The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-15

cont they talk about the difference DE
tween wages here and in Europe. and we
their entire payroll does not amour
10 nearly as much as two cents In dol
lars worth Of sugar. But they get VIVA
they want from Congress whether Doti
houses are Republican. or both Demo
cratic. or one Republican and the othe
Democratic. and their stronghold is
| committee-room or closk-room or so'''
other retired portion OF the premises OF tn'
| United States Senate"
These are very startling facts VIM"
call for explanation. but when the o"'.N
| States Senate win never explain Inc
Senate which contained caihounS
Websters and Clays-men VINO" '"'
| ple were taught to look up 10 anu
vere--is a thing OF the past. Inc o'''0
| e,o.os so,ator If to-day is poiiuca'
..hossr vbo swans his vote on tariI
| bills to a protected monopoly WIN" I'm
| ,,,h,tss money 10 his campaign fund WIN
! which he debauches the State elections
ror the LEGISLATURE. and thus cohtrois
| -. rnaietsttre when he Is 10 be re-
elected. The special correspondent Oh the
Ral,imore Sun sends his paper the fol-
lowing dispatch. which, though htue
long. will amply repay perusal IN this
| connection:
WASHINGTON.-Wh the story OF
the extravagant expenditures of the Two
branches of Congress has been tod more
than once, 1t Is a recital whlch WIN We"
warrant repetition. The House OF rep
~. IA FN
costs very much more than any similar
legislative body under any other Govern
ment In the world. Enormous, however
as its outlay. Il is moderate indeed when
COMPARED with the lavish waste OF puDilc
funds bv the Senate. The House, with
35S members, costs the people OF the
United states considerably more than
3. 10000 per annum Most Of the lower
houses Of the legislative bodies OF Europe
have two and three times as many mem
bers as belong 10 the lower branch OF
our national legislature yet they cost the
people for whom they legislate scarcely
a fraction Of what We pay for the honor
Of being governed
But II Is the Senate, the American
House Of Lords. which bears the PAIN
for expenditures in It's own behalf eX-
pepditures. the amount Of which Is enough
TO take the breath away; expenditures
which grow year by year In volume; eN-
penditures so outrageous and indeiehslDie
that It seems almost incredible for the
men who are plunging their hands 50 deep
in the public pocket to show themselves
with uncovered faces. The British House
Of Lords, composed of nearly seven nun
dred men, about eight times as many as
are in the Senate Of the United States
r..
draw from the British Treasury Tor us
entire expenses not so much money as
our Senate throws away in the uncon-
sidered trifles which may be denominated
as extras. But no British nobleman who
has n seat in the House OF Lords would
dare for one moment to saddle his pri-
vate expenses upon the public. The Eng
lish public would not submit TO such an
imposition for a day. The House Of Rep
resentatives Of the United states, with
its 356 members, takes $4,000 per annum
to pay its employees. The Senate, with
lightweight members, has taken $4,000
for this year Tor the same purpose, and,
as 1t constantly Increases its filchine,
next year 1t viii no doubt take more.
II requires $4,000 TO pay the mileage or
members Of the House. but the Senate
cannot get along with less than $4,000
annually for the same purpose. In all
probability there arc not more than hair
dozen Of its members az SO many who
do not travel on railroad passes and cool
" drop the money which belongs TO the
people into their wallets. The House con-
tents itself with ffty-seven COMMITTEES
one-third at least Of which are Of no use
but the Senate cannot get along with les
than sixty.
The innocent reader will ask, Why
then. do they went TO bother with so
many committees? Simply because the
chairman has then a private room Tor
use and that of his friends and clerk
to attend 70 his private business without
any cost TO himself. TIE titles Of some
Of these committees are highly amusing.
When ingenuity was finally exhausted IN
devising names for committees, ana us
list had grown 10 siXtv for a body OF
eighty Eight men, II might have been sup
posed there would come halt. But on
no The bull was taken by the horns
and the senators for whom no committee
names could be found were voted Clerks
any way And so IL is that every MEMBER
Of the Senate has a clerk OF his own
at his individual beck and call, with no
drain upon his private purse therefor.
The clerks. messengers and employees or
one kind and another around the Senate
wing OF the Capitol are az thick as flies
around a sugar barrel. Eaca senator does
not cost the country less than $4,000 per
annum In other words, each one gets
S 900 for wages, and II is much higher
wages than the majority of them are
worth. and in addition some 5000 more to
provide him with clerks and walters TO
minister to his comfort generally while
he lives and pay his funeral expenses
when he dies.
You must know Il takes a great deal Of
public money to bury n senator. Fancy
what q howl would come up from all
England If the Government was called
upon TO foot the bills for the burial of n
deceased member Of the House of Lords.
senator who dies must, like an Egypt
ian king be embalmed at an expense
ranging from fifty to hundred dollars.
He must have a casket to cost $3.50; kid
gloves in quantities must be provided; at
tendants and hangers-on of various kinds
are paid a per diem from the time the
breath leaves his body until he Is put in
the ground Carriages must be provided
for all who may wish to ride. II he Is
to be taken home. Pullman cars must
be had for the funeral party at an eX-
pense of one or two thousand or more.
1t matters not. as the cost Is to be loaded
upon the broad back OF Uncle Sam. Meals
and lunches for the trip. with the liquors
to wash them down. run up to hundreds
more. The Government Is even called
upon 10 pay the ministers who say
prayers. Well, prayers for some of them
ought TO come high.
IL would be superfiuous to 60 through
the long list of drugs. cosmetics. toilet
articles perfumery, books, and all sorts
q lypfc Is oclyc