The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-04
COST OF CONGRESSIONAL LIFE
Some Members Run in Debt and Few
Save Money.
From the New York Times

Washington, Sep 28-The yearly sal
airy of senator or representative in con-
gress is $1,000. He receives, in addition,
a sum representing the cost of railroad
fare from his home to the capital, by the
nearest railroad route" and is credited
with S125 for stationery, most of which
sum he takes in cash. Is this yearly rev.
enue sufficient for his needs}
The personal habits and the environ
ment of the congressman figure largely in
this question, as a correspondent of the
New York Times discovered while seek
ing information. 81 can't save cent out
of my salary and am apt to be heavily in
debt at the close of the session" said one
member of the lower house. This man
halls from New York city, and is accus-
toned to luxurious living He is capable
of earning much more each year than the
government pays him for his services, but
the glamour of politics surrounds him
and he has not awakened to the fact that
he is jeopardizing his future by remaining
in congress-. Perhaps he may not awake
in time to escape the fate of many polit-
ical hacks whose faces are familiar
here.
While this class is well represented in
Washington, there is another which af-
fords an interesting study. It is COM
posed of men whose habits before their
entry upon congressional life were com
paratively frugal They have made aC-
quaintances whose normal pace is fast,
and as a consequence they have adopted
daily programme which not only in
wolves the expenditure of much money
but much physical wear and tear. Tn
downward course of this class is naturally
rapid Every community in the country
has its "played-out' ex-cougressman.
Visit the "Swell" resorts of Washington
any night in the week and you will see
men whose ultimate fate it will be to Join
this unhappy contingent For the time
being they are bons vivants and "all-
around good fellows, " with not thought
of the day when they will be classed
among the have beens,"
There is still another class of congress
men. Let New York man who satnex
to a Kansas representative in the last
House describe man who typifeS it:
'My attention" the New Yorker said,
"was attracted to my Kansas neighbor
early in the session. He had nothing to
say, except on one occasion, and then he
asked leave to print some remarks con-
corning silver. Out of curiosity l exam
ined the congressional record next day,
and discovered an alleged speech by my
neighbor which started out with this dec
lafatlQn II my TRENDS on the other
side of the chamber will hold on to their
skins for a moment l will show them,
&c.
after this wonderful exhibition of
nerve 1 watched the Kansan with re-
newed interest. Day after day he occu-
pied his seat and paid close attention to
the proceedings. never met him in the
restaurant, never saw him take drink,
never saw him with a cigar between his
lips He wore the same suit from begin
ming to the end of the session. On the
day of final adjournment | saw him pack
ing up some papers preparatory to going
away. l could not restain my curiosity
to know his impressions of the session
just ended.
"'Wen, said I, 'how have you enjoyed
being in congress2'
"'Well enough was the reply. I've
saved $6,000.'"