The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-05
ExptNsE OF pAHLIAMENTS.
The French Legislature The Most Expensive In
European Countries.


A paragraph going the rounds or
European papers is intended to show
that popular government through
representative Legislature is generally
more expensive than monarchical gov
ernment. According TO this view, the
most expensive parliament in Europe is
that of France. The Chamber OF Dep
uties and the Senate. says the New
York sun, cost nearly $l,500000 each
year. Russia, which has no parliament
| i'm the American and English sense,
saves this item OF expense, saving
which must seem TO most persons IN
significant when compared with the ad-
Vantages derived
one reason why the French Assembly
| is so expensive is It's extensive member
| ship. There are 300 senators and 5s4
| deputies. a total i'm excess of 500. The
| salary paid each is 5000 francs, OF 81
| 900 year I'm the equivalent OF Ameri-
| paid New York alderman before con-
| solidation. French legislators also have
| free passes on the railroads. Italian
| legislators receive no salary. but have
| free transportation on railroads. The
| cost OF the Italian parliament was p
| 100000 lige last year. or about s42OOOO
| The Holland legislature - in two
| branches. the first and second chambers
| OF the states general. The former COM
| prises.s0 members who receive 10 guild
| ers a day during the session; and the
| second 100 members. who receive 1000
guilders "A year and their mileage y
| Dutch guilder is, approximately, two
-afths of "A dollar -and=the total expands
ture of the Dutch parliament Is $780,
! 600 year I'm the equivalent ON Ameri-
| can money As might be expected.
| Spain has an elaborate parliamentary
| system. whereby not alone do the elect
! ed Representatives of the people Cor
| OF such people as vote) have places In
the Cortes. but also those who without
being elected. receive a cumulative vote
| i'm several districts sufficient 10 have
| elected them in one. Spain expended
| last year / $4,000 pesetas for it's Cortes.
| equivalent to about SS59000. Portugal
| expended for parliamentary service
| about S100 900, and Austria, with two
! chambers-one in Vienna. and the other
| in Budapest-abOut 100000 forms, OF
| which 1900. 900 was for Austrian Reichs-
rath and 100000 for the Hungarian
parliament. The members of the lower
] Austrian house. ostensibly a representa-
| tive body. receives 10 forms a day for
| their services. and get besides a mile
| age on Austrian railroads BY the Of
| fetal valuation of the United States
| Treasury, an Austrian fiorin is worth
| 20 cents, so that an Austrian lawmaker
| receives substantially Cthe question OF
| mileage apar) the same pay as the
| law of the state of New York fixes as a
| minimum for laborers on some OF its
| public works.
The members OF the Swed sh parlia- .
| ment number $50 In the upper and 80
| i'm the lower branch. The former get
no pay: the latter receive 1900 crowns.
| or $500. a year. and II the session lasts
| longer than four months they receive
! 10 crowns additional for each day of
| actual service. Swedish crown is
| worth about % cents. and this means
| an addition OF $3.50 n day for legis'a-
1 tfvr-- overtime. England SpuTTfs TbJut
| $500 900 a year for the British parlia- :
| ment. the members OF which serve
| without salary. The German Reichstag
| one branch OF which represents the
/ political divisions OF the country, and
| the other branch the voters. costs about
| $l00.000 a year. Belgium spends $3.50
\ 600 for this purpose. and Greece 500 00C
| drachmae for it's Chamber of Deput es
the equivalent of 100000 The United
| States have 80 senators and $50 con
| gressmen approximately. with an an
| nual salary account Of 81 500. 900. exclus-
| i've of the expenditures for clerks. sec
| retaries. stationary, mileage and like
expenses.