Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-04-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WiSHINGTON LETTER.
Congregational PIC Mes F,shing Excursions,
and Banga.h. Increase Of Wealth N
Congress. Congressional BdchiRaLs.
-

Congress. Congressional Bdchinais.
(From our Regular Correspondcnt)
Washington, ID. c., Apui IL, 1882.
In the sprins time some United States
Senators. fancics gently turn to thoughts OF
iisning, excursions, pic-nics, anywD,reaway
from the heavy debates OF the upper House.
4 party OF Senators have just returned from
fishing excursion OF several dayssi Nir-
gina. Tomorrow Senator Fair, the bache-
lor Senator from Nevada, with snug little
fortune of SI0,000,0c0, will give 4 picnic
excursion 10 4 number of ladies and gentle
men to the Great Falls of the Potomac,
twelve miles distant. Yesterday another
millionaire, congressman Allen OF Missouri,
was driven slowly on his last excursion IN n
hearsc from the Arlington hotel 10 the rail-
way station. He left fortune of $1,000
900
The past has been an unusually mild win
'er at l,c Capital, but there has been great
deal of sickness among members and sena-
tors. And there is reason for the suspicion
that much of the ill-health arises from the
system -wrccking dissipation that has become
too fatally fashionable among members ard
senators during the last few years, or since
the Senate has become the House of Mil
lionaires." At no previous time in the his
toy of the country has there been so large
number of wealthy men in Congress.
The present Senate cOntains ~. least Il score
of Senators not one of whom is worth less
than 100000. The" richest man in the
Senate is, of course, Fair, OF Nevada. who
probably possesses rs much rs all the other
Senators together. Next 10 him in lucre IL
David Davis, of Illinois, widower
who is rcputed to be the possessor of null
lions. IL is somewhat difficult 10 name the
Senator whose fortune ranks third in size,
but if Eugene Hale of Maine has received
lhe mantle of his father-in-aw Zach Chan
der with its well lined pockets, his fortune
Is nearly as large as that of David Davis.
The wife of Senator Hale is the only daugh-
ter Of the late Senator Zach Chandler.
Other very wealthy Senator's are Miller, of
California; Malone, OF Virginia; and
SIwyer of Missouri known 10 be worth
more than million each. Sewell 'of New
jersey is a railroad man and is reputed
very wealthy. Senator John Sherman. of
Ohio, it is said, is worth more than 81 l,00O,-
000 his property consisting largely of real
estate in Washington. Among other Sena-
tors who write their. fortunes. wlthEseyen
lEuIcc, art tdlntIvili VI NhhSs i'ahief
Davis, Of West Virginia; and Plum, OF
Kansas. Senators Hill, of Colorado Brown,
Of Georgia. Groome, of Maryland; Nc
Pherson, of New jersey and Pendleton, of
Ohio Camden, of West Virginia, are all
worth more than s500,O0O.s Many other
Senators are comfortably fixed, possessing
little hoards of from $4,000 to 100000.
Among those who have but little, compara-
lively here below, that is not ore than
SlOO,OOO.apiece, are Morrill,, Of Vermont;
Anthony, of Rhode Island; Rollins, OF
New Hampshire; Jones, of Nevada; aud
Jones, of Florida; johnson, Of Virginia;
Beck, of Kentucky Saunders, Of -Nebras-
ka; Allison, of Iowa; and Harrison Of
Indiana.
The House has not as mary wealthy men
i'm proportion to its members, but there are
several milionaires in this body, and many
more who, before this late day ofcollossal
fortunes, would have been considered rich.
1t may be useless TO moralize on the inAu-
ence OF this great increase of wealth in the
two legislative bodies of the United States,
Isthe undermining and yirtue-sapping ten
dencies that the abuse of wealth will pro-
duce on individuals aud ON States. But il
is certainly more profitable to noralize now
than il will be at the inquest. There can be
no doubt that the efficiency Of members
and senators is seriously impaired by stOm-
aches ruined, and brains .clo1ded or crazed
from the so-called high-toned" dissipation
in which some OF our improvised statesman
disport their wealth. There Is scarcely an
evening that some wealthy congressman
does not give dinner. These dinners are,
to speak mildly, orgies of gluttony and
drunkenness.