Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-02-17
THE PAY OF PARLIAMENTs.
Beers Get the Largest Salaries, but Our
Senator's Have Valuable Pernnisites

Beers Get the Largest Salaries, but Our
Senators Have Valuable Perquisites.
So far as payments in hard cash
go the brawDy burghers of the
Transvaal are decidedly the best off.
Quite recently the Boer parliament
increased the, salaries of its mem
lbers to $4,000 year for each indi-
vidual, as they can very easily
afford to do, when one remembers
the big tax rolls which the unfran-
chised uitlanders are compelled to
pay. But in actual emolumenis the
United States senator probably re-
ceives better reward He gets
mileage and numerous minor fees
and privileges, which swell his an
nual income materially over it's
nominal $4,000.
Great Britain, as every student
knows, gives her members of par
lament no salaries, although gov
eminent officials for the time being
are royalty paid. The first lord of
the treasury receives $25, 900, as also
do the foreign, home, colonial, In
dian and war secretaries. The lord
chancellor receives $4,000 per an
mum. But for the M. P. who does
not hold office there is naught save
honor. Even the old privilege of
not being liable to arrest for debt
while an M. P. has been abolished.
The British colonies, however, do
not follow the example of the moth
er country. New South Wales and
Victoria allow their M. P.'s 81, 800
per annum, Canada and South Aus
tralia $1,000, with an additional
mileage rate for the former. and
Queensland $3.50, with mileage:
New Zealand representatives get
$1,000.
France gives its senators and dep
uties 81, 800, but there is string
to this salary which might be tried
elsewhere, in Vienna, for instance,
with good effect. Any member who
is twice called to order during sit
ting forfeits half his salary for two
weeks. Cases exist where certain
fiery French deputies have lost their
entire years allowances in this
manner.
Belgium grants members of the
representatives. chamber $3.50
year and passes on the railroads,
but, curiously enough, makes its
senators work for nothing and pay
their own travelling expenses.
In the realms OF the little queen of
Holland members of the upper
house are paid a sum equal to about
$4.1S per diem for each session, but
since they meet only on 80 or 80
days in the year they cannot be said
to clear much. In the second cham
Der $3.50 per annum, with travel
ing grant of ~ cents for every hour
spent on the railroad, are the allow
ances. Absentee Dutch lawgivers
forfeit their salaries, whether their
absence be caused by illness or not.
The new Japanese parliamentary
constitution compels each member
of the national parliament to draw
annually from the treasury about
S665. Any member of the aristo-
cratic classes refusing to accept this
salary through pride or other rea-
sons is subject to fine and dismissal
by the parliamentary rules of 1890.
Portugal is niggardly with its
representatives, giving them only
$500, and Norway pays members
from $3.50 to $40O, according to the
length of the session.
In Sweden members of the upper
house serve absolutely for patriot
ism and the lower chamber men,
bers get only 1886. Moreover, S2.75
per diem is deducted for nonattend-
ance. Even the unpaid upper house
is fined for absenteeism, although
its members get nothing-not even
train fares.
The Greek lawgiver is a $3.50 per
annum man, with additions for
overtime work (such as IN the re-
cent wary. 1t was suggested recent.
ly that these salaries should be
"docked" slightly, so as to help pay
the Turkish indemnity, but the idea
was condemned promptly. switzer-
land gives her councillors something
less than SIS a week, with about 6
cents day for travelling expenses.
New York Sun.
Lafayettes Pose.
In her book, ''Tho Home of the
Lafayettes, Miss Edith Sichel mar
rates the following anecdote Of the