Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-07-12
THE pAY.RoLLs or CONGRESS-.
what II Costs to keep the National hss'''--''
wheels Creased.


what II Costs to keep the National les'''AA
wheels Creased.
New York Graphic i q
There is one bill which, when y Y
introduced into the Senate and House
Of Representatives, is always sure o.
prompt passage. 1t is the one when
nroyides for the expenses ofoongfess.
The tariff debate may delay consid-
Grafton of nearly every other meas
nre but when unanimous consent u
aeted for the consideration OF tine
Hill which appropriates the money
en-. the nav of the Senators anu the
,,,an,bers Of the House and the OF
ficers and employees Of botn. not even =.
the great obiector, MIR. H9iilai =,
Indiana, will whisper a WORD aSSaii,'o
II beino brought at once to vote,
Tho hin has Just been introduced
from the Appropriations Committee
asd ~ sn;te of the assumed import
ance If the great tariff issue when y
sil;no tbe Congressional Record Win
sneechcs for consumption during the
fan campaign the money VIII b D, Voled
that is asked for by this bill, anu
will be voted soon. 1t is an interest.
mo compilation, this ten pages OF
closely printed items showing .iie
wav the money is spent to keep our
LEGISLATORS in good working trim.
There are lust 401 members Of the
House and oil the Senate, and 10 Wait
upon them and run errands ana lioiu
omen the doors as they pass m anu
out. and carry the cards oil their can,
e,s and take care OF the thousands OF
hills they put in, they have employed
about 400 people, who are paid the
snu@ little sum of 1854. 900 for doing
81 Fa.t. Every member has one
employ. and for the service vi the
Same there is paid an average OF
ahout 81 800 each. The snug little
sum of $3.50, 900 is required to pay
the salaries of the Senators, ana ior
the compensation OF the members Oh
the House 81 ,695, 900 is to be pro-
yided. and this brings the salaries oil
our Observation-Disclosures to total oil
over 81 900, 900 per year.
II costs little less than Sl3o,ooo
per session to pay the mileage OF the
members, and the country pays son.
600 to purchase the stationery
for members and officers OF the
House alone i'll any one session
The Treasury pays $4,000 Tor
reportipg the debates, whether
Congress sits for one month or for
twelve. as the official reporter, like
most of the clerks, are paid by the
year, though they seldom do more
han twelve months work IN the
twenty-four months that make up
a Congressional term. Right here Is
where the political workers come IN;
over 100000 is appropriated for
clerks to committees, who have about
the snuggest places in Washington.
One DAYS time each week would IN
all fairness suffice for the performance.
of their duties, and that only when
Congress is in session. When the
adjournment takes place the good
clerks go home, and the first of every
month the Sergeant-at-Arms forward
q check for the salary due him, Just
| the same as if he were engaged in the
Government service every working
day in the year. 1t requires s6s1 !.
900 to keep up the annual payroll
of the officers, clerks, and messengers
that stand about under the dome of
the Capitol to do the bidding OF our
401 working congressman.