The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-21


The fact appears to be that the senators,
in addition to 5000 year salary, and S125
year for stationery and papers, most of
which is drawn in cash and mileage, which
is good deal more than their travelling ex-
penses, and for each one q private secre-
in-law, and in one case his wife, have their
boots BACKED at public expense, carry on a
barber shop out of the surplus revenue, and
Through the agency of the barber shop pro-
vide themselves with hair, fnger-nail, shoe
hnd clothes brushes, cologne, bay rum and
pills. without going through the painful
ordeal of paying for them out of their own
pockets.
No one, of course, grudges the United
States senators ice water at public expense,
but it is little surprising to find that it
lakes from twenty to sixty tons of ice a
month to keep the senate cool enough to
transact business. In eleven months, from
June l, 1888, to April 80, 1889, the treasury
paid for 7OS pounds of ice for the sem
Ute. The monthly average was from 35,O85
bounds in November. during most of which
month the senate was not in session. to
q, $40 pounds in August, at which time
Benator Allison and AIdrich were STRUGGLING
bver the tariff question.
As the senators get their ice for nothing
t would, of course, give them a painful
lhock to be compelled to pay for the things
that make ice palatable. During the sum
ner Of 1888 the obliging and generous peo-
comfort of the senators, who have generally
peen supposed to be. men of wealth, two
ozen pints of apollinaris in quarts, alto
ether costing 1888 %; also PSI boxes of
emons at $5, making $126.25; 81 pounds of
formulated sugar at various prices, amount
az to about $685., and FIVE dozen of ginger
le at 1925, making $31.25. If the senators
urchase toilet articles, mineral water
uinine, lemons and sugar out of
be treasury, there is no reason
Thy they should pay for their
Fhisky and cigars out of their private
unds, and perhaps they do not, though
Fhlsky and tobacco DO not appear in this
wn names. Perhaps, however, we NAV
rust Senator Blair to see that no whisky OF
Dbacco are purchased with public money.
18th the exception of 81 pounds of snuff
hat are annually bought by the nation for
be use of senators.
If the senator gets his boots BACKED, his
heck shaved, his hair curled and his thirst
uenched at public expense, we see no rea.
pm why he should pay for his lunch, and
erhaps he does not. The senate keens q
estaurant; 1t selects the manager, provides
i'm with rooms, fuel. dishes, ice, and al
lost everything else he needs, and permits
m to charge the public first class prices
a
abroad eating house, and we have no
cans of knowing what the further
blations between the senator's and
he restaurant are, but in the
after of stationery the senators follow
le excellent maxim never to buy with their
bople's money. Among the expenses of
lie government reported by Gen. McCook
Fe the cost of forty. four engraved card
ates and $500 cards. These are the visit
g cards of the senators and their wives.
must puzzle senator good deal to
how why the people who pay for his visit
e cards do not pay for his carriage when
re- have got used to the idea of providing
emselves with private secretaries and
monade, they will begin to think about
e propriety of supplying each senator
tn carriage out of the contingent fund.
the meanwhile the senate buys few
lblc funds, and in spite of keeping
able at an expense of 81, 2S9, Al, the senate
ent gill; for cab hire in sending bills
the president for his approval between
ly l, 1873, and March 4, 1889. Forty dol
ID 4.
SO far as the clerk of the house informs
the representatives do not. like the sena-
rs, get their 4uinine pills, apollinaris,
nonade, hair oil, Humphreys specific and
maica ginger at public expense. A com
rison of the expenditure for ice at the
o ends OF the capitol explains why there
30 much less heat in the senate than in
house. The difference between the
hount OF ice consumed by seventy-six
hators and that consumed by 3.5 repre-
ptatives is startling. Between univ i.
fs, and May l, 1889. the house used l75.
pounds of ice. and the senate used Gil
pounds. 1t is no wonder that John
erlaan keeps cool. In August. 1883. the
use took HOO pounds of ice and the SEN
took 122,6io pounds. For the ten
d half times as much ice as the house
!.
The senators make much heavier inroads
on their SIPS allowance for stationery
IN the representatives do. Twenty-nine
mbers of the house appear TO have drawn