The evening times., 1899-03-01
TIE CLERK SYSTEM.
Some Representatives Make Per-
sOnal Profit Out of 1t.

the Joint resolution OF March 3, 1898, au-
thorizing the employment of clerks by ,
Members and Delegates in the House. 1t /
was referred to the Committee on Ac !
counts and never heard of afterward.
A few days ago Mr. Hartman of Mon
tana introduced the following resolution:
That each Member and Delegate OF the House |
OF Representatives who desires to avail himself I
of the provisions of the joint resolution APP
proved March 3, 1893 and the resolution ap-
proved May 3, 1896, authorizing the employment
OF clerks to Members and Delegates, shall file
with the Clerk of the House certificate where
IN shall be stated the and residence OF the
person or persons employed, the date of the
employment, and the monthly compensation
agreed to be paid Said certificate shall be filed
within ten days from the date OF the employ
ment of such clerk clerks; and any change
in such employment, either TO the person
or persons employed, or the amount of cOmpen
sation, shall be daily certified by such Represen-
tative or Delegate within ten days from the date
OF such change.
Second. Upon the filing Of said respective GER
| tifcates, OF either of them, within the time
aforesaid, the Clerk OF the House shall issue
his warrant for such amount OF compensation To
| the person or persons mentioned in such GER
! tificate.
Third Upon the finding and decision OF the
| House that any Representative or Delegate has
| appropriated. obtained or retained, either di-
| rectiy or indirectly, any portion OF the mcney
| heretofore hereafter appropriated for clerk
hire, such Member or Delegate shall thereafter
! forfeit all right to the employment OF 4 clerk
| clerks, as provided in said resolution.
| Later on Mr. Hartman introduced an
! other resolution of similar tenor. They
caused a sensation A loud noise was rails
| ed against them, and they were referred,
| never to come back again.
What could have been the objection TO
| these resolutions on the part OF honest
men?" said member of the House who
| retires from Congress on Saturday next
| IF they employed clerks why were they
unwilling TO give their names and TO have
| them receive the money certified TO be due?
| The money was not appropriated for the
| benefit of the member, but for the reim-
| bursement of the money he might have ex-
! pended during the mouth for clerical sery-
J ices up to Sl00 The reason why some
| members objected was that they. contrary
to law have been pocketing the money
| which did not belong TO them, but was in
| tended by law simply as a reimbursement
| for money paid out.
1t has often been said that our mem
bers CT Congress DC not receive sufficient
ly high salaries, and frequently PROPOSE
| tioas have been discussed in the House 10
increase the compensation OF Representa-
| tiyes. In fact, however, many Of the
| members receive much more than the So
Coo salary allowed by law. in cash, and in
perquisites.
In March, 1898. Congress passed. after
considerable discussion. bill providing
that each Member and Delegate OF the
House of Representatives may on the first
day OF every month during sessions OF
Congress, certify to the Clerk OF the
House the amount which he has paid or
agreed to pay for clerk hire necessarily
employed by him in the discharge Of his
| official duties during the previous month.
and the amCunt certified shall be paid
| he rla nnf Of ha
| provided that the amount so paid shall
no; exceed 800 per month.
| Following is a copy of the certificate
which the member is required TO sign:
Hou>e of Representatives.
Washington. d. c.
| Clcrk OF thc House OF Representatives:
Sir, This * 10 certify that have paid. or
| agreed To pay. the of s. for clerk
| hire during the month ending - lS.i- :,
| that the clerk wdS necessarily employed by me
| IN the discharge CI my official and Represents a.
tive cmtieS; that chairman Of any com
mittee entitled under the rules to a c'erS.
Signed, Member OF the House oi Repress nj al ives.
etc. District and State
Subioined is the receipt:
Received OF Clerk OF tiouse OF Representatives
oi the Gitcd States in iuIl amount
for amount paid b. for cers bige, - per
above certificate.
"Chairmen OF committees who have
: | Il
The annual appropriation for tn 2
clerks to members amounts TO s4G0.0 OF
, this amount scarcely more than two
thirds is paid out according to law. A
though the law distinctly provides that
, the member shah certify the amount
} which he has paid or agreed TO pay for
clsri, hire and he does not certify.
probably in one third OF the eases the
Member deliberately puts the whole or a
lar T,ar of ha in no
law intended that he should only reim-
bUTse himself for the money expended in
: clerk hire Instead OF that he app. Opri-
ates it to himself He makes a IA sc
statement when he certifies he has paid
, out certain sum: he practically embez-
zles the public funds when hs misappro-
PIRATES the money. He is thus guilty
: clearly OF two offences against the law
and public morality. 4 man who in pri-
. vate. life adopted such practices would be
2 prosecuted.
Various excuses are given for this lie
gal and immoral practice. Congressman
say they do the work themselves: if SO,
/ why be furnished with clerks at $4G00 4
year2 Others say they give il to mem-
= bers OF their families. Others still aim
that Congressman are not paid enough
2 and they must have this money.
There are Representatives. to my
D knowledge. who employ several clerks
: whom they pay out Of their own pockets
9 | There are others who faithfully pay over
| the whole amount monthly TO L clerk
$ But there are a great many who appropri-
t ate the whole or nearly all of the monthly
= allowance OF 500 to their own use. When
n they come before their constituents let
e scme one demand of them the receipts for
# | what they have paid out to their clerks
e and then Will come moment Of great
: embarrassment for the man who is seek
d ing reelection
This evil and outrageous practice is not
: confined to the House. In the Senate the
n secretaries are enrolled as employees of th5
+ Senate Ghey are not in the House) and the
+ money is paid to them but in many in
stances they are members of the families
0 of Senators. wives, sons. daughters. rela
e tives. most of them utterly incompetent C
;. do the work required. How can woma;
: go around the departments. interview peo
: pie. and do the many other things required
d of secretary? The money is kept in the
J. | family.
y ITO return TO the Representatives. Al
allowance is made by law of 20 cents PEI
d mile mileage for each session of Congress
S That is to pay expenses coming TO Washing
e ton and going back, or 10 cents either way
: The ordinary mileage is about cents. 81
d that each Congressman saves cents
II mile. More than that, a great many mem
: bers have free passes over the roads, and
II while many do not use them. some do. o
It course when railroad bill comes up The
latter cannot consistently vote against IL
q Another remarkable thing is that when al
extra session is called, just after regular
IS session has adjourned double mileage may
n be collected, although the Senator Or Rep
# resentative has not left Washington
L Take the telegraph service. Every Sen
nd "a