Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-10-28
POOR CONGREssMEN.
The DifHculty They Find in Living n
Their salaries.

congressman the other day who was
looking for quarters for himself and
family tor the coming session. He is a
poor man, who is obliged to live on his
salary, and who is, therefore, com
PEELED to count the cost of everything.
and cut his cloth close. A con.
gressman's salary is $4,000 year and
mileage, and an allowance of 500.
/ believe, for postage. / can not men,
ton the name of the one | allude to.
but he has wife and three children.
His mileage amounts to about 5000 or
$500 q year; SO his whole income is
less than $4,000 q year Out of this
sum he must pay three or four or a
half-doZen country newspapers for
printing tickets Ga mere nominal SER
vice for good deal of money! he
must pay for banners, transparencios,
flags, brass bands, hand. bills, and
don't know how many other things, to
say nothing of his own expenses in the
campaign. Added to all this, ten
chances to one he has TO pay pretty
dearly for his nomination-not, per-
haps, in buying deleg ltes, though that
car fares, hotel bills, etc. SO you see
Washington he does not have $4,000 q
year to his credit.
My friend, as | have said, is poor
man, although he is one of the able,t
men in the house. He never made a
dollar improperly, and does not know
how TO be dishone st. He stands as
high as any member OF the house.
Said he: Il don't know what to do.
l have lived in every way. When
first came to Washington | went TO "a
hotel, with my wife, leaving my chill
dren at home and at school. | kept
up my house at heme, and my ex.
penses there were little less than if
had been there. My hotel expenses
including washing and the outrageous
extras one always finds on his bills,
were never less than $500 month.
My expenses at home were about half
as much so, you see, l could not stand
that. The next winter / went to q
clearinghouse and left my family at
home. OF course had to have a par
lor and bedroom. l paid 500 a
month at the clearinghouse. But
did not live; it was simply a miserable
existence. a 5oarding-house table
may give good, well-cooked food, but
you are obliged to meet and be polite
to people you do not care for, whom
you detest, in fact. Then | was de-
prived of my wife's company, which,
strange as. it may seem, l still ap-
preciate. Well, that year, by close
economy and many deprivations,
came out about even. The next year
hired rooms and had nv meals sent
in from restaurant. But this life
was very unsatisfactory. | had to
take my breakfast at certain hour,
whether | wanted it or not, and my
dinners were served at the same time
every day, and they were nearly al
ways cold when brought. But mem
ber of congress can not always be at
his dinner at the exact time. The
house may sit late, or there may bc q
caucus or committee meeting, OF
you may be detained by constituents,
or dozen things may happen tc
detain you. Well, last winter, as you
know, | took furnished house and
brought my entire family here.
shut up my house ut home, but, great
Caesar! my expenses drove me Wild,
though | tried to live very quietly and
cheaply. What l shall do this winter
heaven only knows. suppose must
90 back to the clearinghouse. A
congressman life is but dogs life
after all"
And my friend said nothing but the
truth. Congress is certainly no place
for poor man. If he has family he
can hardly make both ends meet, ever
though he does not entertain