The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-05-07
ALL ABOUT FUNERALS.
Congressman Are SuperEtitious
About Attending Them.
Some Erroneous Impressions Corrected
The Arrangements Made by Congress
When tho Death of q Member OF
Either House Is Reported.
Especial Washington letter.

Especial washington letter.
A great deal of editorial chaff, con-
tanning more mis-statements than
truths, can be found in the daily papers
of this country concerning congress
sional funerals. The impression has
been created by writers who lack re-
liable information that congressional
funerals are undignified, unseemly and
disgraceful. This erroneous impression
prevails to such an extent that it might
better be corrected.
1t is true that it costs from two thou.
sand to five thousand dollars to pay the
expenses of the funeral of senator or
representative in congress. That is, of
course, a very large sum of money to
be expended for the purpose of convey
ing human being to the quiet of the
tomb; but it must be borne in mind all
the time that the statesman who dies in
the harness belongs to the nation, and
that the people of a congressional dis
trict and of sovereign state expect all
honor to be paid to his memory. 1t has
been customary for well-nigh century,
out Of respect not only to the deceased,
but to his living friends, to have q COM
mittee OF both houses of congress ap-
pointed to attend the funeral. This
necessitates heavy travelling and Incl
dental expenses, to which do not be-
lieve the people of this country object.
The expenses of the funeral of tho
late Senator Plumb, of Kansas, were
unusually large because of the distance
OF the home of the deceased statesman
from the national capital. But he was
a man not only honored but beloved by
the state which he was ably represent
ing in the upper house of congress-; and,
out of respect to his living friends in
that state as well as out of respect to
his memory and in appreciation of his
Invaluable services, the people of this
country would not have objected if the
expenses of that funeral had been twice
what they were. 1t has been said, and
there are some elements of truth and
logic in the statement, that distinctions
ought to be made in the manifestations
OF regret for the loss of our public men:
and that those unknown to fame should
not be entitled to congressional funer-
ais. This matter has been discussed
great deal in the national capital, and
the prevailing opinion seems to be that
no matter whether a representative
shall have attained fame in a national
sense or not the people whom he repre-
sents will insist upon having due re-
spect paid to his memory.
One of the leading undertakers of
this city says: "My bill for the burial
OF congressman is from five hundred
to eight hundred dollars, according to
circumstances. This amount includes
the cost of embalming and robing the
deceased, the price of the casket, the
expenses of carriages and other profes-
sional ministrations and incidentals.
The caskets arc always expensive, and
every attention paid to the deceased
must be rendered by experienced men
whose services must be paid for; so you
VIII see that the actual cost of a con-
gressional funeral in this city is even
less than the amount expended often
times by private individuals. The re-
mains of a deceased statesman, after
being taken care of by the undertaken,
are placed in charge of the sergeant-at-
arms of the house or of the senate.
Ihat official attends to all the details of
the funeral, after having consulted with
the family and ascertained exactly what
they desire to have done; that is, how
many carriages are likely to be needed
for the accommodation of friends and
relatives, the date of the funeral, the
style and cost of casket. and all other