Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-06-16

So much has been written abont the
millionares in the Senate Chamber
that there IS popular impression that
all Senators can write their checks. for
million or more. Yet there are some |
very poor men in the north end Of the |
Capitol, says weH informed Washing
ton correspondent. One of these is
Senator Whitthorne of Tennessee, who
succeeded Judge Jackson. Mr. Whit
thorne is literally not worth q dollar.
At the time of his appointment by Gov.
Bate he had just settled up his tinan.
cial affairs and found himself nearly
$4,000 in debt, with assets consisting
of his old homestead amp something
like 700 acres of land, worth in all less
than half the amount of his indebted
ness. He accepted the appointment as
Senator more on account of the salary
attached than for the honor of the
thing. When he came to Washington
his family were left at home because
he could not stand the expense of keep
ing them here. He has one little room
at the Ebbitt House, up on the fifth
floor and lives at the lowest rates the
hotel can give. OF course no carriage
carries him to the Capitol, nor yet q
| herdic. The three-cent cars from the
Treasury to the Capitol receive all the
money he lays out for vehicles.
Senator Ransom of North Carolina is
| also poor man, dependent for support
on his $4,000 a year from the Govern
ment. His family likewise spending the
Congressional year at their country
home, while the Senator puts up cheap
ly at the Metropolitan. He gave up a
fine law practice when he came here
and now he says the Legislature of
North Carolina must keep him in the
Senate for life or support him at the
public expense, as he could never re-
pair his lost practice. MIR. Ransom
draws part of his salary every two
weeks, and in advance, too.
| Coke of Texas was deeply in debt
when he was first elected to the Senate,
and is not clear of it by any means.
He lives at a common boarding house
on Sixth street and pays just $6 a week
for his board. He is never seen in So
ciety or at any place where an expend.
iture of money is necessary. His
amusements are confined to constant
smoking and mayhaps just little
"Lone STAR whiskey, with an occasion
al turn at poker to make him solid
with his constituents.
Wade Hampton has no other source
of income than his salary, and, con.
sequently, cannot keep his family with
him. A small bedroom at the Metro
politan Hotel is the only place he has
to receive friends when out of the Sen
ate Chamber. At his home in Column
bia, S. c., he owns respectable two
story brick house; where he has lived
since the War.
! Senator Riddleberger has, besides
his salary, the revenue from country
weekly in Woodstock, Va. whose cir
culation is 800 copies, Notwithstanding
the fact that, like all Virginia papers,
it claims to be the best advertising
medium in the United States. He has
rooms at the Arlington, the highest.
priced hotel in the city He can i'll
afford the cost, but Malone stops there,
and the junior Senator is determined
not to be outdone by his colleague, o.
pecially since he conceived the idea
that Senators generally were disposed
to look down on him and sit down on
him. too, at every opportunity.
Senator Wilson of Maryland has only
his salary to live on. Call of Florida
has q house or two at Jacksonville.
George of mississippi rents the dwelling
he lives in when at his home in Jackson.
Kenna of West Virginia has rooms up
town and eats at restaurant. In fact,
all the Southern Senators except Gibson
and Eustis of Louisiana, German Of
Maryland, Camden of West Virginia
and Jones of Arkansas have little
more than their salaries to support
them.