, 1886-12-17
SALARIES OF coNeRessMgN.
The Majority OF tho Members Draw Their
Pay HeguIariy-Those Who DO Not.

Pay KeguIarIy-Those Who Do Not.
There are some fifteen or twenty
members of the house of representatives
who do not draw their pay regularly
every month, but let it accumulate in
the hands of the sergeant-at-arms, to
whom they give orders on the United
States treasurer. The majority of the
members, however, draw their money
regularly, and in several instances there
are some who have overdrawn. This is
lone at the risk of the sergeant alarms,
and the money advanced is that de-
posted with him TO the credit of those
who have not drawn for several months.
There are n number who do not draw
a cent from the beginning of a session
until its close, when they get it in "A
lump, and during the recess have n
draft sent to them on the first of each
month for their salary for the month
previous. There are some twenty-five
or thirty who draw quarterly or every
four or five months. One or two take
it bat once a year, and several only
twice n year. 1t is said that one mem
Der has not touched n cent of his salary
as congressman for six months. 1t is
also said that the sergeant-at-arms is in
a hole to the tune of several hundred
dollars in accommodating another states
man. Cooper of the Mount Vernon
district is one of those who do not
trouble the sergeant-at-arms very often,
but usually gets his money in the
shape of "A draft for a good large figure.
So far as other congressman are con-
cerned, the sergeant-at-arms does not
keep on hand much cash belonging TO
them, rs they keep their accounts pretty
evenly balanced. The system of the
sergeant-at-arms is that of a regular
banking establishment, and n separate
account is kept with each member.
1t is said to be n remarkable fact that
the majority of the members from south
of Mason and Dixon's line live up to their
salaries, and in many instances some of
these get their pay discounted for sew
eral months in advance by the city
banks, or get the sergeant alarms to
arrange it for them. Usually these
transactions are made by that official,
who advances the money. He claims,
it is stated, that he gets the notes dis
counted by local brokers or bankers.
The transactions vary in amounts from
500 to 50. 900 per year. One congress
man is said to have got his salary adj
vanced for Il year. lie had his life in
surod for the benefit of the party who
arranged the transaction. The latter
was thus protected in the event of the
debtors death, as any balance due Il de-
ceased congressman or any extra pay
voted on his account is paid to his widow
or some other member of his family.
When n congressman is hard up and
wants to sell "his time" he calls on the
sergeant-at-arms or some other person
in n position able to accommodate him
usually tho former-and executes his
receipts on the United States treasurer
for the month that. if he lives, he would
be entitled to compensation as a ON
gresham, and makes them payable for
the consecutive months covering the
time for which his wages are advanced.
Then he is required by his benefactor, or
broker, to take out a short-time life in
surance policy, so that if he should i'll
the meantime be overtaken by the dread
destroyer before the last receipt natures.
the usurer is made safe by the insurance
company. Generally, however, a num-
her of these who are hard up get
their notes discounted through the SER
geant-at-arms. ~The latter claims, it is
said, that he gets them discounted in the
city banks, the sergeant-at-arms being
the cndorscr, but the INDECENT states
man secures that official by having his
life insured in his favor. These trans
actions usually take place prior to n
congressional election. 1t is said dur
ing former administrations of the Office
of sergeant-at 1t arms of the house of rep
resentativcs the discounts for loans of
this character largely exceeded the sal
AIRY of the sergeant-at-arms.-Co Gin
cinnati Enquirer.