New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-30
Legislative Mileage and Per Diem.
New ORLEANS, April %, 1875.


In recent issue of the Bulletin, the
editor OF that journal seemed bothered
about legislative mileage and per diem. He
could not tell why Homer. in the parish Of
Claiborne, should be put down in the legis
lative mileage schedule SO much farther
from New Orleans than Vienna, in the
parish OF Lincoln; and he wondered"
whether the publication Of the Iiad at the
former locality had anything to do with the
discrepancy. l do not know myself pre-
cisely how this is, and am disposed to won
der at it a little also but do believe it
COMES Of Democratic precedent-which,
like our miserable levee system, was en-
grated upon our political economy "before
the war;" TO enrich the faithful of the true
and ancient Democratic household. If
mistake not, it has been Democratic rule
always to reckon mileage from point to
point by the longest eligible route ever
travelled; and time honOred rule of that
disinterested and unseltish party to make
all such measurements with fox skin, with
the tail thrown in for good count. Thus,
from Homer to New Orleans, via Shreve.
port, the distance tor which legislative
mileage is allowed, is not too much, and it
was a route Oftener than not travelled
in former days, and was established
bv Democratic usage; whereas, from
Vienna, only thirty miles this side OF
Homer, the distance for which mileage
is allowed to New Orleans is but little over
one-half. reckoning via Monroe, the route
uniformly travelled from that point. say
this is q Democratic precedent, and perhaps
should be changed. And also as to con
gressiOnal mileage ! recollect very well
when in Congress | was allowed mileage
by a route much longer than the one |
travelled, and was told that it was from a
precedent established in behalf Of Demo.
cratic Representatives from my district
who had preceded me. So it can be seen
there is no Republican trick in all this and
no sharp practice on the part of the Homer
Uidd.
But now, will the editor of the Bulletin
inform the public how and why it is that
the Democratic Representatives from my
parish, and living In the same town, have
been allowed more pay in the recent extra
session than have! The mileage, suppose
has been reckoned the same, but their
vouchers will show that they have been
allowed SO more per diem-that is, one day
more pay than your humble servant. And
80 in regard to their pay for the regular
session. in which they did not serve. They
were allowed each $S more pay than
l received, notwithstanding l served
the entire term. 1t may have re-
suited from the fact that Dem
ocratic committee made the reckoning Tor
the House, while in the Senate the estimate
was the work of Republican committee.
Be this as it may, the discrepancy exists
either the Democratic members of tho
Honse from Claiborne have received too
much pay, or the gentleman from the
twentieth senatorial district has not re,
ceived what was Justly due to him. and
although it is very small matter, should
like to have it explained, since small mat
ters seem to be the order of the day.
Very respectfully.
w. JASPER BLACKBURN,
Twentieth Senatorial District.