The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-29
PETERS HIT.
Seems to Have Made One With
His Funeral Bill.
The Only Measure of His to
Bear Fruit.
INTERESTS SENATORS.
The Research Mr.. PETER Has
Made in The
Matter Shows How Expense
Bills Have Grown.

From the State Journals Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-Au unusual
| compliment has just been paid Senator
PETER in relation to his congressional
funerals bill. Mr.. spofford, the librar-
ian of congress, has asked Senator PETER
for copy of his speech on this bill and
he data he prepared to go with it. Mr.
SpoHOrd considers the facts and infor-
| nation prepared by Senator PETER SO
valuable that he wishes them for the
congressional library that they may be
preserved
This bill of Senator PETERS has at
tracted wider attention than any other
bill before congress this session except
the house revenue and bond bills. There
was considerable opposition to the bill
by senators whom extravaganza in pub
lie affairs does not seem to offend, and
the matter was finally disposed of by ref
erence to the committee on rules with in
structions to report permanent rule of
the senate to regulate and control the
expenditures of public funds in the bur-
lal of congressman.
This bill of Senator PETERS has re-
ceived the widest notice from the news
papers all over the country, both in the
news and editorial columns and in all
the notices he has received Senator PEI
fer says only one commented on it ad-
versely.
Referring to the early days of the gov
ernment, Senator PETER says: sit was
from tae contingent fund that senators
in the early days of the republic were
supplied, at the public expense, with
newspapers of their own selection.
ut appears that a good many articles
used by senators and paid for out of the
contingent fund were hardly such as
would reasonably be regarded as neces-
n a crIl n n
the many lists from year to year in the
early years of the senate, l find wine,
brandy, COgnac, almonds, raisins, sirup,
soda water, etc.
"In calling attention to these charges
against the contin gent fund, it is not my
object to excite ridicule, but to show that
whatever things were regarded at that
time as properly coming within the
meaning of contingent expenses, funeral
professions. extending hundreds and
thousands of miles over the country were
not among the number"
Again, he says:
1.-The American people are net stingy,
and they do not favor a cheeseparing
policy in any case. We are a liberal
people, and we are intensely patriotic.
And in what seem to be proper cases we
will bear heavy drafts without COM
plant"
Mr.. PETER incidentally calls attention
TO the expenses attending the illness and
burial of President Garfield. They footed
up grand total of $39, 1880 But Mr.
PETER says: "rhe amount might have
been much larger and the people would
have approved it had all the charges of
persons who we're specially benefited by
The disbursements appeared to be reason
able" The largest individual amounts
geons. DR.. Bliss received Sc, 500, DIR.
Agnew $5,000 DIR. Hamilton $5,O0O Drs
Reyburn and Boynton each $4,000. and
DR.. Susan A. Edison 3.000-altogether
$27,5
The items in the funeral expenses of
the late Senator Plumb of Kansas, are
given in full by Mr. PETER, who said in
his speech:
81 cite the case of Senator Plumb first,
because he was my colleague, and be-
cause 1 looked carefully over every item
in the list before approving it. One
charge of $500 was cut to $3.50. While
as a whole the bill is high, and while the
charges for many of the items are ex-
cessive, the custom has been SO long in
vogue that one would be regarded boor-
ish if he objected to bills that are not
higher than is usual on such occasions"
The items were as follows:
Funeral Expensns of Preston p. Plumb,
Deceased December 80, 1891.
From Report on Expenditure of Senate, 1892
and 1898. ]
Jan. 10. 1892. c. B. Reade:
JAN IL, 1892.
For expenses incurred as assistant
Sergean t-at-arms of the senate in ac-
companylng the remains of Preston
B. Plumb late a senator from the
state of Kansas. from Washington
d. c.. to Emporia, Kansas, under
resolution of December II 1891, from
December 21. 1891, to January l,
Paid for meals and lunches en- route for
ants - '. ................. S144 so
Paid for kilograms and papers 16 81
Paid for hotel bill IL EmpOria. KAN. 81 SO
Paid for hotel bill at st. Louis ......-.. IS 90
rsa fSP SPqs ssfia.s hire fsr sonnt,s3 % %
Paid for expenses for self from Empo-
ria. Kansas. TO Washington, ID. c.. IN
railroad and Pullman fares and meals
Paid to reimburse Senator PETER his ex-
penses from EmporIa to Washington.
Paid to reimburse Senator Dolph his ex-
penses from Emporia to Washington,
Paid to reimburse Senator Paddock his
expenses from Emporla to Washing
Paid Id to reimburse Senator Palmer his
expenses from Emporia to Washing
Paid to reimburse Hon. E. H Funston
PAD ntI to aSPem1on fPeimbnrse Hon. S. W. Peel his
expenses ....................... 40 As
Paid to reimburse Hon. Case Broderick
his expenses .....................-. 4s 90
Paid to reimburse Hon. P. S. Post his
Paid to reimburse Hon w. II. Cate his
expenses. - % 25
Paid to reimburse Hon H. M. Xoumans
Paid to reimburse Hon. C. E. Stueven,
messenger. his expenses ........... 16 90
q 49, -