The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-02-21
Louisville Courier-Jonrnal.
WASHINGTON, Feb.

"AShlNS1 1ON, TCU. l.
Members of the House are catching
up. Having reached out tnei- hands
and taken possession of the postal
service, the next thing the House will
do probably will be to demand that
the Government supply private Offices
TO all of them as it does to the mem
bers Of the United States Senate. A
midday luncheon to be paid for out
of the contingent fund will probably
be the next privilege taken; and then
an appropriation will be proposed for
the purpose of supplying private car
riages to every one in Congress for
the transaction of " official business.
1t is purely for the transaction of
d" official business" that the" franking"
privilege is extended to Congressman.
When the law granting the "frank-
ing" privilege to Congressman was re-
pealed in 1872, Congress appropriated
SIPS year for each member of Con-
gress to pay for stationery" and it
was distinctly understood when this
was done that the amount appropria-
ted was to pay the cost of correspon-
dence on official business In other
words, it was estimated that the use of
the franking privilege would save a
Congressman not more than SI25 a
year, and, rather than TO trust Con-
gressmen to use that privilege legiti-
mately, the Government gave each Of
them the maximum amount which
official correspondence would cost.
Instead of being used directly for this
purpose, the stationery money is spent
for many other things, and the men,
bers of Congress complain that the
money paid for stamps 10 carry on
official correspondence was paid out
of their own pockets. Thus the sta
tionery money has become merely one
of the perquisities of a Congressman.
He draws his S125 year or spends i,
in the stationery room for supplies OF
trinkets at his pleasure. Some of i,
goes for corkscrews, some for pocket
knives. 1t is pleasant thing for a
Congressman to step into the stationery
room of the House with a constituen,
and tell the visitor to pick out the
finest knife in sight. The Govern
ment pays for it but it helps to make
votes. Now that the postage Of ofhcia
letters is to be paid by the Govern
ment direct, the Congressman may
think still more securely that the sta
tionery money is his to spend as he
pleases. 1t costs the Government,
s44,5oo to supply the members Of the
House alone with so-called "sta
tionery." A glance through one o
the annual reports of the Secretary ol
the Senate will show for what purpose
much of this money is used. Here
are ten dozen corkscrews purchased
for the Senate stationery room at on.
time. Here are forty-two dozen pen
knives and half as many pairs o
scissors. Here are dies engraved ane
paper stamped-doubtless with some
Senator's crest. Here are subscrip
tions to magazines and newspapers
At Christmas time the stationer,
rooms always keep on hand a heav,
stock of fine goods for Christina
presents, and many OF them are bough
by Senators out of their " stationery
allowance. Many of the members O
both House and Senate commute
their stationery money-that is, the,
draw it in cash and spend it as the,
please.
One Congressman from a Southern
State who came to Washington a fev
years ago SO poor that he could hardl
pay his railroad fare to the Capito
boasted before he returned home a
the end Of his term that he had live'
; on the $3.50 Of stationery allowanc
which the Government gave him
added to his mileage allowance. Hi
, salary OF $4,000 year for the tw
| years he saved. He lived during ,h
session of Congress in a cheap board
ing house and walked to and from th
Capitol every day. At the end of hi
( term he bought at bargain one c
the finest properties in his State, an
he is living on it to-day compare
: lively well-to-do man. He was
pauper almost when he came I
e Congress.
); This mileage is another perquisi,
t which members of Congress enjoy.
e costs the Government 100000
\ year for the members of the Hous
Z alone ostensibly for railroad far
Very little Of the amount goes to ii
railroads, however. Will John \
!. Thurs,on, the newly elected Senate
u from Nebraska, pay his fare to Wasl
ingtona He will not. His pocket
l. full of railroad ANIMALS Will NJ
l. Thurston then return to the Cover
u men, the amount appropriated to ps
:, his railroad expenses to and from Il
g. Capitol? Not if he is like 9th
N Senators and members of the low
is House.
l. The rate Of mileage paid to mer
u bers OF Congress is absurd. 1t is n
as great as it used to be, for befo
the days of railroads each Congres
: man received full days pay (sS)
70 each i~en,y mile: travelled in gor
10 Washington and returning to
home. Now Inc mileage is ten Ger
4 a mi.c each say, figuring the dis,an
e: according to the nearest route US
NJ ally travelled" Railroad rates
long distances nova days are mo
e, nearly two cents mile than ten cenl