Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-12-13
FTFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
Some Interesting racts About the Work
TO he Performed Between Now and
uarch l-Qucer Ways OF Unsuc-
cessful Candidates.
Especial washington letter.

people are already here making prcpa-
rations for the winter. The Fifty-third
congress will expire by constitutional
limitation on the 4th dav of next
March; and therefore tho ensuing scs-
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, when the life of the
present congress will expire. That is
to say, although the next congress will
not constitutiorally convene until De-
cember, 1906, 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 S1l6
every month, which he will draw from
the scrgeant-at-arms of the house of
representatives. During that period
of inactivity, SO far as legislation is
concerned, each member of congress
will draw the sum total of 50,
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, 1874.
There are lightweight senator's, each
of whom will be entitled to the sum
of S3,T44, SO that the total amount to be
paid in salaries TO the members of the
senate the nine months of Legislative
inaction will be S32o,372. Consequent
ly, the sum total to be paid TO the mem
bers of the senate and house of repre-
sentatives in salaries during the mine
months of legislative inaction will be
81, 562 ,236.
The reader will be astounded at first
with the figures, which show that more
than one and 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 rendering 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
tiers.
Although the senators are entitled to
annual clerks to look after the routine
part of their business, each and every
one of them will be kept busy during
that period Of seeming inactivity in at
tending to the wants of their people.
The representatives are not entitled to
clerks, except when the house is in
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 senator's; 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 a some
what exacting people, and if they de-
sire to remain in public life they can
not and will not be sluCgards and lag
CARDS in their work. ThcrcTOrc,
although it is true that large sum
of money will be thus drawn from the
treasury for the payment of the sala-
ries of the senators and representa-.
tives, when we remember the magni-
tude of the country and the important
interests which require the attention
of these public servants, we may natu-
rally conclude that the money thus
disbursed is properly placed.
II is fair to anticipate that during
the short session of the congress which
is about to convene a number of our
public servants may be, Indifferent tc
national legislation and local interests.
Only where mans treasure is may ii
be said that there is his heart also.
The many men in public life to-day
who failed of denomination last sum-
mcr, or who recently failed of re-
election at the polls, feeling that their
race is run politically, may prove in
different to the wants and wishes OF
their people, and therefore recreant
to the trusts which have been COM
mitted to them This Is always the
case duripp the short sessions of con-
.reSs, and 1t IS fair TO presume that In
Inference and lassitude will mark the
,ourse of at least few of the unfortr-
rate statesmen during the coming win
or. 1t is not IN uncommon thing for
men who have thus politically slllcn
~ the waysidc to pack up their traps,
cave Washington ostensibly for the
Christmas holidays and devote their
,ntire time, attention and energies to
Tho preparation of plans for the future
& Is probable, however, that the GO
aIled docking law which deprivcs
members of congress of their salaries
rnless they are actually ON duty, may,
turing the coming short session, pre-
rent great deal of that abscnteeism
which has been SO prevalent upon sim
lar occasions in the past
There are thousands of bills upon the
:alendar of the house, or In tho custody
If the regular committees, the ma
LoritY of them representing claims