Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-11
THE CONGRESSMAN AS AN ERRAND
BOY.

A great deal of information concerning
the way our representatives spend thei,
time, in behalf of the personal interests Of
their constituents, is contained in the re-
marks of General Keifer, made in the
House on the ID of May, during the dis
cussion as to the payment of members
clerks. We quote from the Record, Of
May Sd, as follows:
"MR. KEIFER-I will be entirely candid and
will say ! am afraid of the conferees on the
part of the House, although l know the
Speaker will appoint very excellent men.
wish it were possible to instruct the conferees
to agree to such proposition as this before
agreeing to provide for the paym, Mt of sena-
tors clerks at $3.50 per month.
Now, as have few minutes OF time
yielded to me by the gentleman from Illinois
Mr.. Cannon will at least state what will
be the effect of such an amendment. The
proposition if it were adopted would cut down
the pay that il proposed to be given to Senate
clerks from Sc . day or $3.50 month to 500
a month and it would give 10 each Represent
alive, not chairman Of a committee clerk
during the session, paying him at the rate of
500 month. There would be come econ-
omy in the. matter of paying the Senate
clerks and we would not pay large price to
the clerks of the members of the House.
"In long session, the average of which is
seven months, it would be 500 for the clerk !;
in the short session about $500; in an entire
Congress $1,000 would be paid to the clerk
Of each Representative and each Senator, ev-
cept the clerk that was appointed by the chair
man Of committee either of the Senate or of
the House; and that clerk would be lett to re-
ceive the same pay as be now receives, Sc a
day, aud be ought to have the difference. He,
as the clerk to the committee, has the COM
mittee work to do, and presumably a good
deal of work for the chairman OF the COM
mittee.
my leave of the Congress of the United
States, that the people would gladly give
clerks to members, and be willing they should
be paid out of the United States Treasury, if
they knew how much better Representative
a member would be if he had clerk ven-
ture to state here in this presence that there
is no member of this House no does not
occupy more than tour-fifths Of all his valu-
able time in looking after matters that are en-
tirely and wholly disconnected with his legis-
Istive duties, and while he Is doing that he
is cut off from the necessary work that he
should do in following legislation, in studying
The subjects of legislation, in good reading,
IN close Investigation; he is cut of from that
md he is tired and wearied out writing let
ers and going for this thing and for that for
his constituents. All that may be proper
enough in itself, but it results in this, that be
5 so weary and tired that he is unable to dis
,harge bis duties here upon the floor or in
committee
II KNOW tnht HeLuDtrS OF t0lS house OI
who do much " ork on the
loor and il committee are men who fail in
arge sense TO please thei, constituents at
lone. Aud why? They do not write
nough letters; they do not run on enough er-
ands; they do not devote their time suffi-
iently to attend to little things for their COZ
itueuts, but are devoting their time to the
hinps they came here to attend TO.
Il take it that no person will be offended
Fhen | say that practically nineteen Repre-
ents,ives on the floor OF this House out of
very twenty are utterly disqualified by
eason OF this for properly dischsrging their
,gislative duties Now il is a very proper
hing to attend 10 the correspond
nee connected with the Pen
on Office. 1t is matter of senti-
rent with us, and we all do it, or try to do
. 1t is a very proper thing to do, and SO are |
us,asada Of other things that veAe1s. =
=ssef --ssh ths IAsd OAce, aad ]