The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-05-03
CONGREssMEN's POCkETBO0Ks
Some Of the Reasons Why 5000
Year Does Not Keep Them Well
Filled.

Some of the Reasons Why So, 1000
Year Does Not Keep Them Well
Filled.
Special to the New York Sun.
If some Adam Smith of household fl
nance would arise to teach a Senator or
Representative how to live on $4,000 a
year, he would confer an everlasting
boon on many of the members of Con-
gress of the United States. Although
Washington may be called a cheap place
to live in, and for So, 900 a year a family
can be supplied with everything thatre
sonable persons desire, yet it must be re-
membereG that a Congressman does not
often get his $4,000 intact; and, besides
that, there are in Washington two scales
of priCes-One for permanent residents
and one for members of Congress and
foreign diplomats. First come to the
election expenses. Any Congressman
who comes out less than 81, 900 out of
pocket is considered lucky. Then comes
the journey Of the family to Washington
for Congress has not yet allowed mile
age to members families, although after
the late private secretary indulgence no.
thing in the way Of perquisites need sur
prise anybody. Next is the intermediary
stage of living until house or lodgings
are secured and he begins to have an idea
of his monthly expenses, a large chunk
Of the Congressman's $4,000 a year is
gone.
1t does not take him long to find out
that he can't do with his income as well
as other people do. If he is in lodgings,
his wife must have a reception day, and
no matter how simple the scale on which
it is conducted a waiter must be hired to
hand in the cards. and there is usually
some slight refreshment. If the wife of
a Representative visits at all, she has to
visit great deal, and visiting means
carriage. Then there are occasional din
ners, receptions at the White House and
elsewhere, which it is customary for Re
presentatives wives to attend, and that
means costumes, gloves and carriages.
among everybody in Washington who
has anything to sell or to hire to mem
Der of Congress or his family. The wives
of members generally become well known
to the trades-people before very long ,and
the butcher, the baker, the candlestick
maker, the dressmaker, the bonnet max
er, and the maker Of everything they eat
and wear combine against the Represen-
tatives $4,000.
In the case of Senators every circum-
stance is aggravated. There being but
seventy-eight Senators, and not all of
them paired, the Senator's wives are
known as well as the Washington monu-
ment and as most of them take infinite
delight in having parcels addressed to
Mrs. Senator Blank" the innocent crea-
lures give themselves away to the shop
people. The women of sense who are
Senators wives, and who feel the necessi-
ty of making their money go as far as it
ought, studiOusly conceal the fact that
they are Senators wives when they are
dealing" as the negroes call shopping.
1T is as much as my life is worth, ="
said one quite solemnly, ito go into a
shop. I can hardly come out alive.
They would take all my money they
would garrote me almost rather than I
should come out with sixpence, and all
because [ married a Senator"
--e-
STATE PRESS.