Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-05

MI ious bread winners
Il i i are interested in
] ! !: J. !: : !. !: !: ! !:
(6l3 the outcome of the
S[$ contest over the re-
2$%77C&. organization of the
NMEil IN House at the begin
UMf/!j.lsA ming of each new
-S1e%szsssss< &C., session of Congress
YHSn1SIiIH when there is a
vllLItM MnMMltztfa change of admins
tration, for that
pxNnt83E number of salaried
NVHSVWUsT'p positions are vacated
-@-rII& D by the outgoing in
aam. '. sT sT%ssnss Tasrssss,a,vss 's be ,llsa Cd
; $: ;;$:;
with the Offices of the sergeant-at-arms,
clerk, doorkeepers, and postmaster rem
der the contest for the elective positions
interesting, inasmuch as the representa-
tives taking part in the campaign expect
TO benefit by the result in providing for
their customers. The majority of the
positions included in the list of patronage
at the disposal. of the newly elected Of
ficials command lucrative salaries. and
each Representative has following of
eager constituents anxious to fill the
office and drew the emolument Therefore
The clerk of the House does not have
the largest amount of patronage at his
disposal, but the respective offices in his
department command the most attractive
salaries. He himself draws 5000 Il year
and is required TO give Il bond of 10000.
His is a position of some honor and more
responsibility. The clerk has fortythree
employees under him, commanding aggre-
gate salaries of $T1,30S year. His
right-hand man, the chief clerk, draws
$4,000 per annum. The clerk appoints
the journal clerk and an assistant, who
keep the official record of the proceedings
of the House: two reading clerks, who,
of late years, have been selected by COM
petitive examinations, indicating their
ability to read TO the satisfaction of the
House; tally clerk, who keeps track of
the yea and nay votes, together with a
number of minor officials. There is one
salary of $1,000, four of $500 each,
seven at $4,000 each, four at 81 800 each.
seven at $1,000, two at 81 400, two at
$1,000, and ten at $720. He also appoints
a carpenter, who earns about $500 at
piece work.
The sergeant-at-arms gets Il salary of
S4,5O0, and is now compelled to furnish a
bond of $4,000. His most important
duty is to take charge of the disbursement
of the salaries of the members. their mile
age and other perquisites. He is sup
posed to be responsible for the good or
der In the House, to preserve the peace
among would-be belligerents, to prevent
fights on the floor and TO arrest absentees
and bring them before the bar of the
-Lo,N 4
geant-at-arms dispenses one salary of $3,-
600, two of $1,000, one of $1,S00, one of
200, one of S720, and one of $660 He
also appoints one-third of the Capitol
police, consisting of eight srivates at
$1,000, one lieutenant at $1,000, and
two watchmen at $1,000.
The dooykeeper of the House is paid
the smallest salary of all the elective of
ficers, except the postmaster and chap
lain, but dispenses the largest amount of
patronage. He draws $500 year, and
is not required TO give bond. His duties
are defined by his title. He guards the
doors to the floor and the galleries, ap-
points elevator men, pages and folders
Under him there are five positions Mt
$1,000 each, one at 81 800, three at ST.
600, one at 81, 400, one at 1,314, sixteen
at 81 200, nine at $1,000, fifteen at $780,
five at $40, twenty-five at $720, ten at
5000. and thirty-three pages at $50 per
month during the session.
The postmaster attends to receiving and
delivering the mail of the members and
to forwarding the public documents sent
out from the Capitol. His salary is ST.
500 and he is not required to give bond
There are no sinecures in his Office, for
every man has to work hard. The post
master appoints one clerk at 81, 900, ten at
81 200, one at $120 and eight men during
the session at 500 a month each
The chaplain of the House draws 5000
per year, in session and out and has an
easy berth. He is supposed to open the
House with prayer, and is not blamed If
he makes it short. Sometimes the chap
lain pays pastoral calls among the men,
bers of his flock during business hours,
lingering after the House has assembled
to chat with members. He never aims at
his congregation in his prayer, although
in times of turbulence and great public
excitement in the House he may try to
invoke the spirit of peace and blessing
of wisdom upon the public councils. 1t is
usual to elect a minister of the. District
of Columbia with a regular salary, for
the emolument of the place is not large.
The Speaker of the House has bit of
patronage at his own disposal. He is
allowed one clerk at $3.50, one at S2,-
go, one at 81 600 and messenger at ST.
900. The Speaker himself receives $3,-
600 in addition to his regular salary of
$1,000 as member for the added duties
of the speakership.
The Senate officers.
The patronage of the Senate il much
less than that of the House. but the no.
sitions are usually more secure. Some of
the employees have been in their present
positions for many years. "Old Man"
Bassett, as he is called, has been in the
service of the Senate a little over sixty
years, and there is but one Senator, Mr..
Morrill,, who has been continuously In
the Senate during the term of employment
of Mr.. Nixon, the financial clerk. though
he is still young man. The Senate does
not like repeated changes. There are
but three elective officers-the secretary,
the sergeant-at-arms, and the chaplain.
The patronage, except committee clerk
ships, comes under the secretary and the
sergeant-at-arms The chaplain gets
small pay and has no employees under
him.
The sergeant-at-arms has the appoint
ment of the acting assistant doorkeeper
of the Senate, the postmaster and his
subordinates, the superintendent of the
document room and his subordinates, the
superintendent of the folding room and
his subordinates and the laborers, mes
sengers and pages. This patronage is,