The Portland daily press., 1885-01-24
Perquisites.
Some of the Astonisbins Items i'm the Con
singenI Aecoun. of the h oase.
(N Y. SUM-

(N. Y. Sum-
The report of Mr.. John B. Clark, Clerk #
The House of r. presentatives, concerniIg g
the expenditures of that body from Dec. 4,
1888, to Jule 80, 1884, is document of un-
common interest, and wouln BE- valuable in
the hands of taxpayers. 1t contains The
amounts paid to employees of the House, in
Guiding members, and list of all expenses
of every kind at that end of the Capitol.
Certain items of a miscellaneous character
are here given as specimens.
On Jan. 2S, 1884. eleven opera glasses and
hall dozen opera glass bags were purchased
at cost Of $l48.60. On the same day ''one
opera glass, 1,777-15 inch, No. 2, aud bag,
delivered to Gov. Dawes II. Laird). $13 2U,"
is recorded as having been purchased. Mr..
Dawes is governor Of Nebraska. Mr. Laird
Is representative from hat State.
On March IL, 1884, six more opera glasses
and an additional "pair opera glasses'' were
nnfchasad-
On April % six more ''pair opera glasses''
were purchased at the same scale of prices.
On May 81 nine additional "par opera
glasses" were wanted, and consequently
were purchased at the same cost.
On June six ''pair opera glasses In ad-
dition were added to the previous purchases
at the same rates.
On June there were seven more opera
glasses needed and paid for out of the public
funds.
Singly and by twos other opera glasses
were bought from time to time.
Members of Congress took fancy to val
entines in quantities, and they were paid for
out of the contingent fund.
1t IS interesting 10 note that lone infants
set' was bought to supply pressing want
In legislature, TO which were added tsfour
manicure sets.o
Various sorts of books were bought. A
dealer seems to have had great many cop
les of the ''statesman's ManuaP' to sell. for
scores appear to have been paid for out of
the contingent fund. So many statesmen
are assembled in the south end of the Capt.
toi that OF course there is demand for this
publication. But they were the kind of
statesmen who appear not to have felt the
want till it could be supplied at public
cost.
One member felt the need of "Biblical
Sights" and made the Treasury supply
him. Another member got fifty-oue vol
umes of Lopgfellow's works bound at cost
to the Treasury of $22.50. Perhaps he is the
same member who got "Bblical Sigbts.''
He appears to hava needed the latter, how
ever 1t may have been about the FORM
er. Another member still took fancy to
Sport with Gun aud Rod" costing $40.
He was probably on the Committee on Fish
cries: biblical Sights" would bave been
good for him, 100. One member manifested
bis devotional spirit by getting, at the cost
of the country, II prayer aud hymnal."
He may not have been the statesman who
ordersd ''2 dozen army ard navy cards',-a
member OF the Army and Navy Poker Club,
perhaps.
PieGty of such items are scattered through
the report. OF Webster's Dictionary dozens
are in the lis. A good many wanted and
got expensive .GitIons of Bancroft's History,
The BREAD Winners" vas a SO in demand.
aud The Treasury bad TO stand the cost.
"Puelical Quotations. were called for and
suppl. d. Tue demand for works on politl
cal economy was great, and was always met
by drawing on The Treasury. Mr.. Buchan-
ans Life was Called for occasionally Not
only does it appear that every member bad
: copy of the american Amanac," but some
must have had at least dozen copies, or
else the clerk had great many left over.
Que lien reads: "One trunk and bag for
member, $28 Ano' her: "Ooe trunk aud
Two trunk straps for member, $11.50'
Another silt: "One trunk and cover FIR
member, ST." Ueder da,e of June 2S,
1884, a ''memoer got three manicure cases.
Que toilet case" one "mercnandise," and
one 'haIr brusb," all costing $50 95.
Stationery without end was furnished, and
always of the costlest kind. For card
plates and card printing the demand was
immense, and the supply was equal to it, in
Every instance at the cost of the Treasury
And there were cart loads of Al photograph al
buns, very necessary things in legislation,
no doubt.
Of knives and cutlery of many kinds, and
always the very best, the demand and sup
ply we're enormous. Every member and ev-
cry member OF his family must have laid in
a supply for years. Purses, card cases and
fine things for ladies figure extensively in
the list. In short, nearly everything that a
member, his family, aud good many neigh
bors could need, except board and clothing,
was paid for out of the public fund, and no
one can be sure that board and clothing
were not in certain cases concealed in en-
tries that bore no other apparent explaua-
tion.
But the worst was when members died.
The funerals were always regardless of
expense A member of Congress, enormous /
as the bills are when he is alive, is never 80
costly as when he is buried at public ex.
pense. The public is already pretty well in
formed as to what Congressional burials u.s.
ually are. One would never suppose that
they were funerals from some of the items
of expenditure. For tbe funeral of E. w.
M Mackey, 1898 sashes at SO; 10 pair cloth
gloves, 30 cebts; "a pair kid gloves, 81. To- |
tai. $l61." Again, for funeral of Thomas
H. Herndon: "12 white silk sashes, SO; s |
black silk sashes, SO. Total, $1S9. "Casket,
fully orpamented." $3.50; carriages, "vault |
slab," and other expenses including the |
above, l,1109 IS. One item was for "alter- |
ing livery coats" $22 so.
The appetite displayed at Congressional |
funerals Is exhibited in the bill of James |
WormIey the caterer: ssFor lunch and SER