The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-29
LEGrsLATTyE rsrorUMENTs.

LEGISLATIVE EA1OIUAENEiss
How much is it worth per day to make the |
laws and manage the machinery of a Slater
That would seem to be an important question |
in these days of cast-irQu schedules of wages !
for all manner OF skilled labor-and certainly +
law-making ought to be classed as skilled labor,
though much Of it is undeniably crude and |
botchy.
When one looks over the pay-tabies Of the !
different Legislatures, he is tempted to wonder /
why the wide discrepancies that exist have not |
already been made the cause for the formation of
a grand National Trades Union Of Legislators" /
which viii insist on uniform prices for ali
classes of work, with a regulation as to how
much shall constitute days labor allowance !
for overtime and double pay for Sunday and
and night-work.
For example, California thinks her Legislators
earn s. day, with 10 cents a mile for travelling
expenses, and $25 thrown in for bonus. This IS
the highest price per day paid by any State for
thislzind ofservice, but then Californiaisa high
priced State in every way, including just now
her real estate around Los Angeles. She has 100
Senators and Representatives, and she provides
that they must do 60 days work each year.
At the other extreme stands Rhode Island,
which has 103 Senators and Representatives,
whom she pays less than diggers and shoyeiers
on a railroad grade get Their stipend is but
81 a day, and eight cents mileage. as the State
is only All miles long by 40 broad, there is no
chance to get in any gougo on this item, by
taking a roundabout course to the Capital. In
fact, the Legislator may be said to be as di-
Tectly under the eye of his watchful constitu-
ents from the moment he leaves home until he
takes his seat at Newport or Providence as a
boy is when his mother sends him to the spring.
There is no limit to the length Of the session,
doubtless because the Rhode Islanders are rea-
sonably sure that man is not going to hang
around the State House at 81 a day any longer
than he can help, when he can get twice as
much for working lie a cottOn-milI.
Alabama has 1913 Legislators, whom she pays
81 day for so days, and 10 cents mileage. 1t
is unnecessary to state that they put in
every one Of the so days allowed and likewise
every mile between their homes and Mont
gomery.
Arkansas pays her 12i Legislators Sc day
for go days, and every one of them puts in for
| the entire 1850 at the close Of each session.
Colorado has small LegisIature-only rs Sena-
tors and 40 Representatives, whom she pays
81 day, and 10 cents mileage. The legal
length of the session is 90 days.
Connecticut reimburses her Solons in the
same moderate scale as Rhode Island, allowing
them $500 year and mileage. As she pays
them by the year she does not care how long
! they sit, and makes no limit to the sessions.
Like the rest Of the New England States she
| has big LegisIatnre-24 Senators and 249
Representatives. Little Delaware has nine
/ Senators and 20,Representatives, whom she pays
| 50 day and lets them sit as long as they
! please.
/ Florida has 1o8 Legislators, whom she lets
sit 60 days at So a day, with 10 cents a mile for
travelling expenses. Georgia, which lies along
side Of her. thinks she can get good enough
w-makers for 81 a day, and only allows them
a 40-days' job at that.
! Illinois permits her Legislators to sit as long
as they want to at s. a day, with 10 cents and
mileage, and bonus Of $50. Indiana seems to
/ think she must have superior talent at Indian
apolis than is assembled at Springfield, and
pays her men Sc day, but only allows them
to sit so days. They get twice as much mileage
as the Tlinoisians, though it should cost no
more to travel in one State than the other.
Iowa has 80 Legislators, aud they must do
all the law-making they do for $500 year,
without mileage. Kansas thinks she can get
good enough men for all practical purposes for
! s. day and Is cents mileage. Kentucky pays
l33 Legislators S. day for 90 days, and allows
them Is cents mile. Louisiana'5 134 Legis-
lators sit 60 days at 81 a day, with mileage.
Maryland's 20 Senators and 81 Representa- yes
get S. a day for 80 days, and mileage at the rate
of Is cents. Massachusetts pays her General
Court $3.50 year, and allows them 20 cents
a mile to raise them above the temptation of
free passes. She has 40 Senators and 24O Rep
resentatves. Michigan gets very good laws
made for So a day, with 10 cents mileage.
Minnesota pays s. a day and Is cents mile
age. She has $50 Legislators, and the sessions
are 60 days long. Mississippi hires 160lawmakers
at $500 year Missouri gives q job 20 days
long to ia men at S. day, and Is cents mile
age, with bonus of $50. Nebraska cuts the
session down to 40 days and then only pays
her " assembled wisdom There are 1873 heads
III it, 50 a day, with 10 cents 4 mile for railroad
tickets aAi lunches Nevada has only so men,
and they can legisIate enough in 60 days for
her G3,O 600 people. They get 81 a day while at
work and 40 cents a mile going and coming.
New Hampshire has the largest legislature
containing 3l5 members and pays them 50 q
day. New Jersey has 81 and pays them $500 q
year New York pays 81 Senators and l25
Assemblymen 81 800 year, and 10 cents mile
North Carolina gathers 10 brainy "TaI
Heels at Raleigh for 90 days on the inducement
of 81 day and 10 cents mile. Ohio thinks
that $500 year, with IL cents mileage, is fair
recompense for the LAT men who gather at Co.
lumbus to wrestle with the temperance ques-
ton and regulate State institutions. Oregon is
ruled by 80 men, who get So a day and 10 cents
mileage. Pennsylvania pays her PSI the same
as New Yorl-$1, 500 year, but cuts their
mileage down to cents. South Carolina
has 150, whom she pays s. day, with 10 cents
a mile for riding over her rickety, earthquake
{ shaken roads. Tennessee has 1872, whom she
pays 81 a day for IS days, and 16 cents mileage
Vermont pays So day to go men for 80 days
and they must travel at their own expense
: Virginia pays 140 men $40 year for 80 days
e work, and 10 cents mileage. West Virgins
q gets along with IS day sessions for which shC
pays 81 men 81 a day and 10 cents mileage