; the president pro tenn. of the senate and
speaker of the house to receive So per day
each additional or s16 This is the present
pay of congressman.
The present allowance Of eight dollars for
every twenty miles travelled, going to and re-
turning from the federal capitol, when the ac-
tual expense ola trip from Shreveport to Wash
lngton, even at the present season, does not
exceed S12o,;is legalised swindle Many
man has been condemned to the state prison for
smaller populations. Add to this the 'pickings'
and the private log-roling swindles, amounting
to one of two millions of dollars every session,
and we have a curious picture of the progress
ofmorals in this model republic There will
be mission for a general and true reform some
day, when it will be. ordained that law makers
should not be peculators on the public treasu
ry, and when congressman will have too much
integrity to discuss the expediency of claiming
and pocketing constructive mileage The law
of congress allows officers of the army and ma
w ten cents mile travelling expenses, when
ordered from station to station, and as this sum
has been found amply sufficient to pay for pas
sage on board the finest steamers and over the
best land routes in America, congressman
should receive no more
The New York papers record the death of
James Foster, esq, New Orleans merchant of
the ancient regime. Count Foster,' as he
was generally designated, commenced business,
IN connexion with his brother-in- law Mr.. Hut
ton, In the Crescent City, about 1890, and the
firm continued to prospect until few years
since, when Mr.. Hutton being dead and Mr.
Foster having realised handsome fortune, re-
tired from business, and was succeeded by Mr.
Aaron Cohen. Foster d Hutton were among
the first merchants who ever did business above
Canal street, then the faubourg St. Mary, and
an almost impossible swamp. They in con-
junction with E. K. Collins (the proprietor of
the celebrated steamships,) established line
of packet ships to New York, which to the pre-
sent day has been the school for rearing COM
manders for the American "liners,'' the finest
vessels in the world. They were also the orig-
nators of the steam tow boats to the Balize, and
largely interested in the steamers engaged in
early days in the cotton trade. Mr.. Foster
was the cotemporary of John Linton, James
Dick, R. L. Booker, John Hagan, Dennistoun
W. L. Robson, Bullitt Reynolds, the Urqu-
1art, Caldwell, Zacharie, Touro, Shepherd, etc.
md always amongst the first to aid in any {
measure calculated to enhance the prosperity {
If the city ......t.
COMING RIGHT-Greene c. Bronson, the
lominee of the New York hard-sh democracy
or governor of New York, has taken the true |
position on this question, slavery, and, unless
he whole northern democracy will take the
same ground, they need not be surprised that
he whole south will be given to that branch of |
he democracy which he leads. .~
columbus, Geo, Times. t
If the Times and Sentinel, and other south !
I'm democratic papers, had all talked this way SC
rom the beginning, instead of laudng and ap- t
proving the policy of Pierce, when he set Guth- f
lie to decapitate Bronson, simply because the i
after was can honest man. and refused to as r
ociate or affiliate with the New York abolition '
SITS and free-soilers, the mongrel crowd of flu a
ionists would not now rule the executive. and
AVE it in their power TO SO worry the national
democracy as they are doing. 1t is the office
olders' newspapers method to aid their mas )
er in his efforts to kill a good man, and then q
urn round and declare that if he don't do as I
veil as the man whom they are numbering,
heir sympathies will be with the bleeding man. +
The New York Herald publishes long and :
Interesting letter from Mr.. Adams, surgeon of =
ha hrIu A Gyaroa LODI i