Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-07-28
WHAT THE SENATE COSTS.
Many queer Expenses Outside of the
Members Salaries.

Members Salaries.
The United States senate has been
popularity dubbed the "Millionaires'
club
1t is the cheapest club in the world
for the poor man to join. Its perqui-
sites. daily increasing, are too enor-
nous for reckoning. The newly pre-
pared report of the secretary of this
dignified body reveals some amusing
facts. 1t shows. for instance, that a
local drug firm received in the last fis-
cal year more than $1,700 for medi-
cines and toilet articles. These were
supplied to the senators for their indl-
vidual use and paid for out of the gen
erous pocket of Uncle Sam. No small
item of this expenditure was 1000
doses of bromo settler and bromo car
feline. Three dozens Of caffeine pow
ders. four cases of llthia water, two
bottles of bromo lithia and $40 worth
of lithia tablets further contributed 10
keep the senatorial system in good re-
pair. Twelve pounds of soda mint tab
let's were purchased for the alienation
of that dark brown taste" and the
extravagant sum Of so cents was ex-
changed for tabules for indigestion.
To each senator there are four en-
ployees In various capacities. Inc
smaller body of congress has come 10
cost Uncle Sam twice as much per
member per annum as the house. Al
most all of the 60 messengers receive
81, 440 a year each, whereas the ola
blind chaplain is considered to be
worth only $500. Yet he is dependent
upon some one to lead him daily to ana
from the capitol. LaborerS In the fold
ing room get $1,000, and those who run
the elevators enjoy still more-$1,2OO.
The man in charge of the stationery
room draws 81, 10240 annually; his as
sistants, 81, 800 and 1920 respectively.
The little pages who wait upon sena-
tors get SO a month, the postmaster
of the senate S2,250 annually, firemen
$1,O95 and the upholsterer and lock
smith LAO.
By far the greatest proportion of eX-
pense incurred each year for toilet arti-
cles is demanded by the senate barber
shops and bathrooms. 1t is not gener-
ally known that each member Of this
distinguished body is barberized gratis
as many times a day as he wishes. In
conjunction are all the appurtenances
Eof
masseurs are always in readiness to
hasten the course of slothful blood.
During one hot week in June the
senate paid $130 for lemons for lemon
ade and shortly afterward returned
no less than 300 empty bottles which
had contained lithla water. But the
taxpayer should not grow long faced
at such a modest rate of revelry as
this, considering the fact that 10 years
ago nearly every committee room at
the senate end of the capitol had its
provision of liquors purchased by the
chairman or by member with Il repu-
tatiOn as cOnnOiSSeur.
The senator's salary Of $1,000 year
is perhaps nothing to brag of, yet it is
just $1,000 year more than is given to
members of the British house of lords
for their parliamentary duties. To this
add $125 allowed each year for news
papers and stationery, only about $50
Of which need be spent; further add
an allowance for railroad mileage Civ
en- at the beginning and end of each
session and which need not be expend-
ed by those who hold passes.
While seated at his desk a senator
need only clap his hands to summon as
many pages as necessary to order his
lunch, deliver his notes or fetch him
books, stationery or glass of water
If a chairman of committee. he has
at his personal disposal the clerkship
of that committee, insuring q hand
some salary of $1,000 or $4,000. not to
mention an assistant clerkship or mes
sengershlp at from LAO up. If with
out a craftsmanship, he Is insured tho
personal appointment of clerk at ST.
500 a year.-Chicago Times-Herald.