The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-26
AN Elm G M. r.
What it Costs 70 10 4 Member Of the
House Of Commons Subject to FL
nanoial ssa{siffces
Calls on His Time. and How He Spends
Els Money Comparison with
American Cougressmen.

neither candidate will put a joint {
beet on my table. 2
Such was the remark made half dc
sponaingly, half saressbically to a 81
Louis t4lobe-D Democrat cores ponden
by the driver Of a London omnibus
which was journeying through a west
eri1 suburb OF the metropolis one G'a
| during the recent general election
where an energetieallF conducted con
4 test was iii progress between q Radica
candidate and Church and Constitu
ton candidate.
There is nothing original in the re
mark. 1t expresses observation-disclosures
q century old; but it aplly and graphic
ally illustrates the idea a large proper
ton OF the uneducated, non-thinking
working classes OF England still have
with regard to the duties and RESPONSE
| biiities OF the men who represent
] them III Parliament. 4 certain sec
| ton OF the English electorate fail te
recognize on which side the obligation
| lies. They fail TO. orsWill not see that
a member of the House of Commons is
a servant who is entitled to pay for his
work; and they to their own satisfac-
ton and sometimes to their own inter
est. persuade themselves that the in
debtedness is a strictly one sided-one,
and always due from the member to
his constituents. 1t is an idea which
has come down from the days when a
vote WAS regarded as ssmark etable com
modify, to be disposed of to the high
est bidder; and it is an idea which will
not be dispeiled until 5Wo or three gen
erations Of electors have passed away.
Under the existing state Of things in
England a member Of Parliament al
most of necessity must be a wealthy
man. His Parliamentary duties, if he
discharges them at all e0nscientiouslY
compel him to reside in London six or
seven months out of The twelve, and
occupy . considerable portion OF his
time even when Parliament is not in
session There are fsaig constituencies
which car be success sfaay esaentested
without al expenditure of 81. 90 4, t5E
50 900, aud rs long us Al member repre-
s9nts a CONSTITUENCIES stiesis expected to
contribute handsomely TO the cost OIL
his party's local permanent organiza-
ton, and oftentims to keep local par
,16 rs lnr,
Parliament receive no salary, and |
have next to 10 privileges. When
member IS sitting on a committee he |
receives a small daily fee rarely more I
than SO; but the income from that |
source does not keep the most econom-
cal OF members III back fares There I
IS no mileage system in England, and
Tree railroad passes are unknown
among The members of Parliament. ex-
,ept such as are officially identified
With railway companies, Presidents
md Directors. There are always a
.ood number Of such members in Par
lament. A member of Parliament's
wing expenses when in London are
Ugh. The most frugal member, who
as left his family at his home in the +.
ountry, can barely live himself In Lon
on under 81, 900 per annum. There rs
erhaps an exception to this rule in the
ase of unmarried members. whose ex-
enses will range from s., 800 to S., eco /
or year. In the case Of a married ]
IAN, who has town house and brings {
is family from the country into Lon /
on society during the Parliamentary /
ession, the expenses OF living and en- {
are enormous. It is but a /.
DOR residence at the West Eud Of t
ondon that can b3 rented for 8, 900 or /
2, 500 per anHum. {
The calls on a member by his constit- /
ents are as numerous as they are /
aired. Il a man living in the borough | a
le member represents has been ap- T t
1inted to an office ne calls on the ". P.
Id on the strength of having voted for
IN at the election asks him to become
IS surety. re another man already
)ldlGg an appointment IS a defauIter, T
IL 1t Is a case OF SO mnch money paid i
1Wn by a certain day, or a criminal s
.oseeution and consequent exposure u
ill ensue, his immediate and trusted i
lends assemble and appoint COM 0
ittee of one to ask the local member !;
Parliament to advance the money il
gain, If q young man is without CAPT t,
and desires to start business he 81
ats on the member to ask for Il loan. d
ID oftentImes to ask him to iBdorse b
II as the bank. If thare is a bazaar or s;
church fair. the member is expected iol
attend at Tie inaugural ceremony to Ii
axe q speech, and what is more ira- I'll
Tsant still, To leave behind him a ii
eek for S1o9 or 500. IF a new church Il
10 be erected or new organ, or read lel
Z desk to be put III an old one. or an b
church 80 be decorated; OF If there ii
q school picnic 10 BE given, the lady ii
Eiees9rs are all III q hurry to see who al
Il reach the member Of Parliament q
st. Now and again there are ull- el
emily sguabbles among the Younger q
lies as 10 who Is TO be faputad to make ef
2 CALI IL do1en, youths desire to ca
lei q cricket essiJ. TO float q gymnas- bs
U or q establish a swimming school, p
aIr tirst &C. as corporate body is 10 81
] = meeting and elect 4 equation 70 II
sisiesR Of write 20 Tlae local member b
q subscription r local musical q