The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-07-01
EXPENSE OF PARLIAMENTS.
The French Legislature Is the Most
Expensive Body in
Europe.

A paragraph going the rounds of
European papers is intended to slow
that popular government through.
representative Legislature is generally
more expensive than monarchical gov.
eminent. According to this view the
most expensive parliament in Europe
is that of France. The chamber of dep
uties and the senate cost nearly $780,
600 each year. Russia, which has no
parliament in the American and Eng
hsh sense, saves this item of expense,
saving which must seem to most per-
sons insignificant when compared with
the advantage derived.
One reason why the French assem-
bly, is so expensive is its extensive men,
bership. There are 800 senators and
bS4 deputies, total in excess of 500.
IKE salary paid each is 5000 francs, or
81, 800 a year-$2OO year less than was
paid New York aldermeA before con-
solidation. French legislators also have
free passes on the railroads. Italian
legislators receive 10 salary, but
have free transportation on railroads.
The cost of the Italian parliament was
Q, 100000 lire last year, or about $780,
900. The Holland legislature is in two
branches, the first and second cham
bers of the states general. The former
comprises so members, who receive ten
guhders day during the session, and
the second 100 members, who receive
1000 guilders year and their mileage.
A Dutch guilder is, approximately, two
fifths of dollar, and the total expend-
iture of the Dutch parliament is $780,
900 year in the equivalent of Amer
lean money. AS might be expected,
Spain has an elaborate parliamentary
system, whereby not alone do the elect
ed representatives of the people Tor of
such of the people as vote) have places
in the cortes, but also those who, with
out being elected, receive cumulative
vote in several districts sufficient to
have elected them in one. Spain ex-
pended last year 1,640,00O pesetas for its
cortes, equivalent to about $350,000.
Portugal expended for parliamentary
services about 100000, and Austria,
with two chambers, one in Vienna and
the other in Buda-Pesth, about 100000
forms, of which 100000 was for the
Austrian reichsrath and 100000 for
the Hungarian parliament. The men,
bers of the lower Austrian house, os-
tensibly representative body, receive
ten forms day for their services, and
get besides mileage on Austrian rail-
roads. By the official valuation of the
| United States treasury, an Austrian
| Austrian lawmaker receives substan-
tally (the question of mileage apart
| the same pay as the law of the state
| of New York fixes as the minimum for
laborers on some of its public works.
The members of the Swedish parlia-
ment number $50 in the upper and $50
in the lower branch. The former get
no pay; the latter receive 1000 crowns,
or $500 year, and if the session lasts
longer than four months they receive
ten crowns additional for each day of
actual service. A Swedish crown is
worth about &c cents, and this means
an addition of $500 day for legisla-
tive overtime. England spends about
100000 year for the British parlia-
ment, the members of which serve with
out salary. The German reichstag, one
branch of which represents the polit-
ical divisions of the country and the
other branch the voters, costs about
100000 a year. Belgium spends $780,
coo for this purpose, and Greece 100000
, drachmai for its chamber CT deputies,
the equivalent of 100000. The United
States has 90 senators and 500 con-
gressmen approximately, with an an
nual salary account of $2,500,000, ex-
elusive of the expenditures for clerks,
: secretaries, stationery, mileage and like
, eXpenses.-N. Y. Sun.