The record-union., 1894-02-17

other committee, and not finding it there
proceeded to Narragansett Pier, instinct
lively, where, it is 10 be hoped, the long
sought were found.
Employees catch the spirit of extrav-
agance and cultivate "snaps" when they
can. The Clerk of the Committee on Con-
tingent Expenses makes frequent trips to
New York on business of the commit-
tee, by order of the Chairman" though it
would puzzle lawyers brain to Imagine
what that committee would have to do
outside Washington. The Clerk of the
Finance Committee is another royal
traveller. On trip to Providence he al
lowed the railroad to extort Sl7 40 in fare;
and, although the trip can be made in
half a day, he disposed of Sl2 90 worth of
eating. Milton, it is said, received $40 for
paradise Lost" but three employees, al
ready drawing large salaries, received
81, 800 piece for indeXing lot of old
claims. It's cheaper perhaps to index
than to pay.
The spirit of extravaganza has invaded
even the Senate stables. Horses that
wear out on an average per month SO
worth Of shoes, and in three months de-
your S677 % worth of fodder, should be
curbed in more senses than one. Three
hundred pounds of mixed oats and 300
pounds OF meal a month would blOat any
other stable of that size. And Senators
would do we'll to put in a few more of
their private steedS just 10 teach these
public quadrupeds they can't make hogs
of themselves. No wonder doctor was
obliged to make four visits at 81 90 visit
to cure a case of ''stomatitiS pustatOso."
The ingratitude of public favorites is phe-
nomenal. The keeper of the Senate res
taurant gets furniture, fuel, heat, light
and ice free tue year round; yet when
committee could not afford time and go to
the restaurant and buy lunch like men,
but ordered one sent to them, he sends in
bill of Sl24 40 to the Senate.
ANYTHING TO RUN UP A BILL.
Once a typewriter was a novelty in a
committee-roOm; to-day every One-hOrSe
committee has machine, or rather the
Chairman has, in the name of the COM
mittee. Although a Senator is allowed
SI25 tor stationery, which includes every
thing, he never has a machine charged
against his account, as that would lessen
the communication he draws at the end of
the year, the motto being, Don't pay out
of your own pocket what you can shove
onto the Government" GraphophoneS
also seem to be coming into favor; and
the Century Dictionary, a SO work, is in
demand by committees, whose needs
would be fully met by a pocket dictionary.
But these craZeS for novelties spread
when the door to the contingent fund is
left open by lax auditing committee
OF what use is a five minute sand glass
in the United States Senate? The jar of
snuff provided by Captain Bassett at
public expense for the benefit of few
Senators who indulge in that nasty habit
| has more Justification, though the
| Captain might afford to treat the Senate
to snuff out of the 500 bonus they vote
| him every year. There seems to be some
| thing IN public service that makes great
man small. A New England Senator,
| laHy n
vacation, not only presses the committee
/ clerk into his service during recess, but
| lugS Off the Government typewriter, and
! charges the Government for packing and
| shipping the same 81.
Here are few interesting items: F'if-
| teen dozen bath towels, one pair of blank
cts; one dozen pond-lily wash, one barber
| chair twenty gallons of bay rum, shay
| ing mugs, Italian cosmetic, Jamaica gin
| ger, witch hazel, quinine pills, cologne,
apollinaris water, and lemons galore. Two
dozen champion roach calchers" seems
an unnecessary purchase in view of the
number of Senators that got after the
! Junior member from North Dakota last
spring. :,
s'Easy come, easy go' is a proverb well
! illustrated in public expenditures. Ihe
money seems to come out Of the ground
If run as business house would be run
the Senate need cost only fraction OF
what it does at present. The amount II
spends yearly has been the subject o
! comment among members, VINO are
amazed that it should cost rs much, out
side salaries, TO run the Senate as 1t costs
TO run the House, four times as large
And in open discussion member OF the
Appropriations Committee warned his
! colleagues that unless there should be re-
! trenchuent public cenSure, IL not scan
dal. would visit the body.