The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-16
The Legislative Mine.
How the Truly "Loil" Feather
Their Nests.

To the Editors Of the Bulletin:
SO the Republican says "a seat in the Leg
islature is worth eight dolars-a day for sixty
days, and not much more
Is it possible that the Republican has been
SO long State printer and has not yet learned
how much money it takes to run the Legis
lature one day, or sixty days; or how much
it costs the State for each members
Through the medium of the BULLETIN this
correspondent will try to tighten up the
darkness that pervades the mind Of the Re
publican newspaper and also the Republican
party, even if the mind Of this party be as
dark as its exterior. 1t only requires a
knowledge Of the primary rules of arithme-
tic to enable one to understand the following
conclusions:
According to table published in the
BULLETIN last Sunday, which is taken from
official records, it cost the State in 1870
$695,777 O3, and in 1871 $671 ,167 18, to run
the Legislature for these two years. 1t cost
more than these figures Indicate; for in
ISL there were issued more than $500, 900 of
vouchers in excess Of appropriations, and
which are not included in the above sum of
$671 ,167 IL. The vouchers issued in exec S
Of appropriations were conveniently alb
sorbed under some other head. Now, this
makes altogether about 81 900 expended
to pay contingent expenses of the Legisla-
ture for two years. There were three ses-
siOns in these two years-two regular
sessions and one EXTRA making together one
hundred and thirty days.
For convenience of calculation. let it be
supposed that 500 day for each member
was expended. There were 1876 members
makes $4,000 per day for the whole body,
and for 100 days $1,7Gs,OO This is the
total sum expended in 100 days.
But do not let it be supposed that this
500 per day for each member was equally
distributed. About $50 per day for each
member would be abundant to pay all the
expenses of an honest Legislature-say S.
per day for members, and, giving each mem
Der clerk at 81 a day, then there will be
s. day to pay for stationery and mileage.
Suppose that half the members were hon
est, and absorbed only $40 day each. the
other half then must have absorbed $50
per day.
Suppose again that half Of that half alb
sorbed $50 per day, then the other half of
the half or one quarter of the whole number
must have absorbed $40 per day. That is
to say, One-quarter absorbed $40 per day,
and one-quarter $50 per day, and one-half
20 per day.
That this calculation may be better under
stood, let the superstition be stated as
follows:
The expenses per member, for one day, is
$40, for 100 days 10000 or
For "a members, 1870 days. 81 $40, 20OO
"a $50 per day. -..-. 22l 900
68 $50 per day. 176,sOO
1876 100 days. ... 1,76S, 1000
According to this calculation, "a members
absorbed 1880, 200 in two years. About
$2O,O 900 apiece per annum.
Is it true, then, that seat in the Legis-
lature is worth only SO per day for sixty
dayse Is it not true that a seat in the
Legislature-to the unscrupulous-isw worth
fort Aye, worth paying for
How can man make 700 per annum in
any other way SD easily and SO safely Be-
sides this fat pay, the legislator has a
chance of being the recipient of many
gratuities as compliment for his vote
upon certain bills.
1t is not believed, however, that the Re-
publican party needs to be enlightened
upon these points. 1t has made its own
calculation long ago, and has found out just
how much it pays to be member Of the
Iepislature EUCIID JR