Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-12-03
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS-.
To Meet in Short Session Monday,
December 3.
somo Interesting Facts About the worA
to BE Performed Between Now and
March 4-Queer Ways of Unsuc-
cessful Candidates.
Especial Washington Letter

The congress is about to convene and
number of the representatives of the
people are already here making prepa,
rations for the winter. The Fifty-third
congress will expire by constitutional
limitation on the 4th dav of next
March; and therefore the ensuing ses-
sion, which will last but three months,
will be called the short session. Al,
though the first session of the Fifty,
fourth congress will not convene until
the first Monday of December, 1895, un,
less especially convened by presidential
proclamation, the life of that congress
will begin on the 4th day of next
March, at noon, whcE the life of tho
present congress will expire. That Ia
to say, although the next congress will
not constitutionally convene until De-
cember, 1885, the terms of all the mem,
bers elected to that congress in the re-
cent elections will commence on the
4th day of next March, and their sala-
ries will begin on that date.
During the nine months intervening
between the 4th day of next March
and the first Monday of the following
December each member of congress
will be entitled to the sum of S41a
every month, which he will draw from
the sergeant-at-arms of the house OF
representatives. During that period
of inactivity, so far as legislation Ia
concerned, each member of congress
will draw the sum total of SO, ,744.
There are 1856 members of the house OF
representatives, and the total sum to be
drawn in salaries by the members OF
the house during the nine months OF
legislative inaction will be 81 ,232, ,sG4.
There are lightweight senator's, each
of whom will be entitled to the sum
of S3,744, so that the total amount to be
paid in salaries to the members of tho
senate the nine months of Legislative
inaction will be S32o,37 Consequent-
ly, the sum total to be paid to the men,
bers OF the senate and house of repre-
sentatives in salaries during the nine
months of legislative inaction will be
1852, ,236.
The reader will be astounded at first
with the figures, which show that more
than one and a half millions of dollars
will be paid to members of the senate
and house during a period of nine
months when they are not in session,
and are therefore apparently receiving
compensation from the government for
doing nothing. AS matter of fact,
although the senators and representa-,
tives will not be in Washington, ex,
cept as few of them may come indi,
vidually to look after departmental af,
fairs, each and every one Of them will
be diligently engaged in nrendering the
best possible services to his state and
congressional district. Although they
may remain at their homes, every mail
will bring to them letters from some
of their constituents relating to pub
lie business, and it will be the duty of
the senators and representatives to at,
tend to the wants and desires of their
constituents as expressed In their let
ters.
Although the senators are entitled 10
annual clerks to look after the routine
part of their business, each and every
one of them will be kept busy duri1IG
that period of seeming inactivity in al
tending to the wants of their people.
The representatives are not entitled to
clerks, except when the house Is in
session, and therefore there will fall
upon each of them an abundance of
work of routine nature which may
be presumed to be great deal more
eXacting than the labor required of
the senators; but inasmuch as each
state comprises several congressional
districts, the burden of public duty will
be about evenly divided.
Fortunately, under our system Of
government the senators and repre-,
sentatives are the servants of some,
what exacting people, and if they de,
sire to remain in public life they can,
not and will not be sluggards and lag