The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1891-08-05
conuressIOnaI ExtraYaaanoA.

SOPiohAc Oilcn ~ lOeb 10 UNDER
= stand how congress manages to
: spend so much money on itself.
: There are about 45O members In
that body, on a salary Of $4,000 each.
or a little more than 100000 in
the aggregate. Every session, of
course, is attended by many neces.
sary and legitimate expenses be-
sides the salaries Of the members /:
but after making the most liberal
allowance for these, the fact remains
that congress annually squanders
great sums in the most iuexcusable
ways.
Take, for instance, the 1926 apiece
that the senators help themselves
to out Of of the national treasury,
for the purchase ofstationery. Why
these gentlemen should not pay for
their own pens ink and paper does
not appear for men who draw SAL
aries of 5000 each are very far from
being paupers. As there are about
ninety senator's, they thus abstract
from the treasury not less than
sll, 900 every year. To make the
matter worse, the senator's, without
single exception, draw out in cash
and put into their pockets whatev.
er may remain ofthe sl25 after pro-
yiding themselves with stationery.
Some OF them, indeed. pocket near
ly the entire amount in cash, il be-
ing clear addition to their income.
lnprivate business very harsh terms
would be applied 10 an employee
who should take such liberties with
his employers cash.
Another matter that calls loudly
for reform is the extravagant expen-
ditures over dead congressman.
When amember happens 10 die while
congress is in session, his body is
sent home by special train, attend
cd BY a delegation of congressman
who sometimes take their families
with them-besides clerks, secretar.
les and invited guests.
The government bears the entire
cost Of all this, including even the
whiskey that the party drink, and
the cigars that they smoke. As Gun
Gle Sam pays the bill, they travel in
the most luxurious style, and never
fail to have a royal time. Itisstrict-
ly in Pickwickian sense that they
call themselves mourners, and, in
fact, the enjoyable nature Of the
trips is so frankly recognized that
there is always brisk competition
among congressman for places on
"funeral committees. The extray-
agance that is INDUCED in on these
occasions is sufficiently apparent
from the fact that the funeral of sem
ator Beck cost the country So, 200,
that Of senator Miller $50, 900, and
that Of senator Hearst $4,000
Nor is this all. No matter how
insignificant the deceased member
may be, number of congressional
windbags deliver orations in bis
praise, and their fulsome productions
arc actually printed at an average
cost of $25, 900 and issued in hand
somely bound book, ornamented with
steel engraving of the departed he
70. These worthless volumes are ripe
FOR the junk-shop as they come from
The press; yet the people have to pay
Tor them.
Such facts show that the moral
one Of both houses Of congress is
very low. From the senate especial
y, the country has a right to expect
better things. In that body arc
men Of ability, Of learning, Of great
wealth, Of reputed piety; yet not one
If them, 50 far as we can learn, has
'ver protested against this paltry bus
ness Of making the government pay
ior his stationery. What reason is
here to hope for any genuine reform
If financial abuses at the hands Of
men who set the example Of misap-
propriating and wasting the national
revenues =?