Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-07-16
SENATOR'S SALARIES.
How They arc Drawn by the Men
who Govern Us.

DOW IHey arc Drawn Dy tne Men
who Govern Us.
United States Senators draw their
salaries as regularly and with as much
greediness as any other "hired hand in
Washington. Some of them draw every
day during the session of Congress,
some once n week, others twice month.
A few of them go into the cashiers room
of the Secretary's office and get their
salaries only once a month. One Sena-
tor only draws his salary once year.
Among the Senators who most fre-
quently draw their stipends is Senator
Voorhees, of Indiana. 1t is said that he
calls on the Secretary for his salary oft
ener and draws it in smaller amounts
than any other member of the Senate.
Henry G.. Davis of West Virginia is a
rich man, and uses his salary for spend
ing money. Whenever he needs little
pocket money he sends his clerk into
the cashiers Office and draws $50, 800,
ard sometimes $500 at a time. He
boards at the Arlington Hotel, and lives
within his salary.
Don Cameron of Pennsylvania, it is
said, prefers hard money, but is not reg
ular in calling for his pay. He does not
carry any money with him, and runs a
bill at the Senate restaurant, which l
have heard often amounts to from 5000
to $500. When he needs any money he
goes in to the cashier and tells him to
send up to his house $50 in ten-cent
pieces, 500 in quarters, 5000 in half
dollars, and 800 or so in silver dollars.
[ have heard it suggested that Don per-
haps used his salary in this way as
substitute for poker chips.
Roscoe Conkling drew his salary once
a month. When he resigned he sent one
of his clerks up to the Capitol and drew
all that was due him, including the day
ON which his resignation was read. He,
however, was hot in his seat on that day
nor was he at the Capitol at all after
ward during the remainder of the extra
session,
Platt of New York has n balance of
So placed to his credit, which if not
checked out before the 1st of July, will
be sent to him by the Secretary of the
Senate.
OneSenator from the South, who owns
property, it is said, frequently sells his
salary before it is due at discount. I
am told that once or twice, after having
given an order on the Secretary for his
pay, by the way, he has gone and drawn
it out himself, allowing his order to go
to protest and be dishonored.
Sherman draws his money whenever
he needs it, sometimes twice a month,
and oftener it runs on two months.
Burnside sends a draft on the Secre-
tary's Office to his banker, at Providence,
once month, and the bank draws ON
the Secretary of the Senate regularly
every month, whether the Senate is in
session or not.
Anthony is the only Senator that
draws once year, and his banker at
tends to it for him.
Fair, of Nevada, went off without
drawing a cent, but his salary from the
4th of March to the 1st of July will be
sent to him, if he does not draw 1t out
in the meantime. Fair is said to be
worth $40, 100000.
Ben Harrison drew on his salary three
or four times. In fact, up to the adj
journment of the last session that was
all the business he did in Washington
other than vote no with the Republicans
during the deadlock.
Call, of Florida, is said to be the most
improvident Senator in the bunch. 1t
is said that he really does not know how
TO manage his own financial affairs.
Senator Joe Brown, who looks like an
early day Scotch Presbyterian, uses his
salary for living expenses in Washing
ton. He draws his money whenever his
hotel presents its bill. Then he goes
to the Senate cash man, and complains
about how much it costs to live in Wash
ingtOn. His living expenses, it is
thought, however, do not exceed his
salary. Last winter he boarded at the
Riggs House, but he has bought, or
proposes to buy, house in which he
will live, and, it is said, will entertain
on an elaborate scale. Mr.. Brown is
! said to be worth one or two millions.
| There are several Senators who have no
other income than their salaries. They
cannot draw more money than is ac-
tually due them, but are entitled to
their salary whether they come near
Washington during the session of Con-
gress or stay away. If they do not call
for their money, it is sent to them on
the 1st of July each year. The majority
| of Senotors are railroad directors, presi-
dents of railroad companies, presidents
of banks, bank directors, etc. Pendle-
ton and Sherman both have large rail
road interests, as also has Henry G..
Davis, of West Virginia, who has large
mining interests, besides a large com.
mercial business in Baltimore. Plumb
and Ingalls,, of Kansas, are both inter
ested in railroad enterprises in the South
west. With but few exceptions, all oi
them are interested in some way will
some corporation or other. The 1900
salary paid to Senators is, therefore, tC
them minor consideration. There Is
not one of them that would serve if the
salary was the only consideration al