Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-29

mel of the senate and its methods of
procedure may be found in this article
He says in part:
To two-thirds of the senator's the an
annual salary $4,000 Is consideration
not to be despised. There are few per-
qutsltes to exc out this comparatively
meagre compensation none in fact.
Worth mentioning. The government
provides one or two clerks to attend to
the senator's correspondence, which is
always heavy; it allows minimum of
tree stationary; and it returns some of
his travelling expenses.
There is opportunity. of course, to
make money thru speculatlon; and
some senators avail themselves of it,
one senator, who was a large holder of
Washington real estate, increased its
value very materially by steering lesis-
lation for street Improvements in its di-
rection; while every manipulation of
tariff schedules and of internal revenue
taxation, affecting steel and iron, to-
bacco, whisky and sugar reveals the
close connection between the senate of
the United States and Wall street But
this acquisitiNeness to call it by no
harsher name, is, after all. confined to
the few senators who are noted for
commercial instincts. The majority of
senators do not speculate They con-
tent themselves With their modest SAL
airy; and how they mana &c to live upon
1T Is daily wonder. The demands upon
the senatorial purse are incessant Ey-
cry senator is persistently approached
by stranded constituents. who expect,
and general receive financial assist
ance. Unless he elects To live in abso-
lutte retirement. it is also incumbent up
on him to maintain some social position.
Occasionally a senator will come to
Washington with the idea that he can.
be something or somebody upon $4,000
d year. Ii does not take many months
10 show him the futiiity of the effort.
In fact. it is impossible for senator
to save anything from his salary. un-
less he hides In back street, burying
himself like hermit, neither entertain
ing nor being entertained. In the diplo-
matte service, the leading ambassadors
ial positions are bestowed upon men
whose encourage can be maintained by
their private fortunes: and the time
does not seem 10 he far distant when
tht SENATE on the u nItsN states VIII be
composed in large degree of rich men,
simply because poor man cannot af-
ford 70 accept the position.
1t IS 10 the credit of the senate that
wealth is not yet the standard by which
Its members judge each other There
are millionaires in the senate who oc-
cupy insignificant places who are never
consulted By their colleagues and who
sfnply follow where athsrs lead On
the other hand men @Eo possess brains
are consequently factors IN determining
legislation. altho in material wealth
they may he as poor as church nice A
man eannot rise te eninence in the sem
ate by wealth alone Herein. II seams
10 me-, Is much basis FOR feliciiation
Until this condition changes. the senate
MIL continue 10 be. what it is today, the
create I legislative body in the world
OF course the time may come when the
sordia Influences which measure a man
by The size Of his bank account may
control the senate Let us. a, least. be
thankful that this time has noayrt arr
rived and let us hope. for the sake
Of the republic, that it will never come.