St. Landry democrat., 1884-02-09
Public Money for Private
Services.
lLaty Item

ECONOMY Is SltuaGeU GG TIE top OF
steep hill, difficult of ascent, while eX-
travagance, at the base, is easily reached
More especially in the financial affairs
which are managed by servants and
representatives, not owners, do we see
the truth of this remark. 1t is the
tendency of all organized bodies, from
the lowest-say the finance committee
of ward club, up to the Senate of the
United States-tO be very liberal OF the
money intrusted to them for disburse-
ment, especially when personal inter-
ests, either directly or indirectly, urge
the claims for audit.
1t occurred to Senator Butler, of
South Carolina, the other day that
there were thirty three Senators beside
himself who, not being chairmen of
any committee, had no personal con-
troll over any official clerk, to the ex-
tent of commanding his services for
private as we'll as public correspond
ence. His resolution to employ clerk
for each non chairman, at a salary OF
$1,000 a year, payable out of the public
money, as subsequently, modified on
motion OF Senator Sherman to six dol
lars per day during the session, was
promptly adopted, and thus the door
thrown wide open for another general
grab at the Treasury by every member
of Congress. OF course, the Senators
could not be SO very good to themselves
as the Butler resolution enables them
to be, without attracting the attention
of the House. Accordingly, we see the
shadow of Representative BelfOrd, OF
Colorado, thrown across the threshold
of the door just opened, with resolu-
ton in his hand for the relief of menu
bers of the House. BelfOrd cut up a
very poor mouth indeed. He declared
he has paid out nearly all his salary for
clerk hire, which, OF course, nobody
can possibly believe, at least in the
sense in which he wished to be under
stood. This little complaint is the ex-
Ordium of resolution to be introduced
to-day, giving each Representative
clerk at $1,000 year. 1t will pass, no
doubt, as the House will never let the
Senate get ahead of it in the play of
Coasting down the hill i'll the direction
of extravaganza.
simplicity of the earlier
a clerk to wait upon member as Il
iackey or amanuensis a higher salary
than the members themselves received
sumo the next thing will be to com
mute the services, as i'll the case Of sta
tionery, for an equivalent in cash.
Until then, however, sons, nephews
and other members of the family will
be employed, with no public duties
whatever to perform, merely to attend
to the personal and political correspon-
dence Of the members. Congressman
are paid $1,000 a year and
mileage for not exceeding one-half
their time in the government service.
The amount of public work which
some OF them perform during a session,
such as Sharon, absent all the time, or
the chemically disabled, habitualIy
away on sick leave, could be done in
half day. And in case of the work
ing members, for some of them actual
y do work, each, whether IL chairman
Of committee or not, has a right to
call for assistance from the numerous
corps Of clerks employed by the house
10 which he belongs, The plea of pub |
ic work is, therefore, pretense, a
BALD excuse to add another perquisite
% Congressman, who have been for the |
past seven or eight years rather quiet |
md decent under the censure by the |
people of the back pay steal. This is a
BETTY affair, so far as the amount is
in comparison with that !; |
put it is not one whit better in point |
# propriety. The only necessity that
AN exist from giving each member a
private secretary, arises from a desire
o support family favorite at the pub |
ic charge, and help out a lazy man |
low and then with his political cores
in which, of course, the /
general public have no concern. The
title job will cost about 100000 a year |
md no doubt suggest, possibly pave |
he way for, further useless extrava
,ance. 1t is certainly bad example
or Congress to set before the depart
nents, bureaus and principal offices
the country, the most of
Which are already chiefly run by deputy.
Ne may be sure the extravaganza will
oe initiated, and now and then i'm
DrOved upon, by officials whom it is
low very difficult to find at their res
'ectIve posts except on pay day.
We have been requested by several I
Q say that the people desire to hear
rom candidates for the Senate, and the
The people want to know
'efore they vote for candidates for
hese important positions, what the
if elected, will favor, and
What they propose to do, or seek to do.
The idea is not a bad one. The opin-
ons OF the men that are to fill these
on questions of public i'm
'ortance, as well as their capacity and
itness, are. of interest to the public,
nd should be known. Candidates for
he Senate and the Legislature should
ct the people hear from them, and the
eople should insist on hearing before
hey vote. It is well to know what
candidate proposes to favor before
e is voted for. Candidates for Sena-
or and Representative should let the