Semi-weekly interior journal., 1882-06-06
lbsepteeism in cooocess.

Inc record OF Monday last IA the
House Of Representatives shows that
upon the only test vote that day in
the contested election case from South
Carolina, which has excited except.
ional interest. there we're ninety.eight
absentees, or more than one third Of
the whole number.
In the Senate on the same day,
on the only test vote, there we're thir.
ty absentees, or nearly one half Of the
whole number. These figures are not
remarkable. They illustrate com.
mon practice, which is constantly
growing worse, aud is fast becoming a
serious embarrassment TO the public
business.
Under the rules Of the House a
member may obtain leave of absense,
without loss Of pay, by asking it, and
by giving a sufficient reason TO justify
the permission. This privilege is oft
en- abused by misrepresentation.
Senators aud Representatives have
established a usage for their own con.
venience, which is wholly unknown TO
the Constitution, TO the laws, or to
the rules Of Congress. IL is called
pairing of. Members of opposing
politics or of adverse views on pending
questions, who propose TO be absent
from duty, and to draw pay while alb
sent in pursuit Of pleasure or of busi-
ness, agree TO neutralize each other s
vote by pairing.
BY this method States aud constit-
uencies are deprived Of the represent
alton to which they are Justly entitled
and schemes are carried through
which could never succeed with prop
er and energetic opposition on the
part Of absentees, who go away col
lusively or carelessly. Absence in
one form is quite as reprehensible as
in the other, because the door is left
wide open for jobbery and corruption
20 enter.
Members are paid five thousand
dollars a year and mileage for at
tendance in Congress. They engage
to be present all the time, aud they
seek these honors with the most pro-
fuse promises of devotion to the pub
lie interest. The two sessions of Con-
gress do not ordinarily aggregate more
than nine or ten months. So that in
fact, taking the outside length Of time,
they are actually paid one thousand
dollars a month, exclusive of mileage,
or OF the regular allowance for sta
tionery, and Of other perquisites and
advantages which attach to the posi-.
ton.
Absenteeism is growing and incOn
venient evil in Congress. Its culti.
waited by both parties, and therefore
is not likely to be reformed by any
movement from the inside, where the
abuse exists and il protected by mu'
tual agreement. The only hope OF
reform is constant exposure Of the
guilty members in the newspapers.
If the Associated Press would publish
the names of the absentees daily for
one month, so that the country could
see the naked facts, omitting any re
cogniiion of pairs, members Of both
Houses would soon change their ways,
and become examples of punctuality,
instead of being illustrations of crimi-
nal neglect Of duty, and of outraged
trust.
As practical result of this vicious
system, the business of legislation has
fallen into the hands of those who
know how to utilize opportunities for
personal profit Rlngsters and job
bers aud plunderers and corporation
attorneys are always present and on
the lookout for chances to break into
the Treasury. Their success is due
greatly to absentecism. = N. Y. Sun.