The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-08
LITTLE LOOTERS.
Specimen Statesmen in Washington
from Kansas

The annual report of James Kerr,
clerk of The house of representatives,
showing the receipts and disbursements
of the house of representatives from
December s. 1891, to June 80, 1892, con-
tains some interesting information con-
corning the individual members. A
glance at the stationery account is re-
warded with slice of condensed in
formation which is of special impor-
lance
A member of the house is allowed
S125 for stationery annually. The in
divldual accounts of the members are
especially interesting, as they show how
much stationery they use in answering
letters to their constituents.
William Baker Of the Sixth Kansas
district, has made rather suggestive
record. His stationery for the last
session of congress amounted to 1915,
and he took the remainder, $11524 in
cold hard cash from the treasury. It
is suggested that he must have had
wonderfully active CORES pondence dur
ing the last session, as it cost him $9.76.
Ot course some members use this
amount in one day, but for Baker, in six
months, this involves large amount Of
work.
John G. Otis is neck and neck with
Baker. He used stationary for the same
period showing a total cost of So. II. and
also robbed the treasury of the peoples
money amounting TO $116S9. Had OTIS
given as much attention to the matter of
getting himself renominated as Baker
did he would doubtless have staggered
over as much paper i'll writing letters as
Baker, who, however, by the record and
official report. is $1.65 ahead Of OILS.
Doubtless Otis will insist that Baker
spent this Sic in seeking a renomina-
ton, and hence Baker did not send more
letters to ms constituents free from per-
sonal politics than did Otis.
Ben Glover comes up with an enor-
nous amount expended on letters and
letter writing to his dear people. The
exact total for last session is $685., and
he cody pockets S121. Is out of the al
lowance made for looking after the bust
ness of constituents.
Jeremiah Simpson must have attend
ed to an enormous amount Of CORES
pondence last session, as he readily eX-
pended $5.S8, and of the $125 landed
S1l9. II in his pockets. When he came
here he announced that he did not in
tend TO be a department clerk or an at
tOrney, but would be statesman. The
fact that he wrote less than 200 letters
during the session shows that he did not
attempt 10 answer the letters sent him
by his constituents.
Sam Peters sent out on an average
fifty letter a day, yet Simpson in SIX
months sends out less than 200.
John Davis expended during the late
session S4337 in letter writing, and cali
ed for his balance, SS1.63 He seems to
have been the busiest one of the Alliance
members.
TIE distinctive feature of the official
report is the fact that the reform MEM
bers, while writing very few letters,
called for the balance of their $125 and
made personal use of it.
If any one wants to confirm the facts
concerning personal accounts of mem
bers given, he can do so by securing a
copy of kerr's report. If he will OBJ
serve the report of the secretary of the
senate, he will also see that Senator
PETER has so arranged it that his dauZh-
ter is his private secretary at Sc per day;
his son is drawing a like amount for al
legged services about the capitol building,
and his nephew is also on the cash roll
getting the usual handsome cash in
hand because he chances to be a relative
of a United States senator. 1t IS doubt
less unnecessary to say that the average
member of congress spends more than the
allowance of 1925 in his correspondence
per year. When Kansas was represented
each congressman spent about 81, 600 an
uually in keeping up correspondence,
while Senator Plumb some years spent
over $4,000 in keeping up this one bran ch
Of his work.