Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-27

| ~ WMKJ seized bell and rang it
~ and when the sable servitol
responded said: ''Sam, gel
the gentleman the incest port sangaree YOU
| can make"
"No, no, Frank" interrupted the guest, "yor
misunderstood. I don't want anything t.
drink. want to be appointed to ons."
Zone what, Bill?"
| "a sangaree."
"Want to be appointed to sangarss2"
| "Now, you've pocketed it!'
| The President meditates awhile and then be
said:
well you'll excuse my dulness Bill. but
have heard OF port sangaree and even OF @
Madeira sangaree, but I'll be hanged il I ever
| heard OF an official sangaree."
| At last he found out that "sinecure" was
the thing that was wanted, and presumably
| gave it to him.
The United States Senator's position is not q
''sangaree."
| When John A. Logan was running for Vice
President he said to me: 'Some Of US Senators
| work like slayes and are actually put to aur
| trumps to live. My postage this year has cost
me 81, 800. 1t is disgrace to the country that
| our salaries are such n beggarly pittance.
Salaries have nominally been increased since
| the war, but our perquisites have been 30 cut
| on that my salary isn't much more thar half as
large as it was when first camo to Congress.
1t is hard shedding for . man who tries to be
honest"
Tho controversy between the House All
Senate today is not SO much because IT
kennedys speech as because the House a few
weeks since negatived the Senate's demand for
clerks for all the members of the lower House.
Nine-tenths Of the members of both Senate and
House think that their salaries ought to be in
creased at least one-half but whenever the
question comes up 1t is defeated. The average
statesman stands in awe Of the rural voter,
WHAT THEY SAY
I have made something of canvass Of our
rent opinions on this question this week:
Eyes, said Senator Pettigrew, II am in favor
Of increasing the annual pay of each Senator to
10000, and will vote for it whenever get a
chance. am opposed to a restoration OF the
ranking privilege on account of its possible
abuses. but favor lump annual sum Of $500
or $1,000 for postage"
Yes" said Speaker Reed, in reply to ques-
ton, Il think every member ought to have O
clerk. Yet should probably vote against it
II the question came up and my vote would
pass it; because, you see, he continued thought
fully inspecting fly that was crawling up the
opposite wall. I'D rather be here without q
clerk than to have my successor here with one. "
SENATOR INGALLS, VIEWS.
i called upon Senator Ingalls, and asked il he
thought that the government ought to pay the
postage OF letters which Senators write on pub
lie business.
The question answers ITSELF" said the Sen.
ator. There IL no reason why a Senator or
Representative should no. have the same
facilities afforded him for the transaction OF
public business with his constituents that are
extended to every other Departments Of the
government. The abolition of franking was
an unwise concession to supposed popular
demand, which do not believe ever existed.
The people of the United States are intelligent,
generous and reasonable While it is true that
.IeffHrHnn. no of lam fann h
his followers that lin popular government
wealth, intelligence and education were ulti-
mately no match for numbers. yet the final
verdict OF the people is always just.
Undoubtedly to men OF small earnings and
narrow incomes $4,000 q year seems like
colossal revenue, and the impression is sedu-
lousy disseminated that with such resources
we ought to be able to live like Vanderbilts
| and Astors. in the enjoyment of opulcnce be-
yond the dreams of avarice."
Replying further to the subject Of postage
MIR. ingalls, said: My postage account runs
from $500 to s600 year. l am allowed Sl25
per annum for postage, newspapers and sta
tionery. For two or three hours every day
write or dictate letters to stenographers as fast
as can talk. My correspondence comes from
every state in the Union and each letter re-
ceives reply.
GOVERNMENT CLERKS MORE TRUSTED THAN SEN
AToRs.
"What we ought to have is the penalty en-
velope that is used by the departments. II
would facilitate the transaction of business and
not be open to the abuses to which the unre-
strained frank is liable. l know Of no reason
why clerk or subordinate in tho Pension
Office should be allowed to inclose letter to
me about claim of one OF my constituents in
a free envelope, which. when transmit to him.
/ am compelled to inclose in another envelope
and pay cents postage. Every head OF de-
partment and every chief OF division and every
writer in all the offices has thousands of these
envelopes at his elbow, which he has a right to
use upon government business, without restric-
ton, while We alone compelled to pay post
age. In thus discriminating against ourselves
We have declared that we are not fit to be
trusted and have practically assured the people
that unless restrained by statute wo would send
our solled linen through the mails and defraud
the local laundry. l know Of no better evil
deEce OF the mediOcrity and cowardice which
characterize the public service than tho fact
that we have made ourselves exceptions to all
officers Of every class and degree and deliber-
ately declared that we only are unworthy OF
trust and must be manacled to keep us from
pundering the public. 1t certainly Is a de-
| grading attitude"
OTHER SENATORS.
I asked Senator Dolph what he thought
| about it.
II have always favored an increase Of salary, "
he said, land either tho penalty frank OF
money enough in some way to pay postage"
II am opposed to the frank" said Senator
| Pierce. Il have always opposed 1t editorially
and see no reason to change my mind And /
| think 5000 salary is enough / live within
mine, and so do others who choose. 1t is moi
| as much as We would like, OF course but per-
haps tho taxpayers do not have always az
much as they would like"
| Gen. Grosvenor said: Il think We could get
along without an increase OF salary if every
member OF both houses had q clerk. I'm in
favor OF that; with that exception l favor re.
| trenchment."
| asked Watchdog Holman Of Indiana what
he thought Of it.
Mr.. HOLMAN HAS ENOUGH.
~ don't believe in it," he said ".The pres
ent salary does very well. My postage is about
$50 year. An allowance for stationery Coz
postagc) is made to each Of US Of sl25. Besides
that the mileage must amount to $3.50 apiece
| on an average. A Congressman can live within
his salary If he wants to, have no COMMITTEES
now, and hence no clerk, but am Just as well
OF as when ] had two committees and two
| clerks, for they never attended to any OF my
individual public business. No. we are doing
| very we'll. II tho salary were made e., 600 /,
! would be temptation to avaricIous fellows to
buy their way m on account OF the salary"
| SENATOR HARRIS,
| the old war governor OF Tennessee, who KEEP,
the executive Office in the saddle for four year,
and then moved to Mexico, had an opinion
II think a Senator ought to receive sI0, 600 q
year and Representative 1880. The Sena
| tors responsibility 10 greater and his work il
1 hor Ha II Ahat lU k.lS t~xS