St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-30

a Son OF the Late Senator Riddle
berger Is One of the Pages of
the Senate Today-An Age
Limit Which VIII Cause the
Removal Of Several Boys
Their Pleasant Life.
Special Letter to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, July 20. - With the
beginning of the session Of congress
several Of the pages Of the senate will
go out of office. There will be no re-
moyaIs on account of politics Pages
have political views or they think they
have-but these are never held against
them by the senate. OF ali the 10 APP
pointmentS under the Sergeant-at-arms
of the senate, these are the only ones
which can be said to be non-Doltical.
A number of Republican employees will
be kept in Office by Sergeant-at-Arms
Bright, in accordance with the invaria-
bic custom recognizing the minority in
the distribution of patronage. The
pages will stay in office whatever their
political backing, unless they have
reached the age limit. No boy can be
appointed page of the senate who is
not twelve years of age; and no boy can
continue as page who is sixteen years
OF aye at the beginning of a session of
congress. 1t is often Il sorry dav for
the page when he enters his seventeenth
year. 1t may be long time before he
finds employment so lucrative again,
unless he is fortunate enough to be Sc
lected for the position of riding page.
Usually four of the boys who graduate
from tine pages position at the begin
ming of session are appointed riding
pages. Their selection depends On
their records for efficiency and faithful
ness. The page on the floor of the
senate draws $3.50 a day during
the session of congress. The
riding page receives $3.50 a day the
year around and has a horse to ride.
His duties keep him out of doors a
great part of the time, carrying mes
sages between the capitol and
the departments. The position
is considered more desirable than
that of page. Fifty years ago the
pages received S1.50 a day for the SEES
sion, and lump sum of 5000 at the end
of the session to keep them during the
recess. This pay and allowance were
doubled in 1915. The page now receiv-
ing nothing for the recess. He is sup
posed to have laid by enough out of his
salary to keep him going until congress
meets again.
The pay averages $3.50 year. This
IS great deal more than the average
youth needs to keep him going, but
usually the page has some one depend
ent on him, at least in part. In fact,th
pages are appointed in most instances
because they are sons of widows and de-
serving OF assistance. If the senate
wished to do so, it could obtain labor for
a much smaller sum, but it could not
obtain anywhere more refined-look-
ing, courteous set of little gentlemen
than those who answer to the clappiug
OF a senator's hands and run his errands
TO the document room or the library.
Senator Moody, of South Dakota, VIC
lated all precedent by having his son
appointed page some years ago. The
Moody family did not need the income
either. This is the only instance of the
appointment of a senator's son to this
position. Sometimes the sons of eX-
senators have been appointed. One of
them IS in the service of the senate
today. He is the son of the late
ii. II. Riddleberger, of Virginia Mr..
Rlddleberger died soon after his
term In the senate expired in 1889. He