The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-08-29


or so of granulated sugar
Precisely why the nation should be
obliged to furnish this drink to Sen
ators every summer in unlimited
quantities nobody can say. In the
cloak rooms of the House of Repre-
sentatives apollinaris lemonade is
frequently brewed at this warm seas
on, but it is paid for by members,
who 'chip in'' to buy the materials.
The beverage may always be
strengthened appropriately with
stick and this fact may have some
connection with the twelve dozen
cork screws bought during the last
year for the use of Senators.
1t is somewhat startling to learn
from the latest report of the Secre-
tary of the Senate that the members
Of this august body consume-at the
Capitol, mind you, and not at home
-twenty-three gallons OF the finest
cologne in single twelvemonth In
addition to this quantity, purchased
in bulk, several dozen bottles of
scented waters appear in the itemized
account. The allowance seems to be
about q quart and pint per annum
for each Senator. One ought surely
to be able to distinguish a Senator
anywhere by his agreeable smell.
Some of this cologne is used in the
Senate bath rooms, which are on a
scale of magnifcence that would not
have been despised by the high livers
of ancient Rome. The tubs are
carved out Of single blocks of marble
ten feet long, so that one can lie sub
merged at length in them. Attend
ants skilled IN massage are waiting,
and there are hot rooms and all ap-
pliances for Turkish and Russian
baths. All of these arrangements
for summer comfort are free Of charge
to Senators. They can get electric
baths in the Senate barber shop,
where there is apparatus for shutting
O legislator up in a box, from which
only his head protrudes, and cooking
him with steam while current from
a battery pa sses through his person.
More colog le is used in the barber
shop, where the tonsorial artists
charge nothing for their services, be-
Ing paid by the nation. Bottles of
scented waters are commonly to be
found in the committee rooms, where
they are agreeable for the toilet
Bay rum also is freely dispensed.
Eighteen gallons of bay rum were
consumed by the Senate during the
last year. OF alcohol, nineteen gal
Ions were required. Some of this
may have been for lamps, but it is
mentioned in the account that sew
eral gallons were purchased for the
barber shop-doubtless to rub Sena-
tors with. It may be that alcohol
stimulates eloquence when applied
externally. Members of the upper
house have taken it internally for
that purpose.
These things are paid for out of
the contingent fund. Other items in
the same category are dozen bottles
of pond lily wash, boxes of oint-
ment, bottles of brilliantine for
Senatorial mustaches, ounces of
bergamot oil, ounce of oil of rose, 8
bottles of yucca balsam, 8 bottles Of
herbanium, 10 pounds of vaseline,
toilet soaps of the most costly kinds
by the gross and 81 gallons of castor
oil. It is to be hoped that all of this
castor oil was not used incidentally.
EXtra-fne sponges are furnished by
the bale. Mention is made of 80 doz-
en- boxes of blacking and 16 dozen
blacking brushes and daubers. That
would allow about boxes of black
ing and brushes for each Senator
per annum.
Senators suffer from physical weak
nesses like ordinary folks. Occasionlly
they have stomach-aches and on this
account several bottles Of Jamaica
ginger are mentioned as paid for
out of the contingent fund. Over
indulgence in apollinaris lem
onade sometimes brings about
an enlargement of the head
the next morning after warm night
session, and so bromo-caffeine is on
the list. Other items refer to pur-
chases Of cafebrum powders and qui-
nine waters. But the favorite Sena-
torial medicine is the quinine pill.
Forty-four hundred quinine pills
were bought in the last year for
keeping malaria away from Senators.
They are furnished by the hundreds
to the committee rooms.
Now, why should the Senate use
twice as much ice as is consumed by
the House? Nobody can say, bat it
is a fact. In summer 100000 pounds
of ice per month are consumed in the
north wing of the Capitol, while only
so, 900 pounds are used in the south
wing. The Senate in winter uses
SO, 900 pounds month and the House
about half that quantity. Senators,
you see, do not grudge themselves
luxuries; legislators at that end Of
the Capitol do not feel obliged to
economic for the sake of producing
q good impression on their constitu-
ents. Twenty-four dozen of the best
palm-leaf fans were bought last year
for the use of the Senate.
Few Senators draw anywhere near
the quantity of stationery that is al
lowed them. The allowance is $125
per annum, and they take usually
about $50 of the amount in cash.
Some things they get from the sta
tionery room at cost price which are
not for their own use presumably. 1t
is hardly to be supposed that they
could have had personal need OF the
dozen pocketbooks which
were bought last year as part of the
The same remark applies
to seventeen dozen card cases. Such
make suitable Christmas
gifts.
The house gets comparatively little
in the way of perqu:sites. Members
pay for their own shaveS and hair
cuts. They may have baths free,
with soap, towels and attendants If
a representative dies his funeral is
paid for by the nation, like that of
Senator. The expense is usually
about $3.50 for the undertaker's bill
and as much more for transportation
of the committee appointed to escort
the body to the place Of burial, with
L. Sn1 -.