The evening times., 1900-10-09
THE MILEAGE CLAIM ABUSE.
How C0nsressnien and ARMY Officers
Increase Thefr. come.

Increase Their Income.
The bill recently preseRted TO the Gov
ernment for the expenses of an Irish wake
recalls many similar ones that the Treas
ury is expected to pay. Accounts for
every conceivable purpose are filed, and
the claimants are generally most indig-
nant on finding that the United States de-
clines to acknowledge them.
Deep down in his heart, the average
citizens wants the Government to assist
IN his support. and he never neglects an
opportunity for filing bill for services
rendered, said Treasury official yester-
day. The desire is not confined to
plebeian clerks and tradespeople. It -four
ishes just as Justify In the bosom OF Sena-
tors and Representatives. It is surprising
what little subterfuges are employed by
the Solons of the Government in milking
the administrative cow to the uttefmost
One of the favorite methods is in building
up big mileage accounts. The Senators
and Representatives, who fix their own
salaries, have decided on taking 20 cents
mile for all distances Travelled on Govern
ment business. AS that includes coming
to Washington and returning home, the
mileage is considerable. 1t would leave
handsome margin of profit even though
the Congressman paid the usual rates for
they travel on passes, the sum is pure
profit.
But the Senators are not often content
with travelling over the shortest usual
route which is the basis for honest pay
ment of Government mileage. They hunt
up the most intricate routes imaginable
in order to make their mileage the bigger
Having settled on schedule that is as
long as the conscience of the legislator
En
all his mileage bills on that-and then
travels over the shortest roads on which
he happens TO have a pass In the case
of Pacific Coast Congressman TINS IS an
important item. Even allowing only S,oOt
| miles each way for the trip, the niiedse
is $500 and when two round trips are
made yearly, that comes to s2,Suo- 1t ~
more than so per cent of an increase I.
the salary of the Congressman, and IL Il
usually pure profit.
Army officers are also great stlcklers
for mileage The law provides that when
travelling on official business unaccompa-
MED by troops. they shall be paid at the
rate of cents q mile. Railways do moi
| ordinarily give passes to Army man. Du
| sell them half-fare tickets on application
| That means good cleanup to the soiaiei
/ who has TO go on long trip 1t is &C
| cepted as perfectly legitimate by the ON
! accounts without murmur But not Ions
| ago Army officers stationed here on duty a
| the War Department began sending in bilit
/ for mileage whenever they went down tt
| the Marine Barracks or the Navy Yard
| The distance from the State, War anC
/ Navy Building is about three miles, so thai
| the mileage account would be II cents. ant
| the actual outlay for street car fare would
/ be S1-3 cents The auditors, however
/ nfnped that schemez In the bud. No mile
| age is now paid on trips to the Navy
Yard.
THE Government allows for tips 70 por-
/ ters at the rate of 25 cents day. A IA
| vorite dodge Of Government employees WHIT
are in the field is to present bills for por-
| terage at the rate Of % cents for each da.
/ thus spent away from home. The Audi
| tors Office can do little 10 check the abuse
! but there is a growing suspicion that II
! many cases the items Of porterage go di
rectly into the pocket OF the claimant him
| SELF