New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
THE WASTEFUL SENATE.
cu.NDLER SHOWS THE NEED OF
ECONOMY AND REFORM.
.por-r FOUR EMPLOYEES TO EACH
srxAToR WITH AN ANNUAL PAYROLL vi
NEARLY s5ooOoO-sUCH EXTRAVAGANcE
NOT REQUIRED Ely THE PUBLIC
SERVICE HE WANTS ALI.
UNNECESSARY EXPENDI
TUREs CUT OFF.

TUEES CUT OFF.
1o.,irr,on. March I'm support OF his reso'u-
,r looking TO the reduction OF eXpehoi'ues "
uO" san.,e Senator Chandler has sent letter 10
the ~ D,.ch.rd chairman Of the Committee on
oe' c-.oo I'D Re,renchncnt and Senator Jones'
u,,.n Of the Committee on Contingent EN
.os ., the Senate in which he calls aten''o"
n the many extravaganza expenditures ., '"e
.,ich he now seeks TO have invest4sa'eu' -,
senator Chandler accompanies his letter VII" :"
,,.ment OF racts from which he draws some III
,eresting conclusions. lie shows that '"e
hor =, ennloves OF the Senate is S03. or "hoi"
,p1 are clerks. hfty-seven messengers n'.y'wo 10
horers twenty-three pages. elsh'ee" Io'ueis
at,een policemen. The forces OF the othei "ep"'
usnts are much smaller. there being Tor instance
.sven mail carriers. eight watchmen' "'e GU"
..ors a, elevators four messengers acting as as
,an, doorkeepers, four assistant engineers HNe
fremen etc. ., J.. 49,. oor,
According 20 the figures submitted 10 the co'n-
,,,,ee nv Mr. Chandler. the Senate employees re-
GIVE about s4s2 900 annually. The annual payfon
,.s increased from $l7 s3l in 1887 to SiZS' IN 1880
.a mas higher than this by $4,000 In 1884 1t was
reased s2o742 in 1885 and s9445 in 1889. decreased
tx 7ss In 1880 and increased again sS72 in 1881.
rave OF economy reduced the expenses OF lie Se"-
ate again In 1892 by Ailso but the following year
they were again increased 1884 A furtner IN
crease OF sse7 was made in 1894 and last year a
r,auction OF S2sSl was made. The total increase
since 1888 has been ssS.2l4 and the total reduction
So2 So making a increase OF slo3,34s
The total expenditure OF the Senate. less the sal
aries and mileage Of Senators. which amounts 10
about $3.50 900 annually has ranged from si4'IS2 In
1887 10 sSs9lss in 1891 This year there Has re-
duction TO ss4S2Ol The total increase m all ex-
nendtures has been sAs 0s2 and the total decrease
s217 1o4 leaving net increase Of s@0,96S
at will be seen by these figures. MI Chandief
saws that there are about four employees 10 eacn
Of The ninety Senators. Deduct the policemen ana
. cnncl
uoon Senator's II must be manifest 10 you, upon
the brieest possible consideration given 10 me SUD
iect that the force is excessive and eXtraVasant'
Deduct from the l21 clerks the ninety secretaries
Of Senator'S and there remain thrty-one CLERKS Ks
the large additional force described IN the list.
What are ffy,seven messengers and hftytwo a ia
all usefulIy employed giving full service for the
money received by them them. o., oo~o-.r. .,s nav.
roll Of the senate employees with the expenses OF the
M Scs ar yappTopTaon Of 2 sS for the payroll and
current and ordinary expenses hciuSng 'ne
bill carries an appropriation for like purposes OF
sss5 SIS. These expenses Mr. Chandler says, IN, n,
the schools except The salaries of the military and
continng' he says: Into the details of all the
expenditures of the Senate. which have grown so
nI! @ oer to &
pressing the resolution which have offered. THOSE
tsss With view 10 the dismissal OF every surplus
employe and the omission hereafter of every need
TT is impossible that the public service requires
snch outlaws The Senate wing OF the Capitol is
kent in repair by the architect and guarded by the
Capitoi police For the comfort within the Senate
S,inr OF ninety Senators. and to enable them 10
nerform their functions. II cannot be possible that
sss officers and employees. at an annual salary OF
SzSo 100 ERE necessary, and In addition other ex-
penses amounting TO $4,000. There is fault in
Some some one: / do not know whom; there is ex-
travagance somewhere; ] do not pretend TO know
exactly in what place. But In this crisis OF dimin-
shiog revenues and hard times for the poor the
Senate should set an example OF retrenchment; and
/ hope you will begin the work by recommending
the passage Of the two resolutions and cheerfully
and efncienty labor under the authority OF the
Senate for the promotion OF much-needed economy
nd REFORM